fashionindustry

Small parts to preserve the environment

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Are fashion brands really doing enough?

According to some news, top luxury fashion brands and other popular ones do their small parts to preserve the environment. And, following their reasoning, these “small parts” are enough to make a big difference. But is it true?

Fashion industry & climate change

It is proven that human actions have caused climate change. Also, we know that fashion is a big polluting industry which discards tons of waste everywhere. So, we wonder, what are they trying to say with these pieces of news? How do these messages translate into facts? Are they really making a positive impact?

For instance, in the context of brands doing their small part for a lower-impact fashion industry, a newsletter said that Dior launched a pair of recyclable sneakers. So, they say, the brand is doing its part for climate change. But, for a juggernaut, is this single move enough to preserve our planet?

In today’s world, it’s a common concern whether the sustainability efforts made by corporations are genuine or just a form of greenwashing. Some argue that any small step taken towards sustainability can bring about a positive change. But that could probably work decades ago. At this moment, the situation has gotten so much worse that this news seems ridiculous.

In the face of a climate emergency, forget small steps – we need radical change!

Marketing: The realm of greenwashing

In fact, we agree with those who believe such efforts are simply a PR tactic without any significant systemic change. These news are part of fashion marketing plans, which should be labelled as greenwashing.

Corporations or brands of any size set up their marketing plans and release that kind of information, which has no basis. Magazines, fashion journalists or influencers get paid to share the great news. Hey, it’s business in the end! Who cares if it’s misleading?
The point is that most people take that kind of news for granted. So, whoever shares them is complicit in promoting greenwashing.

Now, please tell us, do you think brands make a big difference by doing their small parts to preserve the environment? Do you really believe it?

Comment here below or WhatsApp directly from here!

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Disappointment with the fashion industry

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Out of the crowd & why


Any disappointment with the fashion industry? Can fashion be a source of frustration? For us, it can be. And we would love to hear your viewpoint on this matter.

Fashion mavericks don’t need to wear, read or do what all the others do. We are independent thinkers who are not afraid to challenge the status quo. Fashion, as the research of niche brands and designers, is still the exciting side of our job. Unknown or less popular brands, most of the time, offer creativity and real quality designs like no others. That is what we select for you. Also, we love mixing garments to create unique outfits.

Mainstream fashion

But fashion, as the mainstream industry wants it to be, so as it is right now, isn’t exciting. In most fashion brands, there’s a total lack of elegance and style. No creativity, no good design, just marketing. Do you agree with us? Also, there’s no consistency towards the hypothetical sustainable claims. Fundamentally, there is no understanding of how serious the climate emergency is. In fact, the fashion industry is not open to evolution, which is now necessary and much talked about but ignored. However bad the situation is, it is only going to get worse.

As we see it, fashion is a language. Specifically, it’s a reflection of who we are. Indeed, it is a lens through which we can analyse society. So, looking through this lens, what kind of society do we see? 
If you go walking in big towns, most clothing shops and new openings are fast fashion brands. And if you scroll through social media, fast fashion brands have saturated the market. While on holiday, we’ve been to different places: the most present brands were fast to ultra-fast fashion. 

That is what people want. And the fashion industry makes what people want. It seems there’s no escape. But this trend of lowering the bar and erasing any sense of quality is frustrating.

Unique style for unique people

For people like us who love reading, don’t like advertising, and don’t even much like social media’s doped content, the disappointment with this fashion industry is quite profound. We’d buy nothing rather than take the most popular pointless stuff. 

The fashion industry holds so much power in manipulating people. On the other hand, people can access information in order to educate themselves but don’t do it. They follow influencers because they cannot make independent decisions. 

However, as fashion mavericks, we won’t stop making choices out of the crowd. That means stop trusting the fashion industry and follow our own path, creating unique styles for unique people.

What are your thoughts on fashion? WhatsApp us directly from here or comment below!

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Secondhand and fashion resale

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Circularity or marketing trick?

Driven by the popularity of secondhand, the fashion resale market is growing strongly, not only for luxury brands but mass-market brands, too.

“The explosion of cheap, mass-market brands over the last two decades has meant the secondhand market is now awash with polyester party dresses and synthetic sweaters.” via Business Of Fashion.

As a matter of fact, “I’m searching for a little something” – is still the NR 1 customers’ request. In other words, it means a low-priced, easy-to-purchase, easy-to-get-rid-of piece of clothing. Though we don’t sell that product, we often hear that request. That’s what people want! Sadly, the attractive price for clothes is now a burden we all pay. In fact, clothes end up in landfills, where trillions of “little things” are towering, polluting lands and seas. So, you may wonder, was it really so convenient?

Since our wardrobes are packed with clothing, reselling is a way to clean them out. Of course, donating, too, helps.

Secondhand and fashion resale: pros and cons

From the perspective of circularity, reselling represents a valuable opportunity. First, it prevents clothes from ending up in the garbage bin, giving them a longer life. Second, it makes luxury brands accessible.

But, in the case of fast fashion, there’s a big issue with reselling: mass-market brands use circularity to greenwash. Indeed, the fact that fast-fashion brands push people to resell their clothing is a marketing trick. They do it to sell more fast-fashion items. Reselling fast fashion to purchase more fast fashion is pure madness. Instead of limiting the problem, brands make it bigger by feeding the system.

Secondhand and fashion resale make sense for quality products, as clothing made to last deserves a second life, though brands should control production anyway. But it is dangerous with fast fashion. In fact, we’d better avoid producing new garbage at all, which would be the ultimate solution to fashion waste.

How do you make a positive impact? Don’t buy fast fashion. Buy less, far much less, buy better!

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Fashion & global boiling

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How can the fashion industry adapt to the extreme weather?

Temperatures are peaking, hitting a record around the globe, and as we have entered the global boiling era, the fashion industry needs to rethink its business models.

“Climate change is here, it is terrifying, and it is just the beginning. The era of global warming has ended and the era of global boiling has arrived.” – said the UN Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres.

Scientists confirmed that July has been one of the world’s hottest months. Of course, what is happening is consistent with the predictions, but the change seems to accelerate faster than expected.

Though Guterres calls for immediate action in order to turn the tide, we are not optimistic. Big corporations will not approach degrowth, which would be the only valuable possibility.

For the fashion industry, global boiling means getting ready with a different plan, a leaner way to operate the business. In fact, this new normal makes it difficult to think in terms of foreseeable seasons, as the industry has done so far.

Therefore, fashion brands should rethink how they set up their Spring-Summer collections by presenting patterns, fabrics, and silhouettes designed for a new reality. Most importantly, they need to reconsider how they sell to retailers.

Retailers, on their hand, need to order from brands that allow them to purchase smaller quantities and give them the possibility to reorder. In fact, ordering six months earlier is not really smart since it is impossible to foresee the weather in the long run.

Global boiling: possible solutions for the fashion industry

Pre-order: retailers can show the products to their customers and then pass an order to the brand.
Made-to-order: products made within certain specifications, such as materials, colours, and dimensions, but in a limited range of options.
Customised product: clothes or accessories created for an individual customer, according to their needs and requirements.

Benefits:
All the above models would limit overproduction and fashion waste. Also, they would help improve inventory allocation.
Retailers would sell during the season, limiting frequent markdowns because of overstocking.
Products would keep a higher value throughout the year.

People would purchase fewer garments but better quality.

Something needs to change in the fashion system. The industry must be flexible and adapt to specific seasons and unforeseeable events.

Fashion must consider global boiling, or it will end up boiled.

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Customer criticism

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Niche fashion selection and clients’ expectations

As a fashion boutique, throughout our almost 18 years of independent activity, we’ve been open to feedback and customer criticism. Although we do our work conscientiously, there is always room for improvement.

Since we started this new path trying to bring forward our vision of fashion within the means of our planet, limiting as much as possible our impact, we went straight to the essential. Which means cleaning up a lot and reducing our selection to worthy garments only. In fact, we don’t need more. We need less, much less, but better quality.

So, it became even more important to listen to different viewpoints. Feedbacks and constructive criticism are always welcome.

Customer criticism on a limited selection

But sometimes, criticism revolves around the number of items selected. For instance: “Don’t always show that bag, otherwise people may think you have only a few items.” – said a client commenting on an Instagram post. Of course, it means she expected to see a broader selection.

“That’s right” – we replied. It was an intentional choice. In fact, we aren’t a fashion supermarket. We love hunting niche fashion pieces which are not for all. Most importantly, we think the fashion industry needs to change, and so does the way people consume clothing and not only that. It’s a matter of lifestyle and consumption habits in general. Our planet is melting, and we cannot afford fake marketing claims. We need immediate action.

Niche fashion #formodernhumans

A niche fashion selection might not be for you. But how can we stop promoting overconsumption if we still select endless choices of clothing and accessories? It would be impossible. Though niche fashion is not for everyone, more is not the answer. However, that comment made us understand that not everyone is open to change. As they do not see any problem. And do not even understand good design. So our selection might not be for them.

How do we respond to customer criticism about our precise selection and a limited number of items?

Rather than tons of garbage fashion or tasteless sustainable products, we need real fashion items: a good design and high quality. Made by creative individuals who know what they are doing, not by marketers. That’s it.

Being extremely selective, buying what really makes sense only. In limited quantity. That is what we do.

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