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Fashion in 2025: Navigating Political Influence and Economic Turmoil

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What lies ahead for the industry?


Fashion in 2025 navigates a delicate balance between political influence and economic turmoil. But what are the challenges and shifts shaping the industry? What lies ahead for the future of fashion?

Recent political events and ongoing wars (including the much-awaited but uncertain ceasefire in Gaza) have generated significant economic challenges, while Trump’s re-election in the US signals an unstable and tumultuous year ahead. Sustainability, once a key focus, has largely disappeared from the agenda, and consumer trust continues to erode.

Struggles shaping the fashion in 2025


If 2024 was a difficult year, 2025 offers little reprieve. According to a report by McKinsey & Company, 80% of fashion executives foresee no improvement in the global fashion industry this year. Furthermore, Trump’s re-election has sparked deep concerns across multiple fronts, with profound implications for the fashion world.

Trump’s proposed tariff hikes threaten to reshape trade flows. As The Times aptly headlines: “The Fashion World Fears High Tariffs”

President-elect Donald J. Trump has proposed a tax of at least 60% on goods from China—a move that could devastate small American brands. Counter-sourcing will likely become one of the biggest struggles for these businesses.

According to the National Retail Federation, Trump’s tariff proposals could increase apparel prices by 12.5% and footwear prices by 18.1%. If Chinese-made goods are hit with higher tariffs, the cost of everything from mobile phone cases to Barbies could skyrocket. In this scenario, pricier trousers may be the least of consumers’ concerns.

Most critically, “The idea that a substantial American apparel manufacturing industry could be revived overnight is a myth,” as designers point out. There are neither enough skilled workers to support such a transition, nor the infrastructure to sustain it. (source)

Yet, Trump’s politics won’t stop at America’s borders—European markets will also feel the strain.

2025: Market trends


The negative environment predicted a year ago has now taken hold. Consumers, having experienced a period of high inflation, are increasingly price-sensitive. Meanwhile, the acceleration of climate change and a marked shift away from sustainability further compound the challenges.

Economic uncertainty, geographic disparities, and shifting consumer behaviours dominate the fashion landscape. To remain relevant, brands must adapt—not by chasing fleeting trends but by proving their lasting value. Consumers demand more than just products; they seek alignment with their personal values and a genuine commitment to purpose.

The way forward


Fashion in 2025 resides at the intersection of political influence and economic turmoil. In a climate of instability, the question isn’t merely about survival but about meaningful evolution. Brands that centre their strategies on value and integrity will stand out. This means doubling down on quality, fostering transparent communication, and investing in long-term relationships with both customers and suppliers.

As we navigate 2025, let’s shift the narrative. Let’s champion resilience, creativity, and authenticity. In the face of adversity, fashion has the unique power to inspire and connect. Let’s make that the legacy of this challenging year.

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Breaking Free From the Social Media Trap: Instagram Algorithms and TikTok’s Future

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Should we adapt or explore new ways to connect?


Exploring the possibilities of breaking free from the social media trap has become increasingly urgent. With Instagram introducing a new algorithm and TikTok facing a ban in the US, one must ask: does it make sense to keep adapting to the strategies of tech giants, or would it be healthier to seek alternative ways to connect?

Although we don’t use TikTok, we can’t deny that the new Instagram layout is a major disappointment. We’ve never been ones to chase the algorithm, preferring instead to use social media as a tool for fostering genuine connections. 

That said, let’s take a closer look at what’s been happening in the social media landscape recently.

Why Instagram’s algorithm changes are problematic


The recent Instagram update has sparked significant concerns among creators and users alike. Here’s why:

1 – Excessive Emphasis on Video Content
Instagram’s new algorithm highlights its ongoing attempt to mimic TikTok, favouring vertical video content. This shift burdens creators who specialise in static content, such as photos and graphics, as the algorithm prioritises 9:16 videos, reducing the organic visibility of other formats.

2 – Disruption of Feed Harmony
For those who have curated cohesive feeds based on the 1:1 ratio, the update is highly disruptive. Truncated posts lose their visual coherence, and there’s no way to retroactively adjust previously published content to fit the new layout.

How the TikTok ban exposes social media’s fragility


TikTok’s brief shutdown on Sunday, coupled with its uncertain future, reveals just how delicate the fragmented social media landscape truly is. The ByteDance-owned platform temporarily disabled its app in the United States to comply with a divest-or-ban mandate. Although web browser access was restored for some US users, the mobile app remained largely inaccessible.

These shifts in the social media ecosystem highlight the growing tension between platforms prioritising fleeting trends and users striving to preserve their creative integrity. Meanwhile, many simply follow along blindly, seldom pausing to question the impact. 

Finding healthier alternatives to connect


Breaking free from the social media trap has never felt more urgent. Our lives, data, and connections are increasingly controlled by a few tech giants. When they change their strategies, we bear the consequences. If they shut down, we risk losing everything. Is this truly a safe or sustainable environment?

Rather than continuously adapting to their ever-shifting priorities, we believe it’s time to explore healthier, more meaningful ways to connect. The power to create a better digital future lies in our hands.

🖤 We’d love to hear from you! Whether you have questions, feedback, or just want to say hello, we’re all ears.

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Oliviero Toscani: A Life Lived Against The Grain

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Lessons from his visionary and controversial legacy


Oliviero Toscani, the trailblazing photographer known for his provocative campaigns, has passed away at 82 from a rare disease. Iconoclastic, daring, and deeply influential, Toscani leaves behind a body of work that continues to inspire and challenge conventional thinking.

Back in August, Toscani revealed to the newspaper Corriere della Sera that he had been diagnosed with a terminal illness, amyloidosis. This rare condition involves a build-up of abnormal protein deposits in the body, disrupting its functions. Also, he candidly admitted he didn’t know how much time he had left.

For many of us, Toscani’s work was an indelible part of growing up. In fact, his bold imagery for Benetton’s campaigns was inescapable, with each new billboard sparking heated debates and social discourse. However, Toscani wasn’t just a photographer; he was a provocateur who made audacity the cornerstone of his work.

The visionary yet controversial legacy of Oliviero Toscani


In his own words, Toscani succinctly expressed his philosophy:

“If you tell the truth, you scare people; if you’re free, you scare people. I believe provocation is intrinsic to art. If art doesn’t provoke something, it’s useless: it must spark discussions, perspectives, interest, and maybe even change someone’s mind.”

This ethos defined his career. Toscani’s work was provocative, unorthodox, and visionary. Specifically, he was a pioneer in merging fashion with societal commentary, often choosing to omit the product itself to spotlight larger narratives. Diversity—at a time when no one talked about it. Racism. Anorexia.

His approach defied trends and market demands. As he once declared:

“I don’t do things for the market; I don’t even know what the market wants.”

One of his most striking statements resonates profoundly:

“Life only makes sense if lived ‘against.’ Conformity kills creativity.”

It’s a call to do things when others don’t, to break free from the norm and embrace creative freedom. 

Finally, in an interview on the Italian TV programme Quante Storie — a show dedicated to exploring new books — Toscani delivered a piercing critique of modern culture:

“I find social media to be mental concentration camps that create uniformity.”

This sentiment underscores his lifelong fight against mediocrity and conformity, championing a world where art and thought challenge and inspire.

Conclusion


Oliviero Toscani, who passed away at 82, leaves a profound legacy defined by attentive observation and uncompromising provocation. His work serves as a testament to the importance of questioning the status quo and embracing a new perspective. Toscani’s fearless creativity will resonate for years, inspiring future generations to push boundaries and challenge the ordinary.

Most importantly, his legacy teaches us to use our work—whatever it may be—to deliver a deeper message.

🖤 We’d love to hear from you! Whether you have questions, feedback, or just want to say hello, we’re all ears. 

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Wildfires Devastate Los Angeles: A Climate Change Wake-Up Call

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Extreme weather in Los Angeles: why climate change action cannot wait


Our thoughts are with our friends and everyone affected in Los Angeles, as relentless wildfires devastate the region, destroying thousands of homes and businesses. The disaster, fuelled by powerful Santa Ana winds, low humidity, and dry vegetation resulting from a prolonged lack of rain, paints a grim picture of a landscape increasingly vulnerable to climate extremes. These recurring tragedies underscore an urgent truth: addressing climate change is no longer optional—it is a matter of survival.

Five major wildfires devastating Los Angeles: causes and impact


At least five major fires are active in Los Angeles County, including the Palisades and the Eaton Fire. While investigations into the causes of the largest blazes are still ongoing, the conditions driving their rapid spread are unmistakable: months of little to no rain, critically low humidity, and widespread drought. The National Weather Service office in Los Angeles had already warned of the danger, citing damaging winds of up to 100 mph and extremely dry conditions as a perfect storm for “extreme fire behaviour”.

This devastating fire season comes after an exceptionally dry year. Over 83% of Los Angeles County is in drought, according to the latest U.S. Drought Monitor. In fact, Los Angeles has not seen even a quarter of an inch of rain since April, as reported by Accuweather.

Whether caused by human activity or natural forces, these wildfires that devastate Los Angeles are yet another stark reminder of our collective disregard for nature. Recently, the Copernicus Climate Change Service confirmed a grim milestone: 2024 has become the first year to exceed 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels, marking the warmest year since record-keeping began in 1850.

The role of climate change in extreme weather


Experts agree that climate change is reshaping baseline conditions, significantly increasing the likelihood of such catastrophic fires. California, like much of the western United States, endured a decades-long drought that ended only two years ago, leaving the region exceptionally vulnerable to fire outbreaks.

The wildfires devastating Los Angeles are shocking, but, sadly, they are no longer surprising. As our planet warms, extreme weather events have shifted from rare anomalies to an unsettling new normal. These fires—among the most destructive in LA’s history—carry an urgent message: climate change is not a distant threat but a present crisis. The time to act decisively is not “before it’s too late”—it is now, because we are already running out of time.

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Creativity in Fashion: A Hollow Shell

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The most present word in fashion debates, yet absent in practice


Creativity is one of the most overused and misrepresented words in the fashion industry—a once-vibrant ideal now reduced to a hollow shell. A broken promise. What was meant to be the heart, the spark, the very foundation of fashion has been pushed to the periphery, sidelined in favour of other priorities. Yet, everybody now talks about it.

2024: an omnipresent, hollow shell of a word


Throughout 2024, the word “creativity” dominated every panel discussion, CEO interview, and designer or creative director reshuffle. It felt like an industry-wide admission: “We’ve been focusing on marketing, naming new creative directors, and growth and then growth again. But we lost sight of creativity.”  

For instance, consider the interview with Frédéric Grangié, Chanel’s Head of Watches and Jewellery, in Le Temps. Grangié cautioned that the luxury industry is facing a profound crisis—one that goes beyond the temporary challenges of economic slowdowns. He highlighted a fundamental shift: luxury is losing its mystique as the allure of exclusivity diminishes and customers grow increasingly disillusioned with high-end brands.

Grangié’s message was unequivocal: genuine creativity, coupled with a long-term strategy, is the only viable path forward. Without these, luxury brands risk losing their essence and faltering under the weight of the growing crisis.

Fashion & creativity


Indeed, brands have lost their distinctiveness, morphing into interchangeable entities. An industry once revered for its idiosyncratic creativity has devolved into a hollow vessel, prioritising profit over vision. The relentless chase for marketability and fleeting trends has stripped many maisons of their credibility and authenticity. Also, it relegated creativity to a secondary, almost insignificant role.

As a result, the fashion industry finds itself at an impasse. Simultaneously, prices have skyrocketed—often without justification—further alienating consumers. And yet, in a striking irony, the same experts now declare, “We need to focus on creativity.”

Really? Dear mainstream brands, what have you been offering all this time?
According to the Cambridge Dictionary, creativity is the ability to produce original and imaginative ideas or to create something new.
Isn’t that supposed to be your role?

Conclusion


In short, fashion was once a vibrant celebration of creativity and craftsmanship. A space where ideas flourished and vision reigned supreme. Over time, however, this core spark has been sidelined, overshadowed by greed, financial gain, and unsustainable growth. What was once the heart of the industry—creativity—now stands as a hollow shell, a mere echo of its former vitality.

Now, we are afraid it’s being called back into focus—not out of genuine reverence, but as a desperate response to declining business.

🖤 We’d love to hear from you! Whether you have questions, feedback, or just want to say hello, we’re all ears. 

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