The 33rd EMA Awards: Sustainable Fashion Roundup
The EMA Awards are all about celebrating environmental storytelling, from feature films on the silver screen to sustainable looks on the green carpet.
Held at Sunset Las Palmas Studios in Los Angeles, a 100% carbon-neutral venue, guests were treated to an entirely fully plant-based menu that included a three-course meal from Crossroads Kitchen, burgers from Monty’s Burgers, and regenerative, organic, 100% A2 ice cream from Alec’s Ice Cream. The program featured a star-studded lineup of celebrities and climate activists, with hosts EMA Board Member Lance Bass, Cheri Oteri, and Melissa Peterman, and a special performance from Sheryl Crow.
Oscar winner Laura Dern was honored with the EMA Ongoing Commitment Award, sharing an inspiring speech encouraging the climate movement to foster community and inclusivity to bridge political divides. Other major wins included Avatar: The Way of Water for feature film and Common Ground (narrated by Dern) for best documentary film.
The EMAs are one of the only awards shows where every outfit has a sustainability story: outfit repeats, sustainable brands, thrift finds, and vintage pieces all had their moment on the green carpet. Read on for some of the best sustainable looks from the 33rd EMA Awards.
EMA Board Member Nikki Reed
“Bayou With Love is my company, and I’m wearing all Bayou. We launched the company through a partnership with Dell, using all recycled gold from recovered technology,” said Reed, describing the eco-conscious jewelry she wore with a lime green dress. In addition to her sustainable jewelry, Reed also sported a Blumera bag, hand-carved from sustainably sourced wood with an inner pouch made from MadeWithReishi mycelium biomaterial.
Michelle Pfeiffer
Ever the timeless beauty herself, Michelle Pfeiffer stunned in an all-white 2019 Giorgio Armani suit. The actress praised Armani’s timeless design in an Instagram post, inspiring followers to choose long-lasting styles rather than fast fashion trends.
EMA Activist Board Member Pattie Gonia
“This is an outfit rewear! I’ve worn this dress to multiple different events… I love getting to wear something with a new wig or some new jewelry and make it fun,” said Pattie Gonia. The environmentalist drag queen stunned in a sustainably made black mesh gown adorned with purple birds and feathers.
EMA Board Member Lance Bass
“I’ve worn this many, many times. I never come to the EMAs without wearing my outfits [beforehand]: I never buy anything new for this. And it’s green!” said the NSYNC singer, wearing a pastel green suit from The Kooples. If Lance Bass is outfit repeating, then shouldn’t we all?
Auli’i Cravalho
The Mean Girls and Moana star wore a bejeweled black dress paired with a set of earrings from Brilliant Earth, a fine jewelry brand that uses recycled precious metals and Beyond Conflict Free Diamonds. These sourcing practices help to reduce the harmful impacts of metal mining while creating beautiful, green, carpet-worthy pieces.
EMA Activist Board Member Genesis Butler
The 17-year-old Afro-Indigenous climate activist graced the green carpet in a royal blue slip dress she originally thrifted for her high school winter formal. Butler was resourceful and eco-conscious in accessorizing her look, wearing a pair of thrifted hoop earrings and handmade bracelets.
Natalie Morales
Natalie Morales wore an elegant black gown adorned with embroidered flowers, which she borrowed from Stella McCartney’s collection. The actress praised McCartney’s sustainable designs: “Stella McCartney is my queen. I don’t eat animals, and I don’t wear them, and neither does she. Also, she works from all sustainable fabrics … so I love all her stuff.”
EMA Activist Board Member Meg Haywood Sullivan
This climate activist practices what she preaches, wearing a unique headpiece she crafted using a discarded fishing line found on a beach in Cape Cod. Haywood Sullivan explained that she views fashion as “a talking point to bridge across a divide and create more common ground … Not everyone views things the same way, and [having] that common ground aspect is a great way to build allies in this movement and really push for change.”
See more susty carpet fits here.
About the author:
Katy Ho (she/her) is a Chinese Canadian writer, activist, and daughter of refugees who explores the intersections of gender, climate, and pop culture through her work. When she’s not writing about feminism and climate justice, you can find her hosting book club meetings, visiting her local thrift store, and coaching the next generation of climate leaders.