Pretty Little Thieves: Molly-Mae and her social responsibility

Last year, an uproar was prompted when PrettyLittleThing (PLT) offered a 99% off sale for Black Friday. This led to customers asking how the company could possibly be selling clothes for as little as eight pence: what on earth are they paying their workers? How cheap are their materials? What is the environmental impact? 

The brand, which is owned by the Boohoo group, has come under fire numerous times as one of the worst fast fashion companies in the UK. In 2020, the owner was found to be paying garment workers in Leicester as little as £3.50 an hour.

In 2021 ex-Love Island star, Molly-Mae Hague, became the creative director of PLT. This week the fashion retailer held their first ever runway event, with Molly standing excitedly at the forefront. Outside the venue, a group of protesters gathered. Amongst them was 2021 Love Island star Brett Staniland, holding a sign which read: “There is nothing ‘pretty’ about wage theft”.

As a feminist, I feel it is my responsibility to uplift, support and celebrate women. Whilst it is brilliant to see women in high power roles at the top of their industry, it is also difficult to celebrate Molly-Mae’s seven-figure deal with PLT with the knowledge that the women making the clothes that she promotes are not even paid a living wage. 

Recently Molly came under fire once again, remarking in a podcast episode that “everyone has the same twenty-four hours in a day”. The clip of Molly went viral, with many calling her tone-deaf, commenting on her ignorance towards her privilege as a white, middle-class woman. Molly’s comment also seemed to ignore the fact that her platform, which has been dramatically elevated since her appearance on Love Island, gives her far more opportunities than the average person. One of the protesters outside the PLT runway show even held up a sign alluding to Molly’s podcast comment, it read “PLT Creative Director Salary: £4.8 million, PLT Garment Maker Salary: £7280. Same 24 hours in a day”. 

However, supporters of Molly-Mae argue that she is only twenty-two years old, and she can do no right in the eyes of a scrutinous public. Yes, Molly is young and being under constant examination must be incredibly difficult. Perhaps the level of vitriol that Molly received for her comment was excessive, but it is inescapable that she does have a level of responsibility to make a change, both in how she addresses her privilege and in her role at PLT.  

The very name of Molly’s role – an ‘influencer’ – speaks to the power that she has over her fans, many of whom are teenage girls. Whilst securing brand deals is part and parcel of the influencer role, some ex-Love Island contestants (like Brett Staniland) have used their platform to advocate for fair living wages, sustainable fashion, and climate change activism. With her current Instagram following standing at 6.2 million and the significance of her role within PLT, Molly certainly has the power to assist change. This could be advocating for the factory workers at PLT, or it could be working towards making the brand more sustainable. Let’s hope that 2022 is the year that Molly-Mae uses her twenty-four hours to make a positive influence.

Image credit: Instagram (@mollymae)