What Fashion Labels Should Do next
The downturn in the economic system has made us rethink our fashion statements. been well commented that the recession has to a great extent impacted the fashion industry. Although recessions are nothing new, this recent one we’re in is going to have a chronic effect on our whole concept of fashion. We are living in a very practical age these days. Not so long ago, that decadance and frivolity were all part of the fashion industry – there was no such thing as too extreme or too overpriced. – you only worried about being charged with being too dull. Not so today though : the labels and fashion catwalks are receiving a bad press. Even if you look at the more affordable fashion brands, suddenly they’re under fire for manufacturing in offshore sweatshop factories. So what’s going wrong? Why are people turning against labels like this?
No chance. Humans love fashion, and forever will. It is imprinted in our minds to identify new styles! In fact, looking on the web there is ample competition between online shop traders (e.g. looking for plus-size fashion or Adidas watches) – a signal there is still a great need for fashion. What’s dying out is the now traditional way we considered fashion – of being dictated to by the big brands. In reality, fashion has always looked at our lifestyles rather than the other way around, and today many factors are stopping us buying from big fashion brands. For a start, young people are a lot more aware of globalisation, and flaunting your clothing labels makes you look selfish and uncaring in certain circles. Secondly, we’re poor! Fashion has forever been a luxury, not an essential. In an economic downturn, luxury items are the first to be forgotten on the store shelves. Lastly, individuals define themselves a lot more individually these days -we don’t need to be told what to wear or how to act, there’s no large “clan” to fit in to or assimilate their thoughts, and fashion needs that type of groupthink to sell in numbers.
How does the future look for fashion companies? As ever, they must adapt to survive – create a wider range of clothing lines to supply to more niches of the marketplace. If you’re a boutique store offering individual fashion lines at a decent cost, you have a strong business model in spite of the gloomy economic days we are in. Nowadays, individuals are blending their styles, purchasing from markets and smaller, inexpensive fashion stores.
