"Change: It"
Change: It
Raised in Vietnam, I am no stranger to the repercussions human impact has on the environment. Monsoons led to water contamination. Planned power outages were normal. Unexpectedly evacuating my childhood home wasn’t uncommon. The lasting effects of climate change have been engrained in me since childhood, ultimately feeding my passion for sustainability.
Sustainability is a crucial aspect of every industry, especially within retail. After college, I began working at Galeries Lafayette in Paris. Working behind the scenes opened my eyes to an ugly truth: retail is killing our planet. I first worked within the bespoke sector, where I learned that luxury designers like Dolce & Gabbana burn millions of dollars of merchandise to “protect brand image” rather than donating their overstock to the homeless. I was shocked to also witness the unsustainable practices in manufacturing and packaging clothing.
The luxury of working in corporate for a large department store is the ability to work with diverse brands. The rigid dichotomy between sustainability and fashion felt unbreakable until I came to New York and worked with Eileen Fisher. Her female-run brand was built upon the core value of sustainability, eliminating leather and fur. Another swim brand I currently work with manufactures swimsuits from recycled plastic bags. Needless to say, while some designers are taking innovative measures to ensure the safety of our environment, others still turn a blind eye. There’s still much work to be done and it begins with first acknowledging climate change.
Attending Stern will allow me to further acknowledge the challenges around climate change by learning from industry professionals in classes like Fashion & Luxury Solutions or Sustainability for Competitive Advantage. The Luxury & Retail Club will connect me with like-minded classmates while the Social Impact and Sustainability Association will teach me to view business challenges from a sustainability-first perspective. Given Stern’s emphasis on green business and creating a future of leaders dedicated to improving our world, I am confident that Stern is the best place for me to pursue my goals, while acknowledging all the work that needs to be done to guarantee a more sustainable world.