fashion industry

The Price of Quality

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The true value behind timeless craftsmanship and thoughtful pricing


The price of quality is an indicator that has fundamentally lost its sense. Quality is an asset that every brand wants to sell, but no one really understands its true meaning. There is a conflict between the marketed or perceived quality and its effective worth.

At the Uffizi in Florence, during a preview of Confindustria’s Future for Fashion, Maria Grazia Chiuri, Dior designer, said:

“Democratic luxury does not exist.”

“In Italy, we have to get the idea of democratic fashion out of our heads. If a garment is well made, why does it have to be democratic? Quality at a low price does not exist. If the price is low, it is because behind it, there is someone who has not been paid well.”

We agree with this statement – democratic luxury is nonsense. In fact, a product made respecting specific quality standards comes with a price. But what luxury brands call quality is questionable, and it’s not what it was in the past.

Quality & luxury brands


Undoubtedly, much of the confusion stems from various factors. Over time, the average quality of high-end products has significantly decreased. Driven by greed, luxury conglomerates shifted production to lower-cost sites, abandoning exclusivity in favor of the mass market. Quality has become inversely proportional to corporate greed.
In order to be able to have a attractive wholesale price while keeping profit safe, the quality of materials and craftsmanship are the first to be compromised.

In the second place, economic and cultural changes have induced consumers to believe that a cheap price tag corresponds to quality items and well-paid labourers. While the need for affordable clothes is understandable, it is obvious that low prices don’t correspond to quality materials and fair living wages.

Luxury brands contributed to devaluing the fashion system with poor productions, obsessive mass distributions and a wild discounting policy. Yet, they still want to be part of an Olympus disconnected from the masses.

Olympus is not democratic. So, to be credible again, luxury brands have to reverse the route, reducing the large quantities they produce. And stop heavy discounting.

This is a logical necessity for the return of true luxury.
Will it happen for real?

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Beauty, Business & Role Models

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What we aspire to and who profits from It


It is interesting to analyse beauty, business and how they forge modern mainstream role models – so they say.

Business and beauty standards are intertwined. Indeed, it takes deep reflection in order to have a better understanding of this connection and the role models it produces.

Recently ‘The Wall Street Journal Magazine’ praised Kim Kardashian as a beauty and business role model. Maybe indirectly as a beauty icon, but that was the message they sent. Though it caught our attention, it wasn’t without a certain bitterness.

Sure, it’s good to read different perspectives. But is it for real? Not a joke?

Modern role models or business?


Well, we assume that paid advertising might be the motivation behind those compliments. Otherwise, we do not see any other reason for choosing a figure like that as a role model, a powerful example of a businesswoman.

We don’t want to talk about why or how she became famous. That universe is not part of our vision, and we prefer to direct our energy towards something more interesting. However, what we find disturbing is that she, and the whole family, have lost any trace of human identity because of plastic surgery abuse.

We wonder, is that a role model we should admire? Should we want to be like them?

But let’s imagine the younger generations, what we are telling them. ‘Hey, if you want to be accepted, have a good career, and become popular that’s the way to do it!’

Most importantly, it is depressing that magazines cannot find any better role models for women.

It’s not clear whether we lack healthy role models or if we are intentionally pushing that particular one forward.

No, we don’t believe positive role models are lacking. Many in the media simply choose not to see them. The connection between beauty, business, and role models is clear: it’s certainly more convenient to stick with the plastic doll.

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From Quantity to Quality

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What will it take to spark the shift?


When will the paradigm shift from quantity to quality? Or, the question should be, what else do we need to see in order to make this change happen?

People don’t consider shifting towards a conscious lifestyle because they are too ingrained in their old habits. But perhaps, those who are in this position will be forced to readapt somehow quite soon.

Why?
Difficulties in finding raw materials and supply chain shortages are now a reality. Indeed, one of the side effects of the pandemic was the sharp rise in raw material prices. Consequently, final product prices are getting much higher. It is already happening in the construction field, energy, gas. And it’s impacting fashion, too.

Therefore, caring more about what and how we consume will be a necessity.

Pointing feet - inspiring from quantity to quality attitude


Low-impact lifestyle: quality, not quantity


What can we do?
Each of us has an impact on the environment. Even if corporate giants arm-in-arm with marketing have shaped the world for us, they can’t make it without our active participation. And the role we play is revealed precisely by how and what we consume.

Since we do not like to wait for change to happen, we choose with our minds what kind of world we want to live in, so we act. Also, we hold ourselves accountable for the choices we make.

Why buy less but better quality?
It is a long-term strategy. You will buy garments that last. Things you will wear for a lifetime, not items to discard after a couple of washings. Same for any other item we use in our everyday life.

This radical shift of perspective from quantity to quality is about educating ourselves to find pleasure in how things are made, not in the simple act of buying. Finally, this alternative lifestyle will reduce our impact on the planet.

So, make it a conscious choice now rather than a forced decision when it’s too late.

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B-Corp and Fashion

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From overproduction to B-Corp: are brands missing the point of meaningful work?


Ove the past few days, it has emerged that Chloé became a B-Corp. Of course, people welcomed the news with applause. Maybe there were just a few perplexed comments on social media.

Now they are a Benefit Corporation: B-Corp. What does it mean?
Beyond their for-profit business, they want to maximise their positive impact on society and the environment.

What’s the point of becoming a B-Corp in fashion?
The Chloé’s collection shown in Paris was far away from the past magic. Indeed, all the luxury beauty outlined by the former designer, Natacha Ramsey-Levy, was gone.

The new guidance follows a more American way of working that embeds marketing at the brand’s core. We saw a collection peppered with the latest marketing trends – diversity, eco-friendly and ethical themes. And not that those values are wrong, indeed we share them entirely. But we question the fact that they sound like pure marketing.

Anyhow, it will be nice to witness how they’ll manage the actual overproduction model with an eventual lower production level. And see what happens with prices too.

The purpose of a fashion brand


What seems clear is that brands go from overproduction to the B-Corp losing sight of the real point of the work. What makes it a worthy effort.

The scope of an evolved fashion brand is to make beautiful collections, keeping in mind that the only way to obtain this goal is by respecting people involved in the production chains and the planet. Hence, paying proper wages and reducing pollution as much as possible.

Beautiful collections are the expression of good design and meaningful creative ideas. Therefore, the moment we make a respectful work representing a positive vision, all this beauty of thought must translate into outstanding products.

If the style is bland, meaning is lost. Even though the intentions are noble, assuming they are not only marketing tools, in the Chloé fashion show, there is no substance.

To be purpose-oriented is fine, but please don’t forget you are making fashion.
Keep beauty alive–don’t kill the dream.

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Decoding the Sexy Trend

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Empowerment or outdated cliché?


From New York to Milano and Paris runways, the sexy trend was one of the most prominent themes for next Spring/Summer 22.

Cut-out tops and pants, catsuits, ultra-mini skirts, mid-riff – covering the body just enough and leaving little to the imagination. If still there’s something to imagine, considering the quality of images shared on social media. In that context, the appreciation of freedom stops at the possibility of showing themselves naked.

Ironically, we first wondered if designers knew that, during the pandemic, people put on weight. But don’t feel sad, if you want to wear your catsuit you have about four months to get in perfect shape!

However, keeping irony aside, let’s analyse the meaning of the style proposal that came out as the designers’ favourite.

Fashion journalists reported this trend as an expression of joy, a celebration for a much-awaited return to social life. After more than a year in lockdown, people mainly wore jumpsuits or pyjamas. Now they are eager to enjoy dinners and parties. So the night out mood is on.

SS22: the sexy trend and its meaning


Although we understand the desire for sociality, we believe the sexy trend hides a much different motivation. The way a designer can portray evening style doesn’t necessarily imply promoting a hooker outfit.

We disagree with this pre-packed story. And so, we try to see it from a different socio-cultural-economic perspective.

We read the sexy trend as the trite vision of a woman dressed up to have a hold on a man. Does it sound new to you? To us, it seems so status quo.

It is old as the story of the universe. And, what’s more? It sells! Indeed marketers use sex to sell anything and everything. Furthermore, at this specific moment, the urgent need is to make money to cover the economic losses caused by the pandemic. Money, easy and fast.

So, here you are, served with the sexy doll. The same old perpetuated stereotype as the most accessible short-term benefit.

What a breath of fresh air – we might say!

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