Renowned British fashion photographer Rankin cooperated with the Acid Survivors Trust International (ASTi) on a brand new campaign aimed at the prevention of acid attacks. For this purpose, he has created a lookbook – a photo catalogue typically used by the fashion industry as a guide with latest styles and fabrics – together with acid attack survivor Patricia Lefranc as his model.
The ‘Tear Couture Look Book’ aims to highlight the devastating effects of acid attacks and, in particular, the specific connection to the fashion, textile, retail and manufacturing industries. It raises awareness of the issues associated with acid attacks in a format that is familiar to the aforementiond industries. With a foreword by the charity’s patron, HRH Anne, the Princess Royal, the lookbook tells Patricia Lefranc’s personal story through moving and hard-hitting messages, illustrated by portraits of Patricia by Rankin.
Research suggests a correlation between legitimate business uses of acid and the incidence of acid attacks in parts of the global south. This was especially noticeable in areas with industries such as fashion and textile that require sulphuric acid in large quantities. With this campaign, ASTi aims to engage industry partners to strengthen processes for a more responsible supply chain.
Rankin : “I have a special affinity with the fashion industry, and I’ve been delighted to see the changes that have taken place within the industry in recent years to make it more sustainable and responsible. When ASTi explained to me the issue of acid misuse within supply chains, I knew I had to take action.”
Patricia Lefranc : “Many people are unaware of the enormous pain and suffering that acid attack survivors go through. I’m so grateful to Rankin for this opportunity to raise awareness of our situation, and to take steps together to prevent further attacks.”
Jaf Shah, Executive Director of ASTi : “Industry has a key role to play in stopping incidences of acid attacks. We’re so grateful to the Virtue Foundation with HRH Princess Anne for writing the foreword to the lookbook and, of course, to Patricia and Rankin. With their support, we aim to partner with businesses and make the changes needed to achieve this goal together.”
Phil Patterson, Chair of the ZDHC MRSL Council and Wastewater Council : “Corrosive substances are routinely used for dyeing, printing and finishing in the fashion industry. There is a significant opportunity to improve how they are transported, stored, dispensed and handled within factories to both reduce the risk of injury to workers and to reduce access to substances that could be used in premeditated acid attacks.”
About Tear Couture – The ‘Tear Couture Look Book’ has been created with McCann Health London, an IPG Health company. It is a continuation of the agency’s ‘Tear Couture’ campaign which launched an ASTi report at St. James’s Palace in March, 2022, in the presence of HRH Princess Anne. In partnership with the Thomson Reuters Foundation, Trustlaw and international law firm Covington, the ASTi report on supply chain considerations for dangerous corrosives, such as acids, contains a toolkit with five key recommendations for corporations.
Maurice Mikkers’ photography of microscopic tears – which also features in the lookbook – was turned into an immersive VR experience, in which the user journeys through a 3D tear landscape while listening to survivors’ testimonies and a specially composed track by Nitin Sawhney. Acid Survivor’s Trust International – ASTi.
ASTi is a UK-registered non-profit charity and the only international organization whose sole purpose is to end acid violence at a global level. It has partnered with and received grants from the United Nations, the British Government and numerous foundations on delivering medical, legal, awareness-raising, advocacy, rehabilitation and livelihood projects in multiple countries including India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh, Uganda, and Cambodia.
ASTi was awarded an Impact Award in 2019 by the Thomson Reuters Foundation for its work on changing UK law. Supporting Stats The total cost of reported acid attacks to UK society over the past five years exceeds £200 million. However, the actual figure of attacks (and therefore associated costs) is higher than that as not all police forces respond to FOI requests.
ASTi estimates that the number of global attacks exceeds 10,000 each year. But this is a very conservative estimate as governments in many countries do not maintain official records of acid attacks.
A report on acid violence by the Avon Global Center for Women and Justice, Cornell Law School and the Virtue Foundation states: “Evidence suggests a correlation between legitimate business uses of acid and the incidence of acid attacks. In Bangladesh, for example, the incidence of acid violence is highest in districts where the acid-using garment and jewelry industries are prevalent.”
“Similarly, in Pakistan, acid attacks occur at high rates along the ‘Cotton Belt’ of Pakistan, i.e., in South Punjab and Upper Sindh (central area), where the cotton and garment industries are concentrated and acid is used in production. Indeed, acid attackers perpetrated 77% of all reported attacks in Pakistan’s ‘core’ cotton zone areas of the Punjab region.” From a report by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation: ‘A New Textiles Economy: Redesigning Fashion’s Future’ (2017).
GoSee : ellenmacarthurfoundation.org
GoSee : asti.org.uk
