changefashionsystem

Tom Ford & the change

The fashion business in a post-pandemic world

Even if it is not easy to plan the best strategy, the need to change is in the air. Strong and palpable. Brands pretend to care but avoid the matter. But since the pandemic hit, nothing has changed. Only a few involved in the discussion are concerned for real.

Now, the news is that Tom Ford will step down as chairman of the CDFA on May 31st.

We quote him:

“When I began my role as chairman in June of 2019, my goal was to help the American fashion industry become more globally recognised for its talent and importance. I could not have imagined the extraordinary circumstances that both the industry and the world would have to navigate — that a pandemic would shut the world down and change the course of our lives and of our businesses forever.”

“The pandemic challenged all of us to think about our businesses in new ways—from the design process and production, to how we reach and speak to our customers.”

Tom Ford

The need to change

Since the beginning of our blog, we have talked profusely about change and shifting behaviours in our lifestyle. Therefore, finding new business models. And we highlighted how the pandemic was the catalyst which opened our eyes and led us to a new perspective. So, we find it interesting to listen to Tom Ford and recall his evolution. From the moment he revived Gucci with his minimal, bold, and ultra sexy style saving the brand from bankruptcy in the 90s. To how he revamped Yves Saint Laurent and the launch of his namesake brand in 2005.

Many years have passed, and now things are different, so what was right in the 90s does not work anymore.

The need to change is evident. And finding new ways to pursue the fashion business is something we cannot ignore anymore.

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The pebble in the pond

Starting the ripple effect

Shifting the route towards a new path is complicated and exciting at the same time.

It’s complicated because starting something different makes people stare at you as if you are mad. It’s an experience we had in our first boutique, too. New ideas or independent viewpoints are not well accepted right away. Many do not understand the reasons or, even if they do, they don’t consider going out of their comfort zone. Yes, even for clothing.
Also, you place the seeds, but it takes time for them to grow. Instead, people want things they already are familiar with.

It’s exciting because starting something new gives that extra vibe, a mix of the joy of possibility in navigating the unknown and the risk of failure. Of course, the more you do something new, the higher the risk of failing.

Given that, when the system doesn’t suit you anymore, you either accept it as it is, contributing to the exploiting game. Or try to change it, committing to something better.

The ripple effect, suite123 favicon
The ripple effect

By offering a worthwhile selection built around deep meaning, we’ve changed our way of operating in the fashion business.

Less – much less. Good design and quality only – the essential. No overconsumption. That’s why we offer a capsule selection made of meaningful garments.

We aren’t here for convenience. We are here for worth.

Fashion is what we do. We like it to the point that we do not sell clothing we wouldn’t wear. Or products we do not believe in.
Besides, we feel compelled to change because it’s time to do it.

Perhaps, our alternative approach will not change the world. But we can change our habits first, then those who interact with us.

Starting the new flow is possible. We’ve thrown the pebble in the pond, and hopefully, the ripples will follow.

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Redefine the lexicon

How can fashion evolve if the lexicon is always the same?
Pre-collections. Still? For real? Selling campaigns, seasons, gender categories, budgets, and, above all, discounts and sales. Real or fake, who cares.
The only intention is to push people to buy whatever product, keeping the business exactly as it was before the pandemic.

Can’t you see how all that is disconnected from the new reality?
All those words lost their meaning because we are in a different place now, an unknown territory, where those concepts do not apply anymore.

We expected something more. We envisioned brave designers or brands coming up with new ideas, guiding us to innovate an outdated system. But other than a lot of greenwashing, nothing has happened. Or worse, everyone’s hoping to go back to normal. Completely forgetting that normal was the problem.

So we take an active posture. We decide what is good and what is not for us and our audience. We don’t believe in a supermarket model. Preserving the value of creativity, we want to decide the quantities and quality we need to buy, based on the real needs of our community, not only to grow large companies’ pockets.
We must understand that good design and quality do not have an expiry date. We do not believe anymore in discounts as a drive to boost sales.
Sales are just another element of the status quo, a short term illusion of joy.

We believe in conscious buying, so we are educating ourselves and our community to buy less but better.

Redefining the lexicon is the first step and expression of a change in the fashion system.

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