At Glasshouse, we consider the environment in all aspects of what we do. From our recyclable towels to our exclusively cruelty-free hair and beauty product selection, we’re always trying to think of new ways to reduce our impact on the planet.

And though we try our best, it can sometimes be tough to talk about the environment. It’s often seen as a boring or irrelevant topic which is easy to forget about in the hustle and bustle of daily life. For that reason, we really admire people who find ways to promote messages about keeping the world clean and green to new or harder-to-reach audiences.

That’s why we find a bit of a kindred spirit in Elizabeth Farrell, better known as Glacier Girl. Elizabeth is a young activist who uses the internet and social media to spread an environmentally-friendly message to her own generation, via her project Remember the Glaciers. She’ll be taking that project a step further this summer, with an installation at Somerset House’s ‘Utopian Voices Here and Now’ summer season.

Focussing specifically on the buzzy and often misunderstood topic of climate change, she creates and posts thought-provoking images to raise awareness of this almost invisible issue, and to encourage her peers to take action against it.

Her images often feature her cool, quirky Glacier Girl clothes, which she says help her to “act as a walking billboard for the glaciers,” as she told i-D magazine. On-trend long-sleeves emblazoned with slogans like ‘Save the Maldives’ combine with cute pastels and realistic landscape designs in an attempt to place environmental concerns within an accessible online aesthetic. Aware that environmentalism’s “green” look didn’t feel exciting to a younger demographic, Elizabeth took a different tack: “I was trying to change the aesthetic from day one, using blue instead of ‘eco green’ to steer away from the stigma around environmental activism.”

And from 6th July until 30th August, Elizabeth will be taking that aesthetic a step further as she presents ‘Glacier Girl: Refashioning Nature’ at Somerset House. ‘Refashioning Nature’ has been imagined as an interactive installation which invites us to think about our own personal contributions to climate change, by placing visitors in a fictional household setting.

In true Glacier Girl style, the installation will be a continuation of the online visual work that Elizabeth has done previously, and those in attendance will also be asked to join in the climate change conversation via social media. We can’t wait to visit and are especially excited to get involved with Elizabeth’s work. Environmental activism which merges with a great aesthetic is right up our street, especially when it means that the message is reaching such a wide audience. Seeing the Glacier Girl vision come to life is going to be a real treat, and we’re thrilled to see such an important issue treated with the vital relevance it deserves!

Cover image: Elizabeth Farrell via i-D magazine
Words: Lauren O’Neill