The recession has given us all a fashion rethink. been well pointed out that the recession has to a great extent had a negative affect on the fashion industry. Although recessions are nothing new, this current recession we’re in is going to have a chronic impact on our whole of idea of fashion. We are living in a very pragmatic age these days. It used to be that decadance and frivolity were all part of the fashion scene – there was no such thing as too extreme or too overpriced. – you could only be accused of being too lacklustre. It’s different today though : the labels and catwalks are receiving bad publicity. Even looking at the the more affordable fashion labels, suddenly they’re under fire for getting their merchandise manufactured in foriegn sweatshops. Is it that everyone has become so incredibly difficult to please?
First off, fashion ain’t dead. In fact, looking on the web there is tough rivalry between online store retailers – for example looking for see by chloe – a signal there is still strong demand and supply. It’s the old-school mindset that is expiring – of being dictated to by the established brands. Fashion has always followed the public instead of the other way around, and today many factors are stopping us buying from big labels. First Off, young people are now very much more conscious of globalization, and showing off your clothing labels makes you look egotistical and thoughtless in many peer groups today. Second, we’re broke! Style has always been seen as something of a luxury, not a necessity. In an economic downturn, luxury items are the first to be forgotten on the store shelves. Finally, individuals express themselves a lot more individually nowadays -we don’t want to be told what to wear or how to act, there’s no huge “tribe” to fit in to or assimilate their thoughts, and fashion requires that sort of groupthink to sell in large amounts.
How does the future look for fashion companies? As always, they must adapt to survive – create a broader range of clothing lines to supply to more corners of the marketplace. If you’re a boutique shop offering individual clothing at an affordable cost, the future looks bright for you despite the dismal economic months we are experiencing. Nowadays, individuals are mixing their styles, buying from marketplaces and smaller, bargain-priced fashion shops.