Is the Chloé x Atelier Jolie Collab Actually Sustainable?

We all know sustainability is important in fashion, but what does it mean?

The Parisian brand Chloé recently partnered with the new and upcoming Atelier Jolie by, you guessed it, Angelina Jolie, to give us an elegant evening wear collection without destroying the planet in the process.

With minimalist dresses, luxe layering pieces, and velvet capes, the Chloé x Atelier Jolie collection will be available in boutiques and on Chloé’s website in January 2024.

After learning about this collaboration, a valid question arises: will it really be sustainable, or is it all for show?

The French luxury brand Chloé is aiming towards many sustainable goals this year. The main ones are a 27% reduction of global emissions per product, a 27% reduction in water consumption, and to have 0 virgin synthetic fibers on ready-to-wear by Winter 2024 (except elastane and sewing thread).

In the animal welfare section of its website, the brand states "We no longer use fur, angora, exotic animal skins, or hair; we banned fur from our collections in 2018 and the use of exotic skins in 2019."

Vogue affirmed that Chloé is the first luxury brand to receive the B Corp Certification, a rigorous program that analyzes a brand's commitment to sustainable practices.

For a company to be B Corp Certified, it must demonstrate high social and environmental performance, make a legal commitment to change its corporate governance structure, and of course, exhibit transparency by publicizing some of its supply chain information.

Although Chloé is B Corp Certified, the Good On You organization says otherwise. The source makes reviews on fashion brands in relation to their sustainable and ethical practices.

Good On You says there "is no evidence [Chloé] implements practices to support diversity and inclusion in its supply chain. There is no evidence it ensures payment of a living wage in its supply chain. It does not disclose any policies or safeguards to protect suppliers and workers in its supply chain from the impacts of COVID-19."

Chloé is also part of the Richemont Group. In order to look at Chloé's supply chain, it's equally as important to look at the bigger picture.

According to Excellence Magazine, the group "plans to use 100% renewable electricity in all its locations by 2025," and its "sustainable revolution" began with Chloé because of the brand’s prior commitment to sustainable practices in 2020 with artistic director Gabriela Hearst.

Chloé x Atelier Jolie

The Chloé x Atelier Jolie collaboration is expected to be an entire eveningwear-focused collection, with "a timeless appeal that serves a deeper purpose: celebrating authentic women-to-women connections," according to a press release from Chloé.

The collection with actress Angelina Jolie is promoted as a sustainable alternative to fast fashion and other non-sustainable brands in the industry. It uses deadstock and natural fabrics including organic silk, organic crepe, and certified wool in its production.

While this all seems great, it's not that simple for a collection to be branded as sustainable and eco-friendly. Deadstock fabric is a very broad term and can mean anything from unsold fabrics to fabric scraps from clothing brands and to even damaged fabric.

One of the cons of deadstock is that it can incentivize fabric mills to overproduce, since there's a market created for it. So, in reality, the "deadstock" fabric can be more fabric produced in excess, creating more waste and pollution—which is far from sustainable.

There are many other factors to consider when debating if this collab is truly sustainable. It's important to look at the clothing's supply chain. The supply chain includes where materials are sourced from, where items are assembled, the overall transportation CO2 emissions, and more.

Angelina Jolie was very proud to present her new atelier on social media and emphasized the importance of appreciating the tailors behind all the clothes produced.

According to InStyle, the collection worked with artisans from the World Fair Trade Organization social enterprise Akanjo, which trains and promotes craftspeople.

Because the new collection hasn't given consumers the full scope of the sustainable practices being introduced into its supply chain, it's difficult to fully analyze its sustainability.

Chloé's efforts within the sustainability realm of fashion are much appreciated by consumers, and the fact that it's the first luxury company to be B Corp certified speaks to their values and ethics.

There are reasons to believe that the French fashion house's new collaboration with Jolie will move the fashion industry in the right direction, but we'll just have to wait and see!

What are you thoughts on the collaboration? Do you think Chloé x Atelier Jolie will reduce impacts or contribute to them? Leave a comment below.