GW Agency

The Model's Health Pledge is an online platform and registration point, focused on model's health and a healthy working environment in the fashion industry.

The basis of this platform is a pledge with twelve promises, signed by modelling agencies, media and other fashion professionals committed to improving the state of the industry.

GW Agency has signed the pledge and leads this project for the Dutch Ministry of Health, Welfare & Sport (Ministerie van Volksgezondheid, Welzijn en Sport) and Alles is gezondheid.

Do you want to learn more about the modelling profession? Or have you witnessed misconduct that you want to report? Visit: www.themodelshealthpledge.nl to learn more!

The Models Health Pledge – Modellen en gezondheid

Last week the Sustainable Apparel Coalition launched the Higg Facility Environmental Module (Higg FEM), a self-assessment tool that globally standardises sustainability measurement for apparel, footwear, and textile manufacturing facilities.
The Higg FEM, optimised for use at an industrial scale, enables factories of any size, anywhere in the world, to assess sustainability performance and easily share results with supply chain partners.

SAC CEO Jason Kibbey introduces Link by Link, a campaign to register 20,000 apparel, footwear, and textile manufacturers and 400 brands on Higg.org by the end of 2018 in this short video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U-Cna7ixkTE

It's a privilege for GW Agency's Holly Louise Syrett to work on SAC's Transparency work stream with the small, extremely smart and talented team. Collaboration is the heart of SAC and together with their members that represent a whopping third of the industry, change is being made!

For more info. check-out the website:https://apparelcoalition.org/

Sustainable Apparel Coalition: Link by Link Sustainable Apparel Coalition CEO Jason Kibbey introduces Link by Link, a campaign to register 20,000 apparel, footwear, and textile manufacturers and 400 br...

Great initiative by the AMFI - Amsterdam Fashion Institute to allow their students to experience working in a sweatshop and greaten their understanding of why to demand for transparency of brand supply chains!

Bloedheet, geen plaspauze | NOS op 3 Modestudent Laura (21) managet een kledingfabriek. En leert met mede-studenten hoe werknemers daar worden uitgebuit. Abonneer je NU om niets te missen: bit.l...

Thrilled with this publication featuring The Model's Health Pledge, Marvy Rieder, Nimue Smit and Vogue Nederland's chief Karin Swerink!

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/look-but-dont-touch-models-fight-back-against-harassment-in-the-fashion-industry-c7td0v5n8

A 'snippet':

Last week Nimuë Smit helped to launch The Model’s Health Pledge, a project that aims to safeguard vulnerable models and prevent abuse. The first initiative of its kind, the project challenges magazines, modelling agencies, clients and others to sign up to a code of practice that includes reasonable workload, responsible nutrition and the avoidance of misconduct. Any model working in the Netherlands who believes the code is being violated can use its website to make an anonymous submission. Within five days his or her case will be taken up by an independent vertrouwenspersoon (trustworthy person). In theory the measures taken could range from a discreet conversation with a photographer’s agent to the public revocation of the project’s kitemark.

French legislation, which requires models to hold a doctor’s note stating that they are not dangerously underweight, has been criticised for being patriarchal and simplistic, but it is hoped that the new Dutch system (motto: “without ethics, no aesthetics”) will be more holistic. The model Marvy Rieder, formerly a face for Armani, sits on the pledge’s advisory board and speaks of the importance of considering “all the signs” when evaluating welfare. “We want the Model’s Health Pledge to be a sophisticated, integrated and transparent approach.”

The editor-in-chief of Vogue Nederland, Karin Swerink, is also a signatory. “It’s important that we have a proper dialogue, a real conversation with models without the direct intervention of the government,” she says. “I’m already used to having a quiet word with an agent if a girl is too thin or too tired. On a shoot we’re a team and the older members of the team have a responsibility towards the younger ones.”

Thanks to Blanche the Agency and Mark Smith!

Look, but don’t touch: models fight back against harassment in the fashion industry Have we just witnessed fashion’s Arab Spring? Certainly, something very serious and potentially transformative filled the American model Cameron Russell’s Instagram feed when she used fashion’s...

GW Agency's Holly Louise Syrett is currently working with De Groene Strik and Podium to develop an educational programme for primary and secondary schools.

Using an interactive tool, pupils will travel through the fashion supply chain and learn which choices they can make for a better industry. Our goal is to empower the next generation with knowledge and tools for better choices!

We're currently in discussion with partners for funding. Are you involved in such projects and/or know persons we should be speaking to?
Would be great to hear from you!

Please reach me through: [email protected] / +31645578121

From Beyond Green symposium to THNK School of Creative Leadership FSTVL where we have a mini Pure Waste Textiles pop-up.

Unique THNK T-shirts from 100% recycled textiles, no water (thus a 2.700 liter saving per tee), no raw materials, no chemicals or pesticides!

Fun Friday for GW Agency

Loved hearing Robbert Wefers Bettink's sourcing journey for his brand Dick Moby at Beyond Green symposium

Check out his vid: 'can't wait to sit on your face' ;)

DICK MOBY sunglasses handmade in italy A little story about how sustainable sunglasses are handmade in Italy. Narrated from the perspective of a cheeky pair of sunglasses. Dick Moby is an Amsterdam…

For the occasion of Designday in Maastricht, Natalie de Koning is giving two 'Boezelbrei' workshops where participants learn the old Dutch embroidery technique 'Boezelbreien'. The bridle technique connects seams in a beautiful way, instead of using the sewing machine.

Natalie has applied 'Boezelbreien' in her latest collection that was presented during Amsterdam Fashion Week. A number of those pieces can be seen and purchased during Designday.

More info and registration:
https://www.gw-agency.org/news/2017/5/4/nl-natalie-de-koning-workshop-bij-design-day-maastricht

NL - Natalie de Koning workshop bij Designday Maastricht Ter gelegenheid van Designday geeft Natalie de Koning twee keer een ‘boezelbrei’ workshop. Met deze workshop leer je de oud-Hollandse borduurtechniek ‘Boezelbreien’ afkomstig uit het kleine Noord-Hollandse dorpje Marken.

Holly Louise Syrett was in Sweden last week, co-hosting workshops and a conference for the Sustainable Apparel Coalition team together with H&M and The Swedish School of Textiles.

She wrote an event recap on all the Sustainable Fashion projects for Fashionchick!

https://www.fashionchick.nl/fashionnews/holly-goes-conscious-sustainable-fashion-sweden/7882.html

Holly goes conscious: Sustainable Fashion Swe - Fashionchick.nl

DGTL festival is kicking off the festival season tomorrow with brand new 100% recycled Pure Waste Textiles merchandise. By choosing for Pure Waste (no raw materials, no used chemicals, no used pesticides, no used water) DGTL is saving 6.300.000 liters of water!

GW Agency represents Pure Waste in the Benelux and is thrilled to add DGTL to the family!

PHOTO: Ruben Visser ’t Hoofd

The last few weeks the fashionpack have been flying around the world following the numerous Fashion Week's and attending hundreds of shows from a huge variety of creative, commercial and couture designers.

I follow my favourite international designers online and don't miss the Amsterdam FashionWeek in person!

Here's a short recap of the most noticeable shows: https://www.fashionchick.nl/fashionnews/holly-goes-conscious-5-bijzondere-shows-op-de-amsterdamse-catwalk/7717.html

All photographs by Team Peter Stigter, Amsterdam FashionWeek

Holly goes conscious: 5 bijzondere shows op de Amsterdamse catwalk De internationale modeweken zijn nog in volle vaart en mening modevriendin is al weken de hort op van New York naar Londen. Waar Amsterdam in januari begon, sluit Parijs deze week af! Fervent volg ik …

Another interesting MODINT and ClickNL Next Fashion publication, their Innovation Update > from no sweat shirts, to self-making beds and 100% chain transparency.

https://issuu.com/modint/docs/innovatie_update_januari_2017/6