Date: 03-05-2019
Response to “Building a Sustainable Company: The Story of Eileen Fisher”
Eileen Fisher’s story is quite inspiring for me. It always seems like such a cliché when some successful entrepreneur claims that they want their company to maintain sustainability as they are thriving – it sounds to me more like just some slogan for constructing. But as far as what I see from the article, Fisher is not like that. Not only is she devoted to promoting sustainable fashion, but she is passionate about making a difference to the world at a larger scale as well.
What interests me much is the “Don’t knower approach” mentioned in the article, which reminds me of the first stage of design thinking – to empathize. The two notions have different meanings of course, but they share the knowledge of not bringing your assumptions when listening to others. As a designer herself, Fisher surely knows well not to be too self-confident about everything. Designers need to learn from their customers, as well as their colleagues. This also corresponds with what’s mentioned later in the article that Fisher encourages everybody to be the leader and contribute their intellectual power.
Another point that gets my attention is the following quote, “If we work during personal hours, then why can’t we deepen our personal side while at work? Work can be a place for personal growth and learning. If we can create environments where people can help each other grow, work itself can be a little more fun.” It strikes me that by focusing on her employees as individuals, Fisher expands the definition of sustainable fashion. Sustainability could mean more than environmentally friendly products and water-saving manufacture process. Generally, constructing a healthy working environment where people feel cared about and respected could actually be another level of sustainability. That is rooted deep in the value of the brand, which could not have been so if it weren’t for Fisher – a human being of love and passion for a better world.