Sinead Burke wins Leaders Award at Green Carpet Fashion Awards in Milan

Irish activist Sinead Burke was honoured with the Leaders Award at last night’s Green Carpet Fashion Awards in Milan. Taking to Twitter after the event, the 28-year-old said, “Tonight was quite something.”

The Green Carpet Fashion Awards celebrate the best of sustainable fashion. This year, the ceremony reflected the commitment of luxury fashion houses to sustainability, as they work to embrace rapid change while preserving the heritage and authenticity of small-scale producers. The aim is to offer a greener alternative to the traditional ‘red carpet’, by focusing on the social impact of fashion. That’s where Sinead comes in.

Related: Irish activist Sinéad Burke on the cover of Business Of Fashion

Much of the Irishwoman’s activism stems from her achondroplasia, a genetic disorder that results in dwarfism. At three-and-a-half-foot, she says nobody should be excluded from the world of design. “The influence of fashion shapes culture,” she said at the ceremony last night, before asking the audience, “What will you do with your privilege to make this space more accessible?”

Cate Blanchett meeting Sinead Burke at the GCFA
?Andreina Longhi pic.twitter.com/PyYSsMDV7j

— ?ari (@cumberblanchett) September 23, 2018

Standing on stage wearing a red Rochas Paris dress, Sinead was presented with the Leaders Award by Marco Bizzarri, the President and CEO of Gucci. She went on to say, “[I] had the incredible opportunity to thank those who have changed my life and made this conversation possible in the past year.” She thanked Livia Firth, ethical fashion campaigner and organiser of the awards, and hosts Camera Nazionale della Moda Italiana and Eco-Age.

Later that night, Sinead was photographed with actress Cate Blanchett. The Australian star is equally passionate about sustainable fashion and recently spoke out about recycling dresses. Speaking at the Cannes film festival this year (while wearing an old Giorgio Armani gown) she said, “It seems wilful and ridiculous that such garments are not cherished and reworn for a lifetime,” Blanchett said in Cannes.

Congratulations to Sinead from all the team at IMAGE HQ (we hope you got the award onboard as hand luggage).

Walking through the airport with the award. I’m really hoping that Aer Lingus allow it as hand luggage… #GCFAItalia pic.twitter.com/EN9FRXgyAx

— Sinéad Burke (@TheSineadBurke) September 24, 2018

Photo: Sinead Burke via Twitter