Set against the backdrop of the fast-fashion industry, and the increasing disconnect of where and how clothing is made, MTV presentsTRACEABLE, an exclusive Canadian original documentary set to debut with a multi-channel premiere, Friday, April 24 at 8 p.m. ET on MTV, Bravo, M3, and E!. Airing on the second anniversary of the tragic Rana Plaza factory collapse in Savar, Bangladesh, the documentary connects viewers to the individuals and communities involved in designing and producing garments, illuminating the harsh realities that are woven into the fashion industry. Written, directed, and produced by first-time filmmaker, Ontario’s Jennifer Sharpe, TRACEABLE follows emerging fashion designer, Toronto’s Laura Siegel, as she develops her 2013 Fall/Winter collection using ethical and transparent practices.
“Bell Media is proud to offer this thought-provoking documentary to a broader audience with a special premiere event across our specialty channels,” said Tracey Pearce, Senior Vice-President, Specialty and Pay, Bell Media. “TRACEABLE highlights the inspiring individuals and organizations who are forging change within the fashion industry. It will definitely challenge the way viewers think about their next fashion purchase.”
“Witnessing a departure of manufacturing and production in the apparel industry in North America was the beginning of my impetus for TRACEABLE,” said Director Jennifer Sharpe. “As a consumer, I wanted to understand more about where the clothing I was buying came from, so naturally connecting with Laura and her work in India began to take shape. Empowering consumers to know more about where a product comes from is the beginning of a shift that has the ability to effect change for those at the first mile of a supply chain.”
“Fashion – it’s very competitive. A lot of people are cautious about what information they give out, and having people see what they’re doing, because they are worried about others copying them,” said Laura Siegel, Designer. “I always thought it was detrimental to be hiding what I was doing. The more information you share, the more you are going to learn and the more you are going to grow.”
TRACEABLE explores shoppers’ connections to the communities impacted by the products Canadians consume through interviews with traceability experts, intercut with Siegel’s journey across India to produce her collection. Siegel’s efforts to shift the perspectives of consumers, while confronting the realities and risks of being a young fashion designer and entrepreneur, are detailed in the ancient traditions and techniques that are preserved through each of the honoured crafts used to develop her collection. While working under tight deadlines and through logistical struggles that arise throughout the journey, Siegel encounters, confronts, and adapts to new obstacles in the creative process that gives viewers a unique perspective on sustaining culture and craft, the highly competitive fashion world, and the nature of its buying process.
Appearing in film festivals across Canada and internationally, TRACEABLE premieres at the VanCity Theatre as part of Eco-Fashion Week on April 24, as well as atFashion Revolution Day events around the world.
TRACEABLE is written and directed by Jennifer Sharpe, produced by Lauren Grant (Picture Day) and Jennifer Sharpe, executive produced by award-winning fashion designer Laura Siegel with cinematography by Steven Deneault (Mirabel Vous Aime. Mirabel Loves You.), editing by Bruce Lapointe (Doc Zone: State of Incarceration), and original music by award-winning DJ and composer Paul D. Miller (aka DJ Spooky).
TRACEABLE is a Clique Pictures production, produced in association with Bell Media, NBCUniversal Canada, Rogers Telefund with the assistance of the Ontario Media Development Corporation Film and Television Tax Credit, and the Canadian Film or Video Production Tax Credit.
