Emma Watson is so perfect it hurts.
In addition to being the kind of pretty that just makes you want to buy all the world’s beauty products, the actress has teamed up with Eco-Change and Green Carpet Challenge founder Livia Firth (Colin Firth‘s wife!) to promote ethically-made, glamorous clothing.
In the latest issue of Net-A-Porter‘s The Edit, Emma models sustainable designs from Christopher Kane, Victoria Beckham, Erdem, Roland Mouret and Burberry, proving that fashion can be jaw-droppingly gorgeous and be made under fair conditions.
Emma said:
“I├óΓé¼Γäóve always had this huge problem. I would love to wear garments that are ethically sourced, but there aren├óΓé¼Γäót enough options for me to be able to do that realistically. [Partnering with Livia] just seemed like it was something I had to do, something I├óΓé¼Γäód been waiting for. Livia├óΓé¼Γäós created a lobbying body to put pressure on governments and corporations to encourage them to have [ethical responsibility] as their baseline. It├óΓé¼Γäós quite awesome.”
The 23-year-old is actually really passionate about making ethical clothes, and even did a capsule collection with Alberta Ferretti called Pure Threads, and three collections with People Tree, a Fairtrade brand.
“Maybe there would be fewer problems if we were really conscious of where and how things were made. We don├óΓé¼Γäót support slave labor in this country, so we shouldn├óΓé¼Γäót support those conditions in other countries. I can├óΓé¼Γäót wrap my head around why ethical clothing is a speciality and not a base standard. Why is it special to have something you know wasn├óΓé¼Γäót made under terrible conditions by a 12-year-old girl for 20 pence an hour? It├óΓé¼Γäós hard to talk about this stuff without sounding preachy.”
Not preachy, passionate!
It wasn’t always so easy for Emma to get her hands on fabby clothes. She recalled:
“They just didn├óΓé¼Γäót design stuff for 11-year-olds. There├óΓé¼Γäós some stuff I think, ├óΓé¼╦£I never should have worn that!├óΓé¼Γäó”
Still, she remembers her outfit at the Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone premiere in 2001 fondly, saying:
“It was a long, denim Kenzo dress, and these crazy fake-python boots. I loved it! You wouldn├óΓé¼Γäót expect an 11-year-old girl to wear that. But I├óΓé¼Γäóve always been adventurous.”
Even with over 10 years in the game, Emma isn’t a huge fan of the red carpet.
She admitted:
“Getting ready for an event can feel like a lot of pressure. You have to consider, ├óΓé¼╦£Will people see up my skirt? If a flash goes off, can you see through this?├óΓé¼Γäó So I├óΓé¼Γäóll do a test sitting, a test standing…It├óΓé¼Γäós nerve-wracking. People really scrutinize. On the red carpet, I├óΓé¼Γäóm usually in so much discomfort ├óΓé¼ΓÇ£ my shoes are uncomfortable, I can├óΓé¼Γäót breathe in the dress. I don├óΓé¼Γäót compromise like that in my everyday style.”
Ch-ch-check out all the ethically-made, red carpet-worthy gowns in the gallery (below)!
[Image via Bjorn Iooss/The Edit]