fashion

The decline of luxury

What happened to the fashion industry?

If you want to understand the events that caused the decline of luxury, we suggest you read ‘Deluxe: How luxury lost its luster’ – written by Dana Thomas.

You will discover how fashion from being a family-owned business became a corporate battlefield based on overproduction.
The growth of the new markets – China, Russia, and India. The explosion of counterfeiting goods and labour exploitation.
Then, the rise of fast fashion, internet retailers and the development of a fast-paced globalized system. How luxury products abandoned exclusivity and shifted to the masses. Creating the so-called democratic luxury. Which basically is nonsense. Indeed, it shows how far marketing rhetoric can go, playing with words to manipulate people.

The book is a brilliant analysis of the field, investigating the dynamics that led to an auto-implosion.
Also, it allowed us to relive the last 30 years of fashion. We assisted many of those events – not by accepting them but by moving more and more towards niche designers. Finding a kind of refuge in a tiny universe. A thoughtful research in dissonance with the average fashion consumer.

Though we agree with almost everything, we do not align with the devotion to some brands. We are afraid they have lost their luster too, so far. Except for Hermes and Cadolle.

Indeed, retracing the decline of luxury, it is now extremely difficult to find meaning in fashion Maisons. They seem like smoke and mirrors set up to sell perfumes, make-up and bags. Abundantly offered to masses that have no perception beyond the logo and the illusion of being considered rich.

If you still love fashion, you go beyond that fake facade and search for designers who dared to undertake an independent path, expressing an authentic creative vision. In this panorama, the ability to select the right clothing – from an aesthetic and ethical viewpoint – changes the game.

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The niche choice

When it comes to fashion or lifestyle choices, you have two options: take the most popular brands or search for what’s different. Likewise, you can go on holidays where crowds go or search for your places, out of the beaten path.

Needless to say that we tend to go for the latter. And if you interact with us – in person or through our digital world – you are on the same page. Perhaps, as we did, you have seen everything in fashion, and now you want more.

So we look for what we call niche designers or niche brands.
And it’s not that we don’t like popular brands. Indeed, we could handpick some cool items out of those collections. But, we love to search for something more unique. For a style that is special, and not immediately recognizable. Therefore, more personal.
That style is you.

Key points for our niche choice

What are the keys we use to analyze fashion collections?

Design and style
First, we are attracted by the designer’s viewpoint, what the brand is bringing in. From what we consider a valuable style proposal, we pick out the pieces we like. Which, then, are reviewed from other perspectives to match our quality standards. The construction and fit, how the garment falls. Wearing occasion and materials. The price point.

Timeless aesthetic
We select items that you can wear for a long time. If some pieces recall a fashion trend, it is never too much to make those items seem old the season after. Indeed, our pieces always look fashion-forward.

Seasonless
We tend to select items that you can wear during the whole year long. By layering, you can use them not only during a given season. It avoids fashion cycles and so the ‘buy & toss’ attitude.

Comfortable
Pieces that you can wear on multiple occasions, but you are never out of place.

Of course, a niche selection is not for everyone. But that makes it even more special.

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Fashion & music

Fashion is not only what we wear. Fashion involves the environment around us. Fashion is the music we listen to as well.

Indeed, there is a clear parallel between fashion and music. Both have developed precisely the same pattern.

What kind of music do we listen to nowadays? Which one is popular?
DJs are sampling pieces from the 70s, 80s or 90s, remixing them, then the singer of the moment gives the voice. And, here it is, the modern creative effort.
Usually, this music is popular for a few months. Perhaps none will remember a single track one year later.

Of course, there are always exceptions. Take, for instance, “Walk this way” by Run DMC. Well, as we said, there are exceptions.

What kind of fashion do we see now?

DJs are the new fashion designers. They take designs from the past and apply logos all over, following the above remix pattern.
Design skills are not needed anymore.

Some time ago, a TV show celebrated Fabrizio De André, the great poet-musician. And they interviewed his wife, Dori Ghezzi.
Singers who recently won the Sanremo Festival went on air in a clip, guys dressed up to promote fashion brands more than music but acclaimed as geniuses.
Afterwards, they asked her: “What do you think?”
She replied: “At the time of my husband there was a lot of space, we have experimented a lot, and done a lot. Now maybe these guys don’t have much left. They are scrambling.”

Ads disguised as entertainment – this is how they call it marketing gurus, indeed.

The sampling of things already seen, stealing other people’s ideas that pass for absolute novelties. It is the sign of our times. And in both fields, fashion and music, it is marketing, not art.

But in the end, we do not have to accept it or fit in. We have the freedom to differ, to think differently.

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See the difference

Being able to see the difference is a way of speaking the same language.

Simplicity goes to the essential. And the essential reveals the real quality.
When design lacks, simplicity is reflected poorly.

Take a basic top, with an essential and clean shape.
Can you see the difference with a garment that apparently looks similar?
Touch it. Can you feel the material?
Wear both. Do you get a sense of the fit?
Can you feel the quality?

Those who are aligned and share our values don’t need many explanations. Indeed, they instantly get the message. We speak the same language. Furthermore, it’s a matter of trust. Indeed, we only select what makes sense.

The ones who are curious sometimes need time to get in. At least, they search for more information. And that point of communication opens a door.

Those who don’t see any difference from one item to another don’t have the sensibility to go further. Thus, they do not align with our vision of the world. The language is not the same. In that case, there is no connection.

But there’s no need to connect with everyone. Or to be liked by everyone.

A small aligned audience is enough.

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