Backpacks go backstage at Fashion Week

Walking the bustling streets of New York, Jon Reyman was exposed to peaks in PM2.5, PM10 and VOC, particularly when passing sources such as a construction side, waiting traffic and street food vendors. Larry experienced similar in London, standing at a traffic crossing and when travelling by tube. Air quality improved almost instantly as Larry stepped from the station to the street, where pollutants are no longer confined to an enclosed space and able to disperse into the atmosphere.

Toby explains: “These short bursts of exposure can reach surprisingly high levels. Stepping one street back from the main thoroughfare, where congestion is lower, Jon and Larry’s levels improved from Poor to Fair or Good. Travelling by tube or subway is often unavoidable. However, avoiding non-essential exposure around your journey, such as waiting for a colleague or friend outside the entrance, rather than on the underground platform can help to limit this exposure.”

By comparison, Jawara walked between shows on the New York High Line – an elevated linear park, raised above street level. “Here, we see the benefits of distance from pollutants.” Toby comments. “Separation from street level allows ground-level contributes to dissipate considerably before they reach Jawara and therefore, although present, track at much lower rates. As there are fewer sources of pollution directly on the High Line, Jawara was exposed to better quality air. This is likely to be the same in other green spaces such as Central Park, or London’s Hyde Park.”

Stepping from the street into the confines of backstage, the air can be full of hidden pollution – from larger particulate matter like hair, make-up, and pollen, to gases including VOCs from hairspray and airborne styling products. Whilst use of such styling products is recommended for well-ventilated areas, this is a luxury not always possible when working backstage, ultimately contributing to compromised air quality. Toby explains: “As a rule of thumb, any products you can smell are likely to be as a result of the high levels of VOCs you are inhaling.”

The theatrical locations of runway shows often force backstage spaces into unusual locations – be it a marquee, basement, secluded side room or period building. Team this with stylists introducing high levels of VOCs from concentrated styling product usage, models, designers, and stylists are often exposed to suboptimal air quality conditions. A sharp increase in CO2 levels was also identified for all stylists as a result of high numbers of people breathing within an enclosed environment.