Explorations

The Upscale Drive

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Revising the (over)production model


Ending the diffusion lines is one of the strategies recently adopted by fashion maisons. Why this change of direction? And is it the start of a new business model?

What is a diffusion line?

The diffusion lines, also named second lines, are ready-to-wear collections whose name is similar or somehow recalls the designer’s name. The inspiration and design of these clothing and accessory lines come from the maison archive. But they get simplified in terms of patterns, working, and materials to offer the spirit of the brand at a lower price. More affordable, or relatively so. However, much lower compared to the main lines.

Main lines dominate the high-end market segment, which means they are expensive. However, if brands remained solely in this high-end segment, they would miss out on the majority of the market.

So, driven by greed and speed, brands launched diffusion lines as an opportunity to expand the business and maximise profits. Specifically, diffusion lines were conceived and produced for the mass market.

Apart from some trailblazers like Armani, whose Emporio line was born in 1980, many diffusion lines started spreading in the 90s and mushroomed during 2000. For decades brands focused on evergrowing, ever-expanding, overproducing, and heavy discounting policies. So they triggered a vicious cycle that led to an oversaturated market deprived of value.
Now, things are changing. Some fashion maisons are stepping back, embarking on a new—or not so new—path.

The new strategy: quitting diffusion lines


Recently, Valentino announced the discontinuation of its Red Valentino line starting in 2024—a diffusion line launched in 2003—to shift its focus more toward couture. Likewise, Chloè is to phase out its See by Chloé line over the next three years, addressed as a – “natural and necessary evolution for the long term.”

So, in the short term, brands have maximised profit through secondary lines. But, in the long run, this strategy has compromised the market and their own image.

Now the market is almost dead, and this forced them to change their path.
If fashion maisons want to stay relevant in an oversaturated market, they need to do some cleaning. Ending the diffusion lines will allow brands a more focused business model.

Though we do not expect they will stop overproducing, we are curious to see what they will do next!

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Dissecting Gender Norms: “My Brain Is Up Here”

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The elegance and beauty of the female brain


Through dissecting gender norms, I explore how societal expectations and discrimination continue to shape the female experience in a world striving for equality.

When I was a little girl, I remember being told quite often that I should be aware of how revealing my wardrobe is. How much makeup I am wearing, or how intense I am behaving. People would say that it is distracting to boys when they are in school.

Sadly, I never heard anyone try to teach a boy not only that they should respect women and look to them for intellectual guidance. Since it’s scientifically proven that the female brain matures faster than the male. But also that they shouldn’t be viewing us as distracting sexual objects.

As a result of this misguided message, women are viewed as a trophy or accessory for a man. Other terms that come to mind are: “bitchy”, “too much”, “bossy”, “confrontational”, or “stubborn”.
Ironically, when men present the same behaviour that usually gives us these titles, they are said to be “determined”, “a leader”, “well-spoken”, or “hard-working”.

How gender discrimination is portrayed in society


A consistent example of women being negatively targeted in our society is prevalent in our female celebrities. In interviews, they often receive questions about the outfit they are wearing, the fitness regime they follow. What diet they are restricted to for maintaining their figure. Or my favourite, “are you dating anyone new”. They are rarely asked about their career goals and opinions on current social issues.

One of my favourite interviews was with Simone Biles. When the interviewer commented on her lack of smiling during routines, Biles responded: “smiling doesn’t win you gold medals.”
In this interview, Biles was able to break the lens that is typically looked through when reviewing a woman. We are beautiful and elegant. But we are also powerful, determined, disciplined, and honourable.

Female celebrities are constantly bombarded on the red carpet, being asked about their romantic life or if they will be “leaving with lots of men tonight”.
The key focus is always about who they will be the trophy for, not that they are their own trophy.

Gender norms: it’s a man’s world. . . so let’s make it ours too


By dissecting gender norms, we uncover how we live in a world defined and constructed by men, from the language to the ground we walk on. Yet they are utterly confused to find us questioning everything around us. In a global society dominated by men, women are often criticised when doing something that was assumed to only be possible by a man.

Every success or power move beyond a man’s comfort level is questioned, every opinion verbalised in an important room is critiqued. And every social step-forward is categorised as a “female revolution of empowerment”, since any progress from zero is applaudable.

We shouldn’t be settling for minor improvements in our system, and we shouldn’t have to answer to every man who interrogates our purpose in the field he generally occupies. We have normalized our whispers as a way of accommodating men, avoiding the offensive titles they have given us.

Since it’s brutally obvious that men don’t have any agenda to flip the conversation, rather than adapting to our gender-exclusive environment, it’s time we counteract their close-minded reality with the truth of what being a woman truly means.

We live in a world paved for men. Although women have made great leaps in upheaving this pavement, we still have a long way to go.

Don’t forget the beauty, and elegance within your mind that makes you a woman. Most importantly, don’t forget to speak your mind unapologetically. No more whispers.

✍️ A piece written by Gavriel Ewart. An American girl studying fashion and communication at Cattolica university in Milan and interning for suite123

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The New Categorising

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A human need, or an empty extremisation?


The new trend of categorising—or the need to assign labels that define where specific groups should fit—is growing rapidly. Terms like genderless, sustainable, recycled, upcycled, and inclusive are some of the most popular labels in fashion today. Yet, while we see these pretty, or not really so, boxes clearly labelled, they often feel too artificial, fake.

Categorising: a marketing byproduct


Why are brands so obsessed with labelling their work? And, in parallel, why do people need these labels? To identify themselves? or to be represented?

Jean-Paul Gaultier created the majority of the fashion topics that are trending now. Yet, during the ’80s and ’90s, there were no labels to claim in the fashion world. It was, instead, a celebration of freedom—both from the designer’s perspective and for those who wore his creations.
Fast forward to 2022, and the obsession with labelling has exploded. Genderless and sustainable are among the most popular, with nearly every brand now claiming to be genderless. Similarly, terms like recycled and upcycled have surged to the forefront. Clearly, it’s a trend.

Coming from a family of seamstresses, disassembling a pair of trousers to make a skirt or transforming a shirt into a blouse was part of our daily routine—essentially, the essence of upcycling and recycling. Moreover, in our boutique, we always offered men’s items to women and women’s items to men, but we never felt the need to categorise them. This, in many ways, embodies the true spirit of genderless fashion, inclusion, and diversity.

Even though about five years ago, we started focusing more on genderless or recycled as valuable concepts, now brands overuse them. Indeed these leabel became so mainstream that they are abused or intentionally misleading, as in the case of sustainability.

We are not happy to be classified. So we wonder, what happened recently? What does the new categorising mean?

We believe that the less meaning we find in brands and their products, the more they rely on labels to make their offerings easier to market.

The supply far exceeds the number of people in the world who can actually purchase these products—the demand. To reach the masses, brands have lowered the bar. And the more they lower the bar, the less value they offer. This is where the need for aggressive marketing and labelling comes into play.

In conclusion, labelling is an attempt to legitimise and promote an otherwise hollow system. Rather than focusing on what truly matters—the substance—they rely on labels to create a facade of value.

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Beyond Our Control?

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Natural threats and human behaviour


Last Wednesday night, a 7.4 magnitude earthquake hit eastern Japan, the same region devastated by a powerful quake 11 years ago.

And so my friend, who lives in Fukushima prefecture, texted me: “the trauma comes back again.”

In 2011, a tsunami up to about 40 meters high arrived at the coast within 30 minutes, destroying entire cities, and damaging nuclear power plants in Fukushima.

It was the most severe earthquake in recorded history. I was only 11 years old, but still, I vividly remember that day.
So last week, the same tragic pictures just crossed my mind.
I was terrified. I was scared of what I was watching on television. And I wish it was just under the scope of human control.

Beyond our control, or within it?


Boyarovskaya released their digital show for Fall/Winter 2022-2023 during the Paris fashion week.

In the end, it says:

“Nature cannot be controlled, but war can.”

Indeed the video was filmed in a town destroyed by a great earthquake.

A natural disaster is a catastrophe, yet we need to live with it. It kills thousands of people indiscriminately. The power of nature is frightening, intimidating, and out of control.

But what about the war?

Fashion as a means of communication to convey a powerful message


The simple words by Boyarovskaya are straightforward enough for the world today. But they leave such a strong message to all of us.

What we are now watching on television is a 100% man-made tragedy. Something we did not want.

With great respect, they chose to include their message in their digital show. It touches us, makes us think, and leads us to actions.

Only 4 minutes. No words spoken, but it tells so much about what we need to do in a very powerful, yet touching way.

Again, “Nature cannot be controlled, but war can.”
This is the word we need to live up with.


#STANDWITHUKRAINE


✍️ A piece written by Kotono Sakai, a Japanese girl studying history and fashion at Cattolica university in Milan and interning for suite123

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