Love Island DITCHES Fast Fashion For New Season, As Contestants Wear Preloved Items

 

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Love Island has just announced its brand new sponsor and it’s safe to say it’s turning heads.

In the past number of years the show has went from partnering with fast fashion retailers Missguided to ISAWITFIRST, working as the headline sponsor to dress many of the contestants in fast fashion items. Items that are then readily available to buy online, so you can dress like your favourite Islander throughout the show’s eight to 10 week run.

However, as we all know, Love Island has come under fire in recent years for a host of reasons, with one being its promotion and partnerships with fast fashion brands. Not only does the show highlight fast fashion throughout filming, but many of its contestants move on to work with fast fashion brands after the show ends, keeping that link between the two a pretty strong one.

 

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And although Love Island cannot control what deals the contestants strike after finding fame, it can control how the show operates and this year, they’re making a big change.

The reality show’s executive producer Mike Spencer has revealed that eBay will be the fashion sponsor for the upcoming series, ditching ISAWITFIRST, its partner since 2019.

“We are thrilled to be pairing up with Ebay this year as our pre-loved fashion partner. As a show we strive to be a more eco-friendly production with more focus on ways in which we can visibly show this on screen.

“This partnership will see our Islanders get to dive into the shared wardrobes and help themselves to some incredible pre-loved clothes sourced from Ebay. We aim to inspire our demographic and show that there are incredible finds to be had and how sharing is, in some small way, caring.”

 

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Earlier this year, former contestant Brett Staniland took a stance against another former Love Island contestant Molly-Mae Hague, who is the creative director of fast fashion brand, PrettyLittleThing.

Protesting outside the brand’s London fashion show in February to highlight Molly-Mae’s new collection, Brett confessed that he was standing up against “unethical and greedy giants”, a first from a Love Island contestant in the show’s long history.

 

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Now, upon hearing Love Island’s latest move, it looks as though Brett is happy to see some progress in the right direction. Speaking to Vogue Business, Brett noted that during his time in the villa last year, there was a major emphasis on fast fashion with “duffel bags full of free clothes” arriving every three to four days. “It was mind blowing to see so many clothes worn once and then discarded. The show is symbiotic with fast fashion,” he continued.

Now, as Love Island turns a new page, Brett praises the show for making a needed change.

“It’s an unbelievably big step for the show to partner with eBay. That will have a massive impact on reducing the stigma of secondhand clothing, especially since the fast fashion consumer overlaps so much with the Love Island viewer.”

As for what eBay will be providing, it has yet to be revealed, what we do know however is that swimwear will not be included, with Islanders encouraged to wear preloved bikinis and bathing suits from their own wardrobes rather than buying new.

 

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Continuing, Brett notes that he’d also love to see sustainably minded contestants entering the show too, something which could lead to different partnerships after the show. A move away from fast fashion entirely?

Could this be the start of breaking those solid links between Love Island and the likes of Boohoo, PLT and InTheStyle, which see contestants go on to make millions from fast fashion partnerships? Who knows, but the future is looking bright.

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