Could Stranger Things' Sadie Sink Become the New Face of Ethical Fashion?

Sadie Sink, also known as Max Mayfield in Stranger Things 2, has quickly joined the likes of Millie Bobby Brown, Storm Reid, and Zendaya as a Gen Z fashion powerhouse. These young women aren’t hitting the red carpet in princess dresses and pink sparkles; they’re wearing looks straight off the runway, or, in Brown’s case, collaborating with brands like Calvin Klein on custom, age-appropriate frocks. Back in March, Sink opened the Undercover show in Paris and cemented her status as a serious fashion fan; with 3.9 million Instagram followers, the 15-year-old also introduced the avant-garde Japanese label to a lot of kids who’d probably never heard of it.

A few days ago, Sink wore on-the-rise label, Hiraeth Collective, the 100 percent vegan line Rooney Mara launched with her friend Sarah Schloat in February. The elegant, puffed-sleeve black-and-white dress was made with zero animal-based materials; instead of silk, for instance, Mara and her team developed a Japanese poly “satin.” Sink was the first person to wear Hiraeth on the red carpet, and styled the dress with the brand’s vegan leather boots, too. Mara told Vogue they were the first thing she designed: “Finding a pair of really nice vegan combat boots is sort of impossible—the kind you can dress up, but also run around town in.” We’re all for tough boots on the red carpet, especially for younger stars like Sink, who have no business wearing six-inch stilettos.

The look is likely to inspire Sink’s fans to try a similar pretty-dress-and-boots combo, and she made a point of mentioning Hiraeth’s animal-free m.o. on her Instagram: “Was honored to represent my friend Rooney Mara’s new vegan clothing line @hireaeth.collective this weekend. Thank you Rooney for creating this entirely animal free collection.”

Here’s hoping she wears more Hiraeth soon, and puts other ethical fashion brands on the map. Emma Watson is the only celebrity we can think of who is actively promoting sustainable and eco-friendly fashion on the red carpet, so there’s room for another influencer to push the conversation. Sink speaks to a new, younger audience, and has an edge that can help make sustainability, well, cool—not to mention the fact that she’s vegan herself. P.S. If you’re hoping to buy this dress or other Hiraeth Collective pieces, the brand [just announced] (https://www.instagram.com/p/Bg2oxBuB3Ce/?taken-by=hiraeth.collective) it will be available at Barneys New York in August.