I didn’t make a new collection to show this Fashion Week.
I’ve gone back and forth on this for months.
Fashion Week has been powerful for my brand. I thrive on the structure of the seasons and love pushing myself to keep innovating and making new work. Showing collections has introduced me to new audiences and brought moments to life that I’ll never forget.
I still believe in that power. Right now, what’s happening in the world feels heavy, complicated, and urgent. We’re watching immigration raids escalate, LGBTQ+ rights rolled back, and the rise of a version of “America first” politics that is rooted in exclusion instead of care. That reality is shaping how I feel and what I want to express.
I keep asking myself what the right thing to post is. I don’t want to take up space talking about things that matter less than the important voices and stories that need to be heard. It’s scary and depressing, but if I ignore or normalize it, I’m complicit. At the same time, is anything really going to feel comfortable right now?
Creating still matters to me. It always will. But at this moment, producing a Fashion Week collection doesn’t feel like the clearest way for me to express what I’m processing.
A runway is the wrong forum to hold space for a topic that requires a different kind of attention. Releasing work just to meet an industrial deadline is a misuse of my resources and platform right now.
At the same time, to do nothing at all is worse.
We can’t disappear.
Zero Waste Daniel is not just me. It’s a team of talented New Yorkers. Some of us are queer. Some of us are immigrants. Some of us were taught to recognize the warning signs of authoritarianism from our elders’ experiences. All of us know what it feels like to be abused by systems that were supposed to protect us.
My team is magic.
Here, we have created a safe and joyous space for our community.
We create beauty out of all the small things other people deem too small or insignificant to have value. We use our work to make people feel their best, to celebrate milestones, to make art come alive, and to move people and make them feel deeply. We make work that spreads delight and inspires change. If I stop, everyone on my team feels it.
If we stop, the world gets a little darker.
Instead of rushing to produce a new collection designed to entertain and distract you, I’m focusing on continuing to build something sturdy that will weather the storm.
Strengthening our foundation and preserving what we’ve created here is essential. My heroes did the same thing in troubling times. We can follow the paths they forged. We know what to do and how to raise our voices.
The runway can hold real meaning, and I support every designer using it to speak out this season.
I’ll return when I have something that requires it, and perhaps when more of a vision of the future or some proper escapism feels in order. This form of expression feels more honest for me this season.
Presently, I’m reminded that fashion has long been a language of protest, possibility, and a reflection of what’s happening beyond the catwalk.
Patchwork has always been my language. Separate pieces made stronger together. Easily repaired. Endlessly resilient. Not this season or last, but evergreen. More than a trend, it’s a deeply held philosophy of mine.
This May marks ten years of Zero Waste Daniel. Ten years of making everything locally. Ten years of choosing community over convenience. We walked a long road to get here, and we’re not afraid of hard work.
Right now, what feels necessary is staying grounded, staying true to my values, and speaking clearly against bigotry, exclusion, and abuses of power.
While I put one foot in front of the other, continuing to build my business sustainably with my team, I ask you to consider the following:
Showing up and even thriving should not be conflated with detachment. Passive activism is activism. My business, my brand, and my existence are all forms of peaceful protest.
I will continue to show up, try to make you smile, and remind you that if you’re someone who feels lost and overwhelmed by uncertain times, but believes in standing tall in the face of discrimination, being proud to uphold the values this country was founded on for all, and leading with love and joy, you are not alone.
Daniel Silverstein is the creator and designer behind the brand Zero Waste Daniel. Sustainability is at the forefront of each piece with the motivation of having zero waste. With landfills all over the world piling up with both new and worn clothes, Daniel has set his mind on limiting this result in fashion.
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