Anna Grace Du Noyer, a Liverpool-based entrepreneur, has launched a multi-faceted campaign to address social inequities through fashion. The campaign is part of Style Swap Social, funded by a £29,000 grant from Merseyside Recycling and Waste Authority (MRWA) and aims to divert 45,000 tonnes of textiles from landfill over the course of a year.
As well as being director of the trauma-awareness non-profit, Fierce Futures CIC, Du Noyer is also the owner of Liverpool-based PR agency, Fierce PR, which is leading a bold autumn/winter fashion campaign in-kind sponsorship for their sister organisation. In November, a series of satirical print editorials will arrive in venues across the city, including titles such as Harper’s Bazaar, Vogue, i-D Magazine, and Elle.
The campaign has been designed to resonate with fast fashion consumers, who are often put off by “middle-class” eco-messaging. Du Noyer commented: “Mostly, eco-fashion campaigns preach to the converted. The colours. The messages. The styles. They use the very fact that the product or service is sustainable as the ‘hook’. While there is value in this – its impact is low. In fact, the majority of people who consume fashion – simply do not connect with those narratives.”
The rebellious marketing strategies aim to challenge accepted diversity and inclusion frameworks, and feature models Mo and Cheery, who have both found refuge in Liverpool and have lived experience of trauma. Du Noyer added: “Fashion is not just fabric and thread; it can be a catalyst for social equity, self-assurance, and upward mobility. By eschewing special provisions or trauma-specific initiatives, we aim to mitigate the risk of reinforcing feelings of unworthiness or exclusion. Our commitment to trauma awareness and true inclusivity extends to understanding the subtleties of the human condition, ensuring psychological well-being, and celebrating individual uniqueness.”
Style Swap Social runs a year-long programme of events, covering the entire Liverpool City Region. It is bolstered by the development of print and digital resources, and online challenges that promote sustainable style and educate on the impact of fast fashion consumption. The next event is at Future Yard on Saturday 21st October, and offers “boutique style” clothes swaps, live music, personal styling, and educational workshops.
The events are free and open to everyone, with accessibility taken into consideration from an intersectional perspective. Anna concluded: “Our commitment to trauma awareness and true inclusivity extends to understanding the subtleties of the human condition, ensuring psychological well-being, and celebrating individual uniqueness. This approach transcends conventional notions of diversity and inclusion.”
On Saturday 21st October, Style Swap Social will host a free clothes swap event at Future Yard, Birkenhead. The event will offer boutique style clothes swaps, live music, personal styling, and educational workshops. Further events will take place in Birkenhead Arts Palace on the 18th November and a secret location in Baltic Triangle on the 2nd December.
Derick is an experienced reporter having held multiple senior roles for large publishers across Europe. Specialist subjects include small business and financial emerging markets.