niche fashion

Where Is Fashion Heading?

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A lack of vision, provocations, and big logos


To understand where fashion is heading, we should ask if the industry can change and evolve from its current state of confusion.

Some say fashion is back. Perhaps, those who say that refer to the possibility of showing new collections physically. Or, to the opportunity of wearing more elaborate outfits for special occasions and parties, which eventually restarted after covid.

Between provocations and big logos


But, among provocations and logoed items, finding new concepts is very difficult. Indeed, the range spans from Balenciaga’s garbage bag to logos exposed everywhere. In other words, mass products–that’s all. And if you want valuable garments because you don’t recognise yourself in that imagery, you have to dig a lot to find rarities.

Since fashion is an industry like any other, it tends to favour big companies, meaning those who can invest money are the ones who trend.

where is fashion heading


Keeping an eye on international designers searching for niche garments, we do not see any real change. Brands struggle to adapt to the new post-pandemic reality, yet no new proposals are being released. Neither do they consider that if reality has changed, what they have done so far will not work anymore?

Fashion industry vs change


Nevertheless, the industry players insist on the old patterns. So, they all follow the same old rules, distribution scheme and dates–and the same production models. Also, the same discount policies! In short, whatever caused the fashion system’s implosion long before the pandemic.

A lack of vision is palpable, paired with the need to fit into a system even if that system doesn’t work. As a result, nothing new can emerge—neither in design, manufacturing nor sales strategies.

A lot of talks about sustainability, which you can translate into greenwashing. In the end, change stops at the conversations. Conversations about change, of course!

Change means dismantling, restarting, and experimenting. It takes courage and a lot of creativity. Most importantly, there’s no guarantee of success. So, where fashion is heading?

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A Circle Out Of The Mainstream

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Breaking the mold: words to inspire change


With words, we aim to foster a culture for a circle out of the mainstream. Our style may not reach the masses, but it isn’t meant to, it’s not for them. They prefer just pictures.

In our posts, we touch on several topics we like to discuss with our community, not necessarily related to fashion, hoping to provide a thought-provoking perspective. Also, we offer descriptions of the design, the quality, materials and colours of the garments we select. Those detailed notes represent a way to celebrate the brands’ creativity and the uniqueness of those pieces, things you don’t find everywhere.

Though we try to give detailed descriptions, one thing is difficult to provide via the web: the touch of the fabrics, as the feel on your skin. Which, for us, has become a real fixation. Indeed, those who had the chance to buy our selections over time are familiar with our obsession with materials. So, when we say “it feels good on your skin”, they know what it means. But, in the case of those in touch with us, it’s a matter of trust, which we build on actual conversations and needs time to grow.

For people who happen to read our blog posts or maybe find us on Instagram, that place where everything is possible, perhaps it’s not easy to perceive the quality. Impossible to feel the hand of the fabrics.

However, searching for specific standards for clothing and lifestyle choices means coming from a certain mindset. You don’t take everything, but you are selective. And you are part of that tiny niche that doesn’t want to be the photocopy of others.

And so, this is for you–suite123 Milano is not a place for ordinary choices. The world is full of that! You don’t need our expertise and research to get mass products.

Through words, we want to promote an alternative culture, a circle out of the mainstream. And we research meaningful garments in limited quantities as a way to express it.

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The Slow Mode

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Welcoming the Spring/Summer 22 season


A choice of value
We take it slow, slow mode, moving at our own pace, with no rush to dive into the new Spring/ Summer season. Happy to finally touch with our hands what we ordered months ago digitally or in physical showrooms. Thrilled to show you the mix we’ve put together for you–which we hope you will enjoy. But we do not hurry; that sense of urgency is no longer part of the evolved dimension we’ve embraced.

A conscious approach is rooted in thoughtful actions, not in rushing. And this is a time in which pondering our actions–please, translate it also into thinking carefully about what we purchase–is at the base of everything.

Slow fashion: taking the time it deserves


Quality takes time
Bringing back the value of waiting is fundamental in order to regain standards of quality, and give a proper perspective. Fast is cheap, but there’s no quality nor value in that, just exploitation of human and natural resources. So we want to go back to the ‘tempo giusto.’ The proper time, what quality needs.

the slow mode - welcoming Spring/ Summer 22 season


The global industry is still ingrained in the status quo, not willing to change because by offering cheap products, they are sure they’ll sell them regardless of the side effects. Well, we don’t want to be part of that system.

During days of total uncertainty caused by the pandemic, we’ve been searching for consistency, good design, and quality. This is what we thought it made sense to offer.

Our fashion? The slow mode. We embrace slow fashion by adapting it to our evolving needs. If brands run fast, we do not. We bring in our visions and values instead. And we believe that suggesting you buy less, much less but better quality pieces is an effective way to reduce our impact on the planet.

So we don’t go where the wind goes, we go where value resides.

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Researching The New

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Fashion research for a niche audience


Researching the new, exploring alternative concepts in fashion design has always been our passion, a kind of innate attitude or a real fixation.

Fashion design: niche vs mass market


In terms of fashion design, what is considered new by a niche audience is not what is new for the masses. New means something original, singular. Something unusual. Probably or at least possibly, never seen before.

For a niche audience, new refers to what designers, or at least the really creative ones, pioneered first, expressing their vision and sense of style in a way no one has done before.
For the masses, new means what brands have taken from the few creatives, repurposing it under their name.
We can’t count the times some agents proposed to us collections we already had the season before in our boutique, just with a different label. It you are part of the niche, that reheated soup is not for you. You respect the original ideas, you need creativity because you understand its value.
Unless some brands are filtering existing concepts in a new, creative way – but that doesn’t happen frequently. Copy & paste is the easy way out.

Researching the new in fashion


The concept of new in the fashion industry doesn’t exist anymore. It was pretty clear before the pandemic, it’s both frustrating and discouraging now that we are in the middle of it.

Some brands that were modern 30 years ago are still the ones we would wear now. Perhaps they already did anything and everything. So many others seem just part of an old era, outdated, they lost meaning.

While we see collections without identity, lacking idiosyncrasy, still copying & pasting from others. Grasping the occasion to reset and restart with new ideas would be a smart move.

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