agnès b. moves the needle on sustainability to remain a brand of the future

Most of us are familiar with the agnès b. brand. With the presence of its physical fashion boutiques and cafés in Hong Kong throughout the years, it has become a staple within the Hong Kong fashion and lifestyle industry.

While the brand has undoubtedly made a name for itself in the fashion world, lesser known is its brand philosophy and motto, as well as the stories behind its devoted passion for sustainability.

Explaining further on the passion that drives the brand, Etienne Bourgois, COO of agnès b., and co-founder of Tara Ocean Foundation, said sustainability has long been blended into the brand’s DNA since its very foundation. In fact, the brand’s long-standing efforts towards sustainability have been led by Bourgois and his mother, Agnès Troublè, founder of agnès b..

As early as the 1970s, when conversations around sustainability were nowhere near as prominent as they are today, the founder of the brand had already come up with the idea of “timeless design”, of which she insisted in producing long-lasting products to encourage sustainable ways of consumption.

The brand’s signature snap cardigan is an excellent example to demonstrate the idea. The snap cardigan was originally made for women in cotton fleece with a straight cut, rounded collar, and two adjustable side tabs. It was then transformed into different styles for children and men. However modified, the snap cardigan remains timeless and unique.

“We are committed to protecting the planet and we’re trying to impose less negative impact. In everything we do, we wish to connect with customers. The style of our design is committed to long-lasting products. We will do less as less is more at some point,” Bourgois said.

Despite the challenges agnès b. has faced, he said he is pleased to see the brand is weathering the storm despite the stiff competition within Hong Kong. Calling his affection for the city indescribable, he said: “It’s a difficult market, but it is also one where we can see customers are very passionate about fashion […] people do not only care about the products, but also about the brand, which makes it one of the most challenging cities.”

Moreover, the behaviour of consumers also makes it a challenging one as everything is very fast-paced and business-oriented. “Sometimes our consumers are so busy that they even lack the time to enjoy life as they have to pay their bills and take care of children, but I think it’s a significant market.”

Having gone beyond just being a fashion brand, agnès b. has won the hearts of Hongkongers by incorporating lifestyle into its designs and fashions. Now with the world entering a post-pandemic era, Bourgois said he would like the brand to be more product-focused, and place more efforts towards sustainability.

“We want our staff to launch exhibitions, and continue working with local artists on the products. We should also communicate in the office, and promote sustainability on all aspects, within colleagues and people to deliver a better industry and share with customers,” he said.

On the continuous efforts against global warming, he said that all brands need to change and act fast. “We have been producing long-lasting products, it’s the style of the brand. As a member of the ‘slow fashion’ industry, we will use our website to promote our philosophy on sustainability in the long run. We also hope consumers in Hong Kong can discover the natural beauty of the city.”

Not only does the brand advocate sustainability from its designs and products, it also promotes sustainability through art and culture promotions. For example, It sponsored a Hong Kong Art Centre cinema in its early years.

Moreover, the brand also launched its floating scientific lab “TARA” in 2003. The ship aims to educate everyone about the importance of ocean conversation by sharing the findings on the oceanic impact of global warming.

It set sail from Lorient, northern France, in May 2016 and went on a two-year oceanographic mission to explore the coral reefs of the Pacific. In 2018, it stopped at Hong Kong for the first time where it stayed for a week. “Thanks to the crew, I really enjoyed going around the city and sharing with the general public. We’ve been supporting this project since day one for almost 20 years,” Bourgois said.

When asked how Hong Kong consumers could learn more about reducing their use of plastic, and TARA’s initiative of ocean conservation, he said the brand has promoted the ship on its website and in newspapers, and been part of global conferences at numerous checkpoints.

“Our contribution is not only about protecting the ocean, but also the impacts on people. We want to enable public to understand more about the climate change and food chain […] so we try as much as we can with different schools and companies to educate wherever we go,” he added.

As an effort to bring that concept to life, the brand also collaborated with The Mills last December to build an upcycled Christmas tree as part of its festive campaign. With the idea to approach more young consumers, the campaign aimed to educate them on the spirit of sustainable lifestyle.

This article has been done in collaboration with agnès b..