Katharine Hamnett joins Fair Wear Foundation

Katharine Hamnett, the English fashion designer behind the “Choose
Life” T-shirt made famous by George Michael, has joined Fair Wear
Foundation (FWF), the non-profit organization which works with brands,
manufacturers and trade unions to improve workplace conditions for garment
workers.

“As the whistleblower and long-term fanatic and campaigner
about sustainable fashion, I look forward to working with FWF whose aims
match mine”, said Hamnett in a statement.

All FWF members need to
prove they have taken substantial steps towards better labor conditions. Every
year, the organization will check Hamnett’s efforts in that regard and
publish the assessment on its website for all consumers to see. FWF
currently works with over 130 European fashion companies whose products are
sold across 80 countries.

Best known for her political T-shirts with
sentences such as “Use a Condom” and “Peace”, Hamnett started her career in
the 1980s. Her most famous T-shirt design, “Choose Life”, was featured in
Wham’s “Wake Me Up Before You Go Go” music video, as well as Queen’s
“Hammer to Fall”. The outspoken British designer has helped to shed light
upon several issues, including the invasion of Iraq, Monsanto’s Roundup and
the underrepresentation of black models on London Fashion Week, to name but
a few.

Picture: courtesy of FWF