Patagonia Is Getting a Major Fashion Award

Patagonia’s founder and former owner, Yvon Chouinard, has just been announced as the newest recipient of the Fashion Awards’ Outstanding Achievement Award, and it comes after nearly 50 years worth of contributions to the fashion industry. 

In a release shared ahead of the Dec. 5 ceremony, the British Fashion Council credited Chouinard’s “extraordinary dedication to environmentalism” and “exceptional vision” as a few of the many qualifications that resulted in their decision. Upon receiving the honor, Yvon will join an impressive pool of industry leaders who have won the award previously, including Miuccia Prada, Karl Lagerfeld, Ralph Lauren, and Giorgio Armani. 

When addressing the award in the release, Chouinard maintained that Patagonia remains “dead serious” about “addressing the environmental crisis” through their production practices and encouraged other business leaders to do the same. 

“Being recognised by the British Fashion Council sends the message that responsible business practices far outweigh trends or short-term financial gains,” the founder shared. “With vision and creativity, the apparel industry is perfectly placed to set the standard for environmental protection — it is our hope that business leaders join us in committing to this work.”

Caroline Rush, Chief Executive of the British Fashion Council, added, “Through his dedication to our planet, Yvon has set a new precedent for responsible businesses. By building a brand that consistently encourages its consumers to buy well and buy less he has shifted consumer mentality on the lifecycle of clothing and created an invaluable blueprint for a fair transition within the apparel industry.”