A Sweatshop Fashion Show is an easy, fun and creative educational tool to inform ourselves and people in our communities about the sweatshop abuses hidden behind clothing labels.

Mocking the traditional fashion show, announcers and models subvert the familiar sales pitch and brand images with humour and facts to expose the stories of the women who make our clothes and sports shoes.

Models walk the runway, wearing the latest fashions of well-known US and Canadian brands -- Nike, Gap, Tommy Hilfiger, Northern Reflections, Wal-Mart, Nygard and others.

Announcers describe the brand-name products worn by the models, and then reveal something about the wages and working conditions of the women who made the products.

Preparing for a sweatshop fashion show can be an educational experience in itself. Participants collect brand-name clothes made in countries around the world. They visit stores and websites to compile information on prices, wages and working conditions. They learn about workers' issues and demands, and the actions we can take to support them. They design a script, choose music, and rehearse. They publicize the event, prepare campaign materials, and contact the media.

Church groups, union locals, and high school and university students across the country have staged highly successful Sweatshop Fashion Shows, raising awareness, and sparking discussion, debate, community interest and action.

Many fashion shows have attracted media attention, thereby reaching a much larger audience. Targeted corporations are taking notice.

Key steps to prepare your fashion show:

Sample Fashion Show Script [0]

When working with a group of people to plan a Sweatshop Fashion Show, remember that there are many roles for volunteers. For example, depending on their interests participants can choose among the following:

The Sweatshop Fashion Show can be adapted into an enjoyable and challenging 1½ - 2 hour educational workshop for community or school groups. In the workshop, participants go through the steps listed in this Action Tool to prepare a fashion show for other members of their community.

sample fashion show script. [0]

Script Tips

• Keep each scene brief and to the point.
• Try not to repeat information -- use different clothing brands to highlight different problems in different parts of the world.
• Don't forget to include stories of sweatshop practices in Canada.
• If possible, include stories of small victories.

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