The state of fashion & the couture revamp

Top brands are rediscovering and relaunching their couture collections. And eliminating the diffusion lines, as Valentino did with Red Valentino, for instance.

The couture orientation could be a re-emerged desire for well-done items among tons of junk clothing. A strategy to clean up a collapsed market, focusing on their original identities. Or the research for a more sustainable model. Both possibilities are worthy.

In fashion, we should do like the music bands: can we imagine Queen without Freddy Mercury? or Nirvana without Kurt Cobain?
For instance, why should Margiela make sense designed by someone who has his opposite vision? Although John Galliano is one of the greatest couturiers, Margiela is not Margiela anymore.
What about Balenciaga? or Gucci? Brands lost their identity, and now it’s game over.

Couture and heritage

In todays’ panorama, we believe historical Maisons should repurpose archival pieces in a modern version to keep alive the designer’s heritage. And no, we are not referring to the so-called “modernity” of the recently relaunched Balenciaga couture line. Was the pigeon toe an example of modernity? We don’t think so.

As conceived nowadays, couture and brands in general, when the designer of the Maison is dead or has left, lose their meaning.
Although there is a vague inspiration coming from the archives, we see very little respect for the creativity and work of the original designer. Instead, a certain arrogance of the newcomers prevails, aiming to show their own vision while disfiguring the original. There are very few exceptions.
So conceived, fashion is simply a way to make money out of the brand name legacy, in addition to an ego game. All the magic is gone.

Since overproduction is killing our planet, couture and demi-couture collections offer a more controlled and limited production model. The higher quality wouldn’t hurt either.

The return of the “atelier” with a unique selection of worthy pieces and custom-made items is the opposite of the mass distribution model we saw flourishing till now. They would offer value and sustainability.

And maybe we’d see the rebirth of fashion.

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Selection vs quantity

Carefully picking out the most suitable items vs quantity is an interesting point. Talking about selection when people are used to a supermarket thinking mode, indeed, is not an easy task.

A while ago, a lady who used to come to our boutique asked to try on an item. When we said her size was sold-out, she replied:
“My size is sold out because you ordered only a few pieces.”

Also, she said it with an ironic grin on her lips, as she intended to belittle our work.

Accidentally and unbeknownst to her, she had hit the point: selecting a few pieces is not a demerit. On the contrary, we firmly believe it is a plus! It grants you uniqueness, which is far better than being the clone of many other people.

In fact, we do it on purpose. To order a few pieces by choosing those of value, the special ones, is an intentional attitude.
We are at the opposite of the fast-fashion concept. Disposable goods have never been for us. Besides, fashion understood as a supermarket makes us shudder.

A selection #formodernhumans

Years ago, we were already on this path, and this direction is even more explicit now due to the recent events. Going for an evolved style – and lifestyle – means that we don’t need too many things, only the ones that make the difference.

We help you create your unique, distinctive individual style. We do it operating with respect for people and the planet. It’s a vision for a better world. It is not about quantity. Of course, it is not.

We cannot please everyone, and we do not appeal to a mass audience. But we can please people like us, a niche of like-minded individuals who share the same values.

It’s a selection for modern humans.

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The cultural element

This is when you go to an event dedicated to sustainability, and one of the first things you hear is a journalist stating that we cannot consume less!

“During the pandemic, we saw what happened, everything stopped. It’s clear that we cannot consume less.”

We looked at each other perplexed: “Are we in the right place?”
If this is the viewpoint of someone invited as a speaker to discuss sustainability, imagine the thoughts of the average consumer.

We could not engage with those people over there, but we take the opportunity to explain our thoughts here.
In fact, we do believe the opposite is quite evident.

Consuming less is one of the most effective ways to save our planet.

Sustainability, consumption and capitalism

It is necessary to find a new economic model to replace capitalism, which has been revealed to be outdated and unsuccessful. Exponential growth is absolutely inconceivable and even harmful now.

Although a new economic model is a fundamental step, we cannot wait, arms crossed, for something to happen.
Sooner or later, the gods of economics and politics will come out with a brilliant idea, a valid substitute. At least, we hope they will.

But in the meantime, maintaining a sustainable level of consumption is crucial. To become aware of what we consume and how we consume must be at the core of our actions.

When it comes to changing the way we live, eat, travel, or shop, culture plays a central role.

Culture comes through education. In the past, we had the excuse that sources, books, and information weren’t accessible. Now we can find whatever we need.

Knowing more about environmental issues and climate change. Discovering more about ethical work and production modes. Understanding materials, craftsmanship, quality.

Educating ourselves to become conscious consumers is what we can actively do to enhance our lifestyle and change for the better.

It’s about improving our well-being rather than accumulating things and money with the outcome of waste and exploitation.

Learning more is free, and often it just takes a click!

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Que fantastica esta fiesta

It was impossible for us not to dedicate a post to the one and only Raffaella Carrà. She was the heart of our nights out with the rhythm of her happy songs! Our beloved icon suddenly left us on 5 July.

Women owe her a lot. Her humble, empathetic and cheerful personality offered a positive role model inspiring absolute freedom and acceptance. Maybe, for this reason, she became a gay icon too.

Besides, her ironic but never vulgar temper contributed a lot to educate our society, influencing our culture more than any law or government. She taught us her values such as kindness, inclusivity, openness, and always working persistently.

A great artist, icon and positive role model

These are some of her quotes:

“To me, the world is not made of gay and straight but of creatures.”

“I am in favor of stepchild adoption, I too grew up with two women.”

“I grew up without a father. He was wealthy but too playboy, and my mother divorced in 1945. I never wanted to get married, and it always pissed me off not being able to adopt children without the obligation of this ring.”

Furthermore, she was the first to unveil her belly button in 1969 on the tv screen, wearing a crop top on bell-bottoms. Her innate elegance allowed her to send messages about female agency with her sex-positive songs.
And perhaps that was the point: her elegance. She was never gross whatever she did, whatever she wore.

Also, this is relevant to the recent controversy about some female Italian singers. They state that they were criticized for their clothing, while men, instead, are free to wear whatever they want.
If this can be true, and in fact, it often is, we have to say that those female singers don’t have even a micro tiny trace of the elegance she naturally possessed.

Elegance, this is what they forget. It allows you to express yourself freely in what you wear, sing or say. Elegance is the key, lost in our times.

Thank you, beautiful soul, for the joy you gifted us.
Rest in peace, Raffaella.

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Sale season!

The status quo never dies

We entered the sale season and the entire industry, including the sustainability supporters, jumped into hard-discounting mode.

While it’s understandable that Covid impacted the market by leaving high inventories, it seems clear that the status quo wins.
The push to leave things as they are, keeping up with the usual producing and selling patterns, is stronger than the will to change.

The interests of the industry operators act intentionally to maintain the status quo. And the game is notorious: massive overproduction that corresponds to an omnipresent, gigantic distribution.

In order to sustain this system, mark-ups have gotten higher and higher.

Even those who launched “Rewiring fashion” did it following an outdated pattern, simply postponing delivery dates or sale seasons.
Is that the solution? Really?

Perhaps this means that nothing has to change.
Covid was not a lesson to learn but just an obstacle along the path. Rather than learning the lesson and changing strategy, they would prefer to sell all the stocked goods to any alien species. And maybe exploit a whole galaxy too.

Producing goods for the sale season

Producing goods to be sold during the sale season is the blind strategy of a sick market. A short-term solution that passes all the costs on to workers – by creating new slaves – and exploiting the planet.

If sustainability includes ethical work, giving a proper wage to those who make our clothes, then the sales aren’t sustainable.

Prices are often inflated to start with in order to accommodate the expected sales. No sales – means more realistic prices during the season, and therefore more affordable items.

We aim to see operators in the fashion field getting in touch to find new strategies to avoid sales. Connecting and collaborating in order to give value to the products, setting up a viable long-term strategy.

Furthermore, if they all talk about sustainability, they should also make it happen.

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