Patagonia founder to receive Outstanding Achievement Award at 2022 Fashion Awards

Patagonia’s founder and former owner Yvon Chouinard has been announced as an honouree for the 2022 Fashion Awards, where he will receive the Outstanding Achievement Award.

During the event, set to be held December 5, Chouinard will be recognised for his creative contributions to the fashion industry.

He joins a string of prominent industry leaders who have previously won the award, including the likes of Miuccia Prada, Ralph Lauren and Giorgio Armani.

In a release, the British Fashion Council (BFC) said Chouinard was selected for his dedication to environmentalism and his “exceptional vision”.

It comes months after the entrepreneur announced he would transfer his family’s ownership of Patagonia to two new entities: the Patagonia Purpose Trust and non-profit organisation the Holdfast Collective, in a bid to channel profits to environmental causes.

Chouinard is also the co-founder of One Percent for the Planet, a global movement that counts over 5,000 members, each of which donates one perfect of their income to initiatives protecting the environment.

Speaking on the news, Chouinard said: “Being recognised by the BFC sends the message that responsible business practices far outweigh trends or short-term financial gains.

“With vision and creativity, the apparel industry is perfectly placed to set the standard for environmental protection – it is our hope that business leaders join us in committing to this work.”

Activism is set to run through almost the entirety of this year’s Fashion Awards, with BFC also announcing that British and Jamaican activist and actress Jodie Turner-Smith will be the host of the event.

Turner-Smith, who is known for her roles in Anne Boleyn and After Yang, regularly uses her platform to spotlight equality in the industry, as well as the importance of sustainability.