Practicality Is the New Trend in Fashion
The recession has made us rethink our fashion statements. been well pointed out that the downturn in the economy has to a great extent impacted the fashion industry. Although recessions occur once every 15-20 years, this recent one we’re in is going to have a chronic impression on our whole of idea of fashion. We are living in a very pragmatic age now. It used to be that decadance and frivolousness were part and parcel of the fashion scene - there was no such thing as too extreme or too expensive. - you could only be charged with being too dreary. Not so today though : the fashion catwalks and fashion labels are getting bad publicity. Even if you look at the more affordable labels, suddenly they’re under fire for getting their merchandise manufactured in overseas sweatshops. So what’s going wrong? Why are people turning against labels ?
No chance. People need fashion, and forever will. It is imprinted in our pysche to identify trends! In fact, looking on the internet there is ample competition between online store retail merchants (e.g. looking for plus-size fashion or Adidas watches) - a sign there is still strong demand and supply. It’s the old way we considered that is expiring - of being dictated to by the big brands. In reality, fashion has always looked at the public instead of vice versa, and nowadays many issues are turning us off big brands. Firstly, people are now very much more mindful of globalisation, and flaunting your clothing labels makes you look narcissistic and inconsiderate in certain circles. Second, we’re bust! Style has forever been seen as something of a luxury, not an essential. In a recession, non-essential items are the first to be forgotten on the shop shelves. Lastly, people express themselves much more individually nowadays -we don’t need to be ordered what to wear or how to act, we no longer view ourselves as belonging to large groups, and fashion needs that sort of herd-like thinking to trade in numbers.
What is the future for fashion companies? Like always, they must change to exist - create a larger range of fashion lines to cater to more niches of the marketplace. If you’re a boutique shop offering individual fashion lines at a cheap price, you have a strong business model in spite of the dismal economic months we are in. Nowadays, individuals are blending their styles, purchasing from marketplaces and more personal, affordable fashion shops.
