Fashion show in Iraq champions sustainability by featuring second-hand clothes

An Iraqi model presents an outfit during a fashion show in an orchard in Al-Husayniyah, north of Baghdad. Photo: AFP

In a palm grove north of Baghdad, bemused Iraqi shepherds looked on as models paraded second-hand garments down an improvised runway, seeking to raise awareness of the fashion industry's environmental impact.

Haute couture has given way to upcycled outfits, sourced entirely from used clothes, as the models strut, pause and pivot on the runway, a sign of the growing popularity of chic, environmentally friendly vintage wear among young Iraqis.