Future Heist

Tansy Hoskins, an author and journalist based in London. In March 2020, she released a new book “Foot Work: What Your Shoes Are Doing to the World”, an exposé of the shoe industry, and the damage it is doing to workers, consumers and the planet.

Tansy’s previous book, Stitched Up: The Anticapitalist Book of Fashion, is one of my favourites exploring the political issues in fashion. It’s a 360 degree view of the issues at stake, looking at everything from Karl Lagerfeld to Karl Marx, including sweatshops, branding, the environment and sustainable alternatives. Actor Emma Watson chose Stitched Up as one of her favourite books.

In her work, Tansy combines environmental concerns with a critique of capitalism and issues facing the global working class, Tansy is at the forefront of not only illuminating the problems facing fashion now, but thinking of how we might build a better future for all. We discussed the book, her background as an anti-war campaigner and how the left can better grapple with the issues in the fashion industry.

Follow Tansy on Twitter and Instagram @TansyHoskins or find out more at tansyhoskins.org/

Follow Future Heist on Instagram and Twitter @future_heist for episode updates, news and giveaways.

Produced and recorded by Rena Niamh Smith

Theme music by Benjamin Tassie

Artwork by Fleur Beck

Sound engineering by Gibran Farrah

Consultation by Ben Weaver-Hincks

Original illustrations and social media editing by Charlotte Rose Watts

Special thanks to Chloe Vasseghi