Is “Unfortunately, Ready to Wear” Actually Ready to Wear?

On Feb. 9, New York Fashion Week took a turn from its glamorous, elegant and often unsustainable presentation of clothing. In an aggressively hot room filled with photographs of the aftermath of the recent California wildfires, Luka Sabbat, the 21-year-old Gen-Z “It Boy”, model and actor unveiled “Unfortunately, Ready to Wear,” a forward-thinking concept collection.

Sabbat partnered with Milk Studios and the Natural Resource Defense Council (NRDC) to create a clothing collection that offers a “realistic perspective” of what people will need when environment becomes less inhabitable — functionality.

“If it comes down to the world burning down, who gives a shit about a pair of jeans that looks cool?” Sabbat said.

The collection is actually quite simple consisting of four pieces: a jacket, bandana, backpack and headphones.

To Sabbat, the jacket is used for protection against infectious diseases. The bandana is used to combat air pollution. The backpack is used to support environmental refugees. And lastly, the headphones are used to combat heat waves and extreme storms.

To Sabbat, the approach of the collection is less of an “aesthetic design” and an attempt of making it look as “cool” as possible. However, I find that these designs and pieces actually promote more of Sabbat’s  bold, slick vibe.

Also, I question whether these somewhat abstract pieces are sufficient for protecting people against the environment, especially for those who have no choice but to face uncomfortably hot temperatures on a daily basis.

“It’s so easy to be a pretend activist and not actually take actions on anything. You press four buttons and post it to 6,000 people. In reality, what did you actually do to change the world?” Sabbat said.

I question whether Sabbat is using his undeniable, bold influence as a marketing tool to set him apart from other designers, or if he’s actually trying to start a conversation in the fashion industry. I definitely think it’s a mix of both. Although I think that Sabbat is using his platform for good, I question whether his actions are good enough. I also hope that Sabbat’s followers are not discouraged by his message and view of how to change the world. Especially when, most of the time, the resources people have are not equivalent to those of a rich designer.

That being said, Sabbat has such an influence on today’s industry, and I look forward to seeing how he mobilizes and inspires people through his future collections.