Dear President Biden:

We, the undersigned fashion organizations and advocates, implore you to create a Fashion Czar position within your Administration, a high-level appointee to convene policy on a 21st century ethical, sustainable fashion industry. America should take a leadership role in shaping this $2.5 trillion industry with a huge American work force into a force for good.

We are encouraged by early actions in your tenure to elevate and act on critical environmental, labor, health and domestic production issues. The fashion industry is a key actor in these areas and seeks to be involved in a coordinated action plan. The industry produces up to 10% of global carbon emissions and there are many fashion companies who have been engaged in human rights violations, including relying on forced labor and unsafe factory conditions that have led to Covid-19 outbreaks. In the wake of the pandemic, the industry faces challenges on many fronts including labor, health and safety, trade, pollution, domestic production and supply chain transparency, among many others. These policy areas cut across sectors, government agencies and national borders. A high level advisor is needed to coordinate the policies and people of the fashion industry. A recent article from Dr. Elizabeth Segran in Fast Company magazine, first raised the idea of the creation of such a senior position.

US presidents have relied on czars, high level advisors, to coordinate US policy in a variety of industries and crises for the past 100 years, including WWI preparedness, auto manufacturing, energy, drugs, and Y2K, just to name a few. A czar should be empowered to bring together key industry participants, advocate for policy changes, and have a senior role within the Administration. The creation of a Fashion Czar would signal your Administration’s commitment to humane labor and environmentally sound practices as well as a recognition of the role of fashion as a driver of the US economy.

As fashion week gets underway in the US, a spotlight will shine not just on the clothes being shown, but also the practices and policies of the industry. We stand ready to work with you to advance the creation of a Fashion Czar and to promote this vibrant, creative, and economically important industry.