Sustainability represents the future of fashion: Q&A with Keanan Duffty

Keanan Duffty is an acclaimed designer, musician, and educator whose creations fuse the raw dynamism of rock ’n’ roll with the elegance of high fashion, all while advocating for sustainability.

Renowned for his partnerships with legendary figures such as the Sex Pistols and David Bowie, he has collaborated with brands like Aveda, Reebok, John Varvatos, and Dr. Martens. His collections, showcased at New York Fashion Week and available at retailers like Bergdorf Goodman and Harrods, adopt a pragmatic perspective toward sustainable fashion through upcycling and technology-driven advancements.

As a faculty member at the USC Jimmy Iovine and Andre Young Academy, Duffty instructs graduate courses that amalgamate fashion, innovation, technology, and entrepreneurship, concentrating on purpose-driven design. His classes encourage students to leverage their abilities to effect social change.

Duffty engaged with USC News for Earth Month, sharing perspectives on sustainable fashion and his thoughts on the industry’s prospects.

What ignited your interest in sustainable fashion?

Duffty: In the early ’90s, I collaborated with a London consultancy that produced the first widely circulated fashion line made from “Green Cotton.” It was accessible and sold in prominent UK retail outlets. The collection was ultimately discontinued — not due to lack of demand, but because retailers preferred higher profit margins. That experience revealed to me that while sustainability is an aspirational target, it must also be pragmatic — viable in production, distribution, and pricing — enabling it to resonate with shoppers and endure in the marketplace.

How would you characterize your brand’s aesthetic and your sustainability method? How do these aspects impact both your design process and business strategy?

Duffty: I adopt a practical perspective on sustainability, emphasizing upcycling, recycling, and repurposing fashion.

I operated a design studio in SoHo, N.Y., with a team of 15, focusing on upcycling iconic items such as Levi’s 501 jeans and Lee 101 Storm Rider jackets — lasting garments celebrated for their fit and versatility. We also procured vintage Nike and Adidas athletic wear, customizing each item manually with…
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screen printing and embroidery.

Our labor-intensive method guaranteed superior, unique designs, which we marketed to leading retailers such as Bergdorf Goodman, Bloomingdale’s, and Fred Segal. By acquiring in bulk and enhancing each item, we positioned them as premium goods with substantial profit margins.

In what ways do upcycling and vintage fashion promote sustainability, and is there an increasing consumer interest in these approaches?

Duffty: There is already an abundance of clothing globally. Most individuals wear merely 30% of their wardrobe and could spend a lifetime without requiring anything more. While some depend on clothing for warmth or safety, many possess far more than what is essential. We may not have what we desire in our closets, but it might be found in someone else’s.

Exchanging and sharing garments is vital for sustainable fashion. Fashion is cyclical; styles resurface over time, often with minor alterations. Thus, purchasing vintage and repurposing items is immensely beneficial from both an ecological and cultural viewpoint.

What are the primary opportunities and obstacles for sustainable innovation within the fashion product life cycle?

Duffty: A significant concern is the conventional design and sampling procedure, which is resource-heavy and wasteful. Fashion brands begin with a sketch, create an initial pattern, followed by a muslin sample in raw cotton. Subsequently, a first sample is made in a similar or appropriate fabric, followed by fit corrections and a second revised sample. Ultimately, a pre-production sample is generated before full-scale manufacturing commences. That results in four samples per style — multiplied by 12 styles in a collection, the waste and carbon footprint escalate quickly, particularly when samples are shipped internationally.

Digital design tools like CLO3D assist in minimizing this waste by enabling designers to develop and refine garments on digital avatars, thereby eliminating the need for numerous physical samples. This not only reduces expenses but also enhances the process’s efficiency and sustainability.

In what ways do evolving consumer habits affect sustainability in fashion and facilitate innovation?

Duffty: Fashion is fundamentally unpredictable. A product may have been featured in a runway presentation months ago, but by the time it reaches stores, consumer tastes could have changed. If an item fails to sell at full price, it is marked down, diverted to third-party discount retailers, or remains unsold altogether.

Consumer behavior is one of the most unpredictable factors in sustainability. Trends are influenced by social dynamics — people desire to be the first to possess something, but if it gains too much popularity, they may turn against it. This constant change complicates the management of demand, production, and sustainability immensely. While brands can enhance efficiency and minimize waste, they ultimately cannot control the whims that dictate fashion trends.

Making sustainable fashion affordable poses a challenge. What actions are required — at the brand, consumer, and policy levels — to encourage affordability and adoption?

Duffty: The expenses associated with fashion are intrinsically linked to production volume — high-volume brands such as Zara and H&M offer low prices by producing on a large scale, whereas luxury brands like Prada manage scarcity to enhance demand. Sustainability introduces complexities, considering factors like cotton’s carbon impact, transportation efficiency, and factory practices such as renewable energy utilization.

To make sustainable fashion more cost-effective, consumer education is essential. When individuals demand transparency, the industry must evolve. Governments also play a critical role by enforcing regulations related to sustainability and fair trade.

For consumers, comprehending what constitutes a genuinely sustainable product — beyond “greenwashing” — should be regarded as a fundamental expectation. Ultimately, this consumer demand shift, bolstered by regulations, can render sustainable fashion more achievable and affordable for all.

What is your vision for the future of sustainable fashion, and how does your work at the USC Iovine and Young Academy help shape that future?

Duffty: Sustainability is the future of fashion, yet it is also part of a larger transition toward more sustainable consumption across various industries. The future will emphasize not only sustainable production but also altering consumer habits and expectations.

At IYA, we adopt a progressive, interdisciplinary approach to fashion, highlighting innovation, entrepreneurship, and digital fashion. This aligns with the broader movement toward sustainability by reducing carbon emissions — particularly with digital fashion, which eliminates the necessity for physical production. While digital fashion still carries some environmental impact, it is significantly less than traditional manufacturing or fashion presentations.

We also investigate design possibilities using AI tools like DALL·E and Midjourney. While AI provides accuracy, it cannot substitute the human creativity that fosters true innovation. What distinguishes IYA is our interdisciplinary methodology, merging various viewpoints to influence the future of fashion education. Our focus on digital fashion not only lessens the carbon footprint but also unlocks new creative avenues for a more sustainable industry.