Following on from our recent conference in Geneva, we took a very crucial first step today in convening a Round Table to discuss issues of BioDiversity and the Luxury Industry. The table was assembled under the auspice of the United Nations Conference of Trade and Development and included a fantastic level of participation by some of the leaders and thinkers in their industries. Present were eleven key individuals from a number of organisations including the UN, Gucci Group, The Walpole, World Wildlife Fund, International Institute for Environment and Development / CITEs, Wildlife Conservation Society, Earthwatch Institute, Agropecuária Setten, The Guardian, and of course our venue hosts at the Centre for Sustainable Fashion.

While I think it would be ambitious to expect significant change to come out of a single half day meeting, what we did establish was a very good first step on the road to improving BioDiversity within the Luxury sector. Ideas were exchanged which we will begin to collate over the next few days with the goal of developing specific contributions towards the Cop-10 of the Convention on Biological Diversity in Nagoya this October and the revision of the Global BioDiversity Targets for 2020.

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If you haven't already seen it, check out the Ever Manifesto by Alexia Niedzielski, Charlotte Casiraghi & Elizabeth Guttman.

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It's been a good week and now I’m sitting on the TGV to Paris after participating in a conference at the UN in Geneve about Biodiversity in the luxury industry which cumulated in an ethical fashion show held in the controversial UN Chamber of Human Rights & Alliance of Civilizations.

The conference entitled “Redefining Sustainability in the International Agenda” came out of a discussion a group of us had in London during early winter 2009, sitting around a table in the lobby of a Bloomsbury hotel...

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I must admit, keeping blogs up to date is clearly not my forte. I'm realizing that it's been some time since my last post!!! So much for trying to keep a weekly update.

So what's inspired my back after so much time? Well I just returned from the Vivienne Westwood Red Label show for SS10 at London Fashion Week. I thought it was interesting to see that such a major designer who is not traditionally associated with environmental causes was actively championingThe Prince's Rainforests Project. Not only were there large banners flanking the entrance to the show, but all the packs had a leaflet and some of the models were carrying the project's mascot, a little green frog.

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A funny thing happened over the weekend.  I had a piece of art I created exhibited at the Big Chill as part of a touring art show.

The first thing that makes me exhibiting a piece of art peculiar is that while I was taught art and was fortunate enough to be exposed to some great contemporary artists, I don't really consider myself an artist.

The second thing which really made it peculiar, was the fact that I was truly the unknown face in an exhibit composed of 18 successful artists chosen by Cedric Christie to participate in his charitable endeavor entitled The Blank Canvas Project. To put the peculiarity of the situation into context, the other artists were Tracey Emin, Jake and Dinos Chapman, Sir Peter Blake, Sarah Lucas, Gavin Turk, Rachel Whiteread.... and many more. All major artists who make their living selling art and then me....

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