Articles by Esmee Blaazer
Esmée Blaazer (1988) studied Fashion Management at TMO European Business School and has worked at FashionUnited since 2009. Over the years, she has held various editorial roles. As Project Manager, she now writes background stories, explaining matters and processes of the fashion industry to newcomers in the sector and students. Topics that are regularly discussed are the future of fashion, sustainability, circularity and legislation. Esmée is also involved in exploring the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in the newsroom.
For a circular economy and fashion industry, behavioural change is key
Research shows that if 25 percent of consumers change their behaviour, it can be enough to establish a new norm. This could also apply to fashion. The message from Mirella Soyer, professor of behaviour for circular transitions at Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences, is clear: to achieve a circular economy, we need behavioural change. The...
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How to comply with the CSRD? Frontrunner Schijvens Corporate Fashion shares the tips for SME companies
Schijvens Corporate Fashion is a leader in sustainability and has taken a pioneering role in preparing for the CSRD. Although the reporting requirement is not yet in effect for SMEs, the Brabant-based family business, which falls into this category, has already provided sustainability information with its latest annual financial statement...
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Spotted on the catwalk: Mocha Mousse, the color of the year 2025
This year, suede bags and jackets are in high demand, with chocolate brown and cognac as trend colours. According to Pantone, we will mainly see a different colour hue next year. Mocha Mousse, a soft medium brown shade with a hint of nude and peachy pink, has been declared the colour of the year 2025 by the colour institute. Traditionally,...
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Is ‘Black Friday’ still relevant?
Black Friday has finally arrived, but I’ve already had enough. Since last week, I've been inundated with newsletters full of offers, and while clearing out my inbox, I've wondered whether in a time of climate crisis, with the EU aiming for a circular economy by 2050 and enacting new laws to further enforce sustainability, a bargain fest that...
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Who makes our clothes? Fashion Production Explained
Ever wondered who actually makes your clothes and how fashion's supply chain impacts workers' lives? This deep dive unpacks how fashion production works and explores what’s needed for meaningful change in the industry. FashionUnited interviewed Kim van der Weerd, a former factory manager with a background in human rights, who advocates for a...
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Most consumers know cheap fashion isn’t sustainable—so why do they keep buying it?
Despite growing awareness of the fashion industry's negative impact, consumers continue to purchase affordable, trendy clothes from fast fashion brands and retail giants. Why is that? How can these two realities coexist? The inspiration for this piece comes from a recent article published by Dutch investigative journalism platform De...
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Totême opens first store in Denmark
Totême has opened the doors of its first store in Denmark. The first images of the new store, located in the historic Egmont building in Copenhagen on Vognmagergade, were revealed on the womenswear brand's Instagram account. Totême, founded in 2014 by Swedish couple Elin Kling and Karl Lindman, is known for its understated luxury look. Over the...
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The Gen Z dilemma: eco-conscious but addicted to fast fashion
One of the most-read articles on FashionUnited in October was about unauthorised Shein outlets -- pop-up shops that pretend to be by the Chinese internet giant but are simply riding on the brand's popularity. Pop-up shops opened in Dutch cities such as Arnhem, Utrecht and Rotterdam, offering clothes at extremely low prices. These shops have been...
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Spotted on the catwalk: WGSN and Coloro's colour of the year 2026 'Transformative Teal'
‘Transformative Teal’ has been declared the Colour of the Year 2026 by colour institutes WGSN and Coloro. According to the two, Transformative Teal is a fluid fusion of blue and green, reflecting the diversity of nature and an earth-focused mindset, aligning with the growing demand for ecological responsibility (in light of the climate crisis)....
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The future of fashion: is less more?
A confession. My original research question was, “What if the fashion industry simply made less clothes?” (Over)production, reducing speed and seasons could be the answer to almost everything?!, was my thought process. As in: for sustainability in the clothing sector and more broadly: in the pursuit of a circular economy (see text frame below)....
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