The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has confirmed that 2024 was the warmest year on record, based on six international datasets. It’s now the beginning of 2025, and already we’ve seen fires raging in Winter across Los Angeles, infernos sweeping through Australia, and climate disasters displacing millions. Out of curiosity, I recently picked up a copy of the world’s leading fashion magazine (something I haven’t done in years, thanks to their advertorial obsession), and I found fashion’s response to the planet’s warming crisis: more resort collections.

According to the January fashion editorial; as global temperatures rise, so does the demand for a perpetual summer wardrobe.

Reading this article in Australia’s Vogue titled “Eternal Sunshine,” about upcoming designer collections, the piece calmly states: "With the regrettable effects of global warming meaning more hot days and a shift in traditional ideas of seasons, the explosion of summer resort is not going away." The crisis seems reduced to nothing more than a shift in consumer behavior, rather than the existential disaster it truly is.

And so, as the planet burns, designers pivot. The fashion industry—ever adaptive—has turned climate change into a market trend, reshaping disaster into an opportunity for the luxury holidaymaker. Brands are positioning themselves in high-end hotels, curating pieces designed to transition effortlessly from "brunch to beach." Because, as the article assures us, "Nothing gives you a greater feeling of freedom and relaxation than a beachside holiday."

But let’s talk about that freedom. Freedom for who?

Certainly not for the communities watching their homes swallowed by rising seas. Not for the farmers battling record-breaking droughts, nor for the firefighters risking their lives in fires fueled by unchecked emissions. Not for those inhaling toxic smoke or wading through floods that used to be once-in-a-century events but now occur every other season. And certainly not for the garment workers churning out endless seasonal collections—because fashion never sleeps, even as garment makers own homes stand on the front lines of climate devastation.

Yet, the industry marches on, rebranding the crisis as an aesthetic. As shorelines erode, a new coastal chic emerges. As temperatures soar, linen and silk will likely be heralded as "breathable must-haves." As instability disrupts millions of lives, brands whisper to the privileged: you deserve an escape.

*Australian Vogue January 2025 “Are we really?”

What’s particularly jarring isn’t just the dissonance, but the language itself. “Consumer.” The term drips with passivity, as though we are nothing more than empty vessels waiting to be filled with the next seasonal “must-have”. But are we just consumers, passively responding to industry cues? Or are we participants—people with the power to redefine the narrative?

We have the power to choose where we shop. We also have the power to opt out, taking back control from big brands that shape demand. It’s time to empower ourselves and others to shift the narrative—calling out an outdated industry that values profit over the planet.

Because here’s the truth: No matter how seamlessly that linen dress transitions from “brunch to beach,” it cannot outpace the reality of a planet in crisis. And if summer is no longer just a season, but a state of emergency, maybe it’s time we rethink what we’re wearing to it.

So, what can we do? Start by questioning where we shop. The bigger the brand, the likely the worse the impact. Unsubscribe from trend-driven emails, unfollow mass-market accounts, and buy items that will last—classic, timeless pieces. It’s time to stop being a “consumer” of fast fashion and toxic trends. Let’s send a message: We’ve wised up. We won’t tolerate this anymore.

Let me know your thoughts or if you’ve got any other ideas to help us fight back and reclaim our narrative

The Rise of Resort Collections: A Hot Trend in a Burning World