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09 Feb

The Top Rated More Sustainable Luxury Fashion Brands

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If you are looking to splurge on your next staple piece, here are some of the top rated more ethical and sustainable luxury fashion brands for you to browse.

It would make perfect sense to assume that paying more for clothing and supporting luxury brands is a more ethical way to shop. Somehow, the hefty price tags that come with designer items must (at least in part) signify the items’ ethical production, right? Unfortunately, this is generally not the case, and many designer brands have rather damaging practices that continue to hurt our planet and its inhabitants. In fact, only one of the 30 most popular luxury brands we recently analysed managed to secure a “Good” rating.

But there’s good news: there’s a growing number of more conscious luxury brands that offer high-quality and beautiful pieces that are also more responsibly made. If you are looking to invest in your next staple piece, here are some of the top rated more sustainable luxury fashion brands for you to browse.

More sustainable luxury brands to support

Stella McCartney

Rated: Good

A member of the Ethical Trading Initiative and Sustainable Apparel Coalition, Stella McCartney has set some excellent environmental standards across the luxury fashion industry. Stella uses some lower-impact materials, including recycled polyester and organic cotton, and has a strategy in place to reduce waste across its entire supply chain. It has also adopted the ETI Code of Conduct that includes a living wage definition.

Find most items in sizes 34-52.

See the rating.

Shop Stella McCartney @ LVRSustainable.

Shop Stella McCartney Pre-Owned @ Vestiaire Collective.

Shop Stella McCartney.

One Vintage

Rated: Good

Founded by Marcelle Symons in 2000, One Vintage has now become an iconic luxury vintage shop based on London’s Portobello Road. The shop lovingly transforms antique textiles and relics to create contemporary and modern luxury pieces, all while preserving the rich beading and embroidery that was once hand-crafted.

See the rating.

Shop One Vintage.

Edeline Lee

Rated: Good

Edeline Lee is a London based brand that features ready-to-wear collections that are structured, feminine, and for the future lady. Her pieces are designed with a soul, made with quality and meaning, made to fit well to lift the best out of you.

The items are available in sizes 6-12.

See the rating.

Shop Edeline Lee.

By Walid

Rated: Good

Luxury label By Walid embraces the artisanal skills of owner Walid al Damirji and a small team who hand-make garments in-house using antique materials.

Find most items in size Small.

See the rating.

Shop By Walid.

Shop By Walid @ Fartfetch.

Teatum Jones

Rated: Good

Teatum Jones is the luxury London-based label of Catherine Teatum and Rob Jones. Teatum Jones is known for its bold colours and textures with beautiful knitwear and flowing dresses.  They're also a favourite of Good On You supporter Emma Watson, who wore a stunning blue suit by the label to the recent G7 summit.

Most items are available in sizes 8-16.

See the rating.

Shop Teatum Jones.

Minimalist

Rated: Good
someone in tops and trousers by Minimalist

Anchored in timeless design, Minimalist is a curated collection of women's ready-to-wear pieces all made in New York and designed to be recycled at their end of life. It seeks to be part of the solution to make fashion more sustainable, using certified lower-impact materials and ensuring fair wage and work conditions in the local New York City factories it supports.

Find it in sizes XS-L.

See the rating.

Shop Minimalist.

Maggie Marilyn

Rated: Good

Need-to-know designer Maggie Marilyn’s clothes are defined by her strong sense of luxury and fresh point of view. Inspired to create collections that are more sustainable as well as beautiful, the New Zealand-based label utilises organic cottons and responsibly-produced silks to craft effortlessly glamorous designs.

Sizes available are XS-L.

See the rating.

Shop Maggie Marilyn @ Farfetch.

Shop Maggie Marilyn Pre-Owned @ Vestiaire Collective.

Shop Maggie Marilyn.

Bianca Spender

Rated: Good

Bianca Spender is Australian fashion royalty, who has taken sustainability into the heart of her label. From smart workwear to statement gowns, this is a label that employs the highest standards of design and quality. Bianca Spender uses deadstock fabric and natural fibres, making all her garments in Ethical Clothing Australia-accredited factories. Find the range in S-L.

See the rating.

Shop Bianca Spender.

RVDK

Rated: Good
RVDKBrand dress

RVDK, who is a Haute Couture brand, offers a positive and responsible high fashion alternative. It creates high-quality, long-lasting products and uses a high proportion of lower-impact materials, including recycled materials and deadstock. Its use of preferred materials reduces its climate impact and limits the amount of chemicals and water used in production.

Sizes vary.

See the rating.

Shop RVDK.

RIANNA + NINA

Rated: Good

RIANNA + NINA was formed after its founders met by chance at a vintage furniture fair and bonded over their shared love for vintage fabrics and bond prints. Today, the Berlin-based duo creates their eclectic clothing collection from repurposed vintage fabrics that are rich and bold in colour, and crafts every piece in Germany.

See the rating.

Shop RIANNA + NINA.

Aiayu

Rated: Good

Danish luxury brand Aiayu offers building blocks to a more conscious home and wardrobe, with an emphasis on quality and time- enduring designs. Established in 2015, Aiayu products are created with care for the environment, its workers, and the wearer. The brand embodies its belief that the combination of a product’s origins, more sustainable production, and lower environmental impact are equally as vital as its aesthetics.

See the rating.

Shop Aiayu.

WE-AR4

Rated: Good
People dressed in outfits by We-ar4.

WE-AR4 is a US based design-to-wear essentials brand for an effortless style. Founded by fashion industry veterans, it merges intelligent design and uncompromising style. Rather than developing new materials, it rescues existing ones, choosing to “thrift” high-quality leathers and luxury textiles left over from other brands, giving them new life, and uses certified lower-impact materials.

Find the range in sizes XS-L.

See the rating.

Shop WE-AR4.

Mother of Pearl

Rated: Good
Someone in maxi dress by Mother of Pearl.

Mother of Pearl is a more sustainable and ethical luxury womenswear and accessories designer brand from the UK that celebrates individuality and authenticity. The brand uses a high proportion of more responsible materials including organic cotton and ensures the payment of a living wage across some of its supply chain.

Find most products in UK sizes 6-16.

See the rating.

Shop Mother of Pearl.

Shop Mother of Pearl @ Rêve en Vert.

Shop Mother of Pearl Pre-Owned @ Vestiaire Collective.

amaud

Rated: Great
An upcycled orange kimono top by amaud.

amaud is a luxury Japanese brand bringing life back into vintage kimonos by reworking them into modern styles, in the hopes of preserving these beautiful fabrics by seeing them in a new light. The brand rates "Great" overall; it uses lower-impact materials, and all the pieces are made in-house by the brand's owner.

Sizes vary.

See the rating.

Shop amaud.

These are just some of the brands that are changing how we look at luxury fashion. They are proof that designers can (and should) ensure the clothing they deliver to us is of the highest quality while still respecting and protecting our planet and all living creatures. Quality, fair trade, and more environmentally-friendly practices should be the trademark and norm for all clothing brands. So while expensive clothing doesn’t necessarily come with a guarantee of ethical practices right now, with the rise of more conscious luxury brands like these, someday—hopefully soon—it will.

Vintage luxury fashion

Shopping second hand is one of the most sustainable choices you can make when it comes to fashion. By purchasing something pre-loved, your hard-earned money isn’t directly contributing to the resource-heavy production of brand new garments. Instead, you are keeping clothes from landfill by giving them a second life.

Whether you’re on the hunt for a cult-classic Burberry trench but don’t want to buy from the brand directly, or you’d love to support animal-friendly luxury brand Stella McCartney but balk at the price tag, pre-owned may be the way to go.

Next time you’re in your favourite second hand shop, why not have a look for luxury and designer labels? You never know what unique treasures you might find. If you prefer shopping for vintage items online, we recommend looking at Vestiaire Collective.

Gucci (Pre-Owned)

Rated: It's A Start

Founded in 1921, Gucci is an Italian luxury fashion house that produces menswear, womenswear, as well as shoes, bags, and other accessories. The brand has good policies to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions, but still uses exotic animal skin. The good news is that you can find many of Gucci's modern luxury pieces second hand.

See the rating.

Shop Gucci Pre-Owned @ Vestiaire Collective.

Burberry (Pre-Owned)

Rated: It's A Start

Burberry is a British luxury fashion house known for its timeless beige trench coats. The brand has good policies to monitor suppliers, but it still uses exotic animal products. Shopping Burberry second hand allows us to add items to our wardrobe without using additional resources in the manufacturing process, to keep clothes out of landfills, and to (re)discover Burberry's unique and special pieces along the way.

See the rating.

Shop Burberry @ Vestiaire Collective.

Saint Laurent (Pre-Owned)

Rated: It's A Start

Yves Saint Laurent, or as it's now known, Saint Laurent, is a French luxury fashion house founded by Yves Saint Laurent and his partner, Pierre Bergé. The brand has good policies to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions.

See the rating.

Shop Saint Laurent @ Vestiaire Collective.

Balenciaga (Pre-Owned)

Rated: It's A Start

Balenciaga is a luxury fashion house founded in 1919 by Spanish designer Cristóbal Balenciaga in San Sebastián. The Kering-owned brand has been making some efforts to reduce its environmental impact, setting targets to reduce its direct and indirect emissions, and implementing initiatives to reduce water use.

See the rating.

Shop Balenciaga Pre-Owned @ Vestiaire Collective.

Bottega Veneta (Pre-Owned)

Rated: It's A Start

Born in Italy in 1966, Bottega Veneta prides itself on creating a new definition of luxury. Another Kering brand, Bottega Veneta has made progress for the environment, including releasing a public commitment to reduce its direct and indirect greenhouse gas emissions.

Find the shoes in sizes 34-42.

See the rating.

Shop Bottega Veneta @ Vestiaire Collective.

Alexander McQueen (Pre-Owned)

Rated: It's A Start

The iconic British fashion house, owned by Kering and now run by Sarah Burton (who designed Catherine Middleton's dress for her wedding to Prince William), is characterised by theatrical and bright styling. Alexander McQueen is on the right path and stands out from the majority of luxury fashion houses.

See the rating.

Shop Alexander McQueen @ Vestiaire Collective.

When in doubt, rent it out

Nowadays, many websites allow you to rent dresses, items, and bags for an event, so think about this option next time you want to dazzle the crowd or add a touch of glam to your outfit.

Editor's note

Feature image via Unsplash, all other images via brands mentioned. Good On You publishes the world’s most comprehensive ratings of fashion brands’ impact on people, the planet, and animals. We love to recommend some of the best brands rated "Good" or "Great". We also encourage shopping pre-owned as another great way to reduce the impact of our fashion choices. Use our directory to search thousands of rated brands.

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