Individuality Changing the Fashion Industry
The recession has made us rethink our fashion statements. It’s been well commented that the recession has heavily affected the fashion industry. Although downturns in the economy come and go, this current recession we’re in is going to have a lasting effect on how we see fashion. We are living in a very practical period these days. Before these practical days we’re now living in, we revelled in the frivolity of fashion – nothing was really too pricy or too excessive – you only worried about being accused of being too dull. Now though the fashion catwalks and fashion labels are getting a bad press. Even if you look at the mid-range fashion labels, they’re suddenly criticised for getting their merchandise manufactured in offshore sweatshops. What went wrong? Why is it that people turning against fashion brands ?
Not at all. We humans love fashion, and always will. It is engrained in our pysche to spot trends! In point of fact, looking on the web there is tough competition between online store traders (e.g. searching for plus-size fashion or mens wrist watches) – a signal there is still strong demand and supply. What’s dying out is the old-school way we saw fashion – being told what’s now stylish by the established fashiong brands. Actually, fashion has always looked at our lifestyles rather than the other way around, and nowadays many issues are stopping us buying from big brands. First Off, people are much more aware of globalisation, and flaunting your fashion labels makes you look narcissistic and uncaring in certain circles. Secondly, we’re poor! Fashion has forever been seen as something of a luxury, not an essential. In a recession, luxury items are the first to be left on the shop shelves. Finally, individuals 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 being part of large groups, and fashion requires that sort of sheep-like thinking to sell in numbers.
So what does this mean for fashion companies? Like ever, they must change to exist – create a larger range of clothing lines to supply to more corners of the market. If you’re a small shop selling individual clothing at an affordable cost, you have a strong business model in spite of the gloomy economic months we are in. Nowadays, individuals are mixing their styles, purchasing from marketplaces and more personal, affordable fashion shops.
