On April 28, the Goals Lounge at UN Headquarters in New York City set the scene for Design Matters: Shaping A Sustainable Future Through Fashion — a convening marking one year since the UN Tour Guide uniforms debuted on Earth Day 2025.
The afternoon opened with three tour guides on stage, wearing the uniforms themselves: a full dress, a pants suit, and a suit-skirt combo, each representing the gender-neutral, mix-and-match ethos behind the collection. Hearing from the guides firsthand on how the outfits have sparked conversations around sustainability was one of the most grounding moments of the event — a reminder that these aren’t just clothes, they’re worn daily by the people who represent the UN to the world.
Lucie Brigham, Chief of Office for the UN Office of Partnerships, spoke to how the project came together, while TIME’s Chief Impact Officer Shyla Raghav moderated with an ease that kept the conversation flowing naturally from one topic to the next.
The afternoon closed on an exciting note: representatives from Central Saint Martins and the Swedish School of Textiles announced a joint accessories project, the next phase of this ongoing initiative. Two schools, two creative identities, one shared vision. We’re delighted to watch it unfold.
