The Future for Sustainable Fashion - From Policy to Upcycling

In this episode, Bard MBA alum Sarah Bergman sits down with Carrie Ellen Phillips, Partner at and Owner of BPCM, and Erin Beatty, Founder and Creative Director of Rentrayage, to discuss the evolving landscape of sustainable fashion. They explore how global disruptions are revealing which companies are truly committed to change, the promise of European textile circularity legislation, and why upcycling and dead stock sourcing are becoming easier to scale. Together, they make the case that sustainable fashion is becoming an inevitability, driven by falling costs and a younger generation demanding better.

This episode captures the energy of Bard's 'Inside Sustainability Live' series, where real-world practitioners and academics come together to build community and share strategies for advancing sustainability work in challenging times.

Bard’s Graduate Programs in Sustainability cultivate leaders who break through existing systems, innovating solutions to critical social, environmental and economic challenges. 2023 marked the 20th anniversary of the first graduating class from M.S. in Environmental Policy degree at Bard CEP and the 10th graduating class from the Bard MBA in Sustainability program. The 2024 graduating MS EP, MS CSP, MEd and MBA classes brought the Bard GPS alumni community to over 500!

MEET THE SPEAKERS

Sarah Bergman
Sarah Bergman is an apparel designer and sustainability professional with over a decade of experience spanning performance wear, luxury fashion, and product development. She currently works as a Senior Designer for Reebok Womens, bringing systems thinking and circular design principles into global apparel supply chains. A 2025 graduate of the Bard MBA in Sustainability, Sarah is certified in Cradle to Cradle Product Design and Innovation and is deeply focused on advancing ethical, resilient, and circular approaches to fashion.

Carrie Ellen Phillips 
Carrie Ellen Phillips is a Partner & Owner at BPCM, where she leads the agency’s Sustainability and Impact practice—now its fastest-growing division. An established strategist across fashion, beauty, and lifestyle, Carrie works with global brands to set and achieve sustainability and impact goals while maintaining growth and profitability, with a focus on avoiding greenwashing and driving authentic change.

With a background in marketing and deep expertise in sustainability, Carrie advises C-suite leaders on circular economy strategies, supply chain transformation, and workforce empowerment. Her work has included helping Kelly Slater launch Outerknown and leading Longchamp’s transition to 100% renewable energy production for its iconic Le Pliage bag. She is a frequent speaker and advisor to the Bard MBA in Sustainability, a lecturer at Columbia University, an advisor to ReGen Private Equity, and a founding partner of the U.S. Coalition on Sustainability at the United Nations.

Erin Beatty
Erin Beatty is the Founder and Creative Director of Rentrayage, a sustainable fashion brand creating modern garments entirely from unwanted vintage and deadstock materials. She began her career with internships at Chanel and Nylon while earning her degree at UCLA, followed by roles in retail management, merchandising, and product development at GAP before formally studying design at Parsons.

Erin went on to co-found SUNO in 2008, building the brand into a globally recognized label known for high-end tailoring and bold textiles, with production spanning Kenya, India, Italy, Peru, and New York. SUNO was sold in over 80 retailers worldwide, named a finalist for the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund, and won the 2013 CFDA Swarovski Award for Womenswear. Erin later served as Creative Director of Ready-to-Wear at Tory Burch while continuing to lead SUNO. After consulting across fashion and interiors, she founded Rentrayage to address fashion’s environmental footprint—reimagining luxury through circular design, reuse, and material responsibility.