overproduction

NO SALES

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The ultimate sustainable strategy


It’s the second year of our NO SALES resolution. If you come across our activity by chance, you may discover now that we do not participate in sales or promotions anymore.

What is the reason?


The market is hyper-saturated. Full to the brim of disposable clothing. Heavy discounts and obsessive promotions are indicators of a sick system. In fact, they reflect an economy whose basic assumption is overproduction. And compel the unceasing construction of fake needs for blind consumers. In other words, people are manipulated and induced to buy any discounted item.

Therefore, sales are not a sustainable strategy. The selling price should take into account creativity, quality and labour. Which also means fair wages for the production chain. We already discussed the trick of modern-day slavery in our previous posts.

Once we have realised the whole economic system is corrupted, as a consequence, we have reduced the quantity we order. And by refining our selection, we opted for a capsule wardrobe focused only on meaningful items.

This is what:


1 – we no longer need quantity
2 – we choose quality and good design
3 – we select items made to last

NO SALES

Quantity is not the answer, so we invite you to buy less.
Indeed, we suggest you buy intentionally and choose only thoughtful products.

We are here to make something different. To change for the better. And educate ourselves for slower consumption.
If the status quo is what you still want to promote, just look around. It surrounds you everywhere. You don’t need us.
But if you have lost that frenzy and search for value instead, we are here for you.

NO SALES


It’s the ultimate sustainable economic model for a long-term approach. That supports creativity, quality, and fair wages.

No sales mean less stuff, more meaning. It’s a radical and conscious lifestyle choice #formodernhumans

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The Wind of Instachange

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Navigating fashion’s social media revolution


The fashion system needs to change. In fact, social media accounts release various content on this topic, amplifying the conversation. New developments emerge, and the news has to be shared with everyone. Perhaps because they believe we haven’t heard this story yet.

The discussion about resetting the fashion industry started during the pandemic, although the system was in bad health a long time before. And the reason why it came out is not that it made sense to shift the approach by reinventing a stale system but because companies lost large amounts of money.
Indeed, money is the engine that drives the world. And apparently, finances are the only force capable of provoking any real shift. Many of those who operate in the system completely ignore the problems. Better avoid the risk of any further loss of capital.

Fashion system and change
Image via Ode to things Tumblr


However, the debate still goes on. Those who are aware of the multiple issues talk profusely and release interviews, podcasts. Top brands like to talk about change, but unfortunately, it is not tangible yet. Not even a hint of change.
Only a few smaller brands follow a different direction.

Real change or Instachange?


So we wonder if all the talks are just catchy content for social media, food for the so-called experts in the field who can show how cool they are by interviewing this or that designer. Yet, we fear that the entire debate will end up like COP26: nothing accomplished.

It is helpful to repeat concepts more than once because we tend to forget words quickly. And so listening again might help us keep the focus. But in the end, we must find solutions. If the fashion system needs to change, actions must follow the words. Otherwise, we’ll have beautiful Instagram graphics showcasing the wind of ‘Instachange,’ but no real progress will be made. So, we won’t solve any issue.

By the way, overproduction is the biggest concern in the fashion field. Any news about if and how are they going to solve it?

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The Decline Of Luxury

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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’ – a book 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 globalised 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 of a system. Also, it allowed us to relive the last 30 years of fashion. We assisted many of those events – not by accepting them but by shifting 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 in Dana Thomas’ book, 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, looking back at the decline of luxury, it has become increasingly 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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Waste, And Why We Waste

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Understanding the impact of overconsumption and the quest for sustainability


“Waste isn’t waste until we waste it.”

Will I Am


This quote deeply resonates with us, not only because of the heightened awareness recent events have brought. But also because we have always been committed to reducing waste as much as possible.
Writing on the backside of printed sheets, avoiding plastic coffee cups, refilling our water bottles, and limiting the quantity of paper used for packaging are just a few of the steps we’ve taken to minimize the waste we produce. Perhaps now, we approach this issue with even more urgency, as the environmental damage we’ve caused is becoming increasingly visible.

The waste culture


But, digging deeper, where does our wastefulness come from? When did we start wasting so much?

Waste is the ignorant byproduct of an over-consumerist society. From the 1950s, little by little, overconsumption has been promoted as an ideal lifestyle, infiltrating our habits and shaping our culture—while completely disregarding the consequences. “Consume like there’s no tomorrow” is the motto. And, if we go on like this, there will be no tomorrow!

The fact that masses can be easily manipulated is quite scary. The fact that offered a sense of comfort, we avoid thinking altogether, is even more troubling.

By the way, along our journey, we’ve come to acknowledge our mistakes. With open eyes, we are committed to changing for the better.

Whether fashion waste or any other kind, consciousness manifets on many levels and layers.
First and foremost, stop wasting food! Then, whenever you grow tired of something, explore other options before throwing it away.

Even in the case of fashion, please don’t throw away clothes you don’t want anymore.


There are ways to reduce fashion waste:

. choose quality, it lasts longer.
. wash in lower temperatures, so clothes will not get damaged.
. repair when possible.
. donate to charity.
. some shops collect items to recycle.
. resell if you want, there are many resell platforms.

We have options available, so how much waste is up to us.

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Who Has A Voice

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Exploring power dynamics in the fashion industry and the role of sustainability advocates


Who has a voice in the fashion industry? And who do you think has a say on sustainable matters in fashion?
One of the many problems with sustainable fashion is that those who have a voice in discussing the topic are exactly the same ones who created the toxic environment. Same faces, same brands, and same interests. That is the trick, unfortunately.

The dynamics behind those who have a voice


Brands’ owners set up a system based on massive overproduction, to be disposed of through inflated budgets to retailers. Off-price malls packed with discounted items. Plus, there was a parallel market to reach those retailers who wanted to buy certain brands but could not officially do so. As a result, all the maisons realised they could increase the budget to retailers, knowing that retailers, in turn, would resell through a parallel network, feeding that toxic system.
All the operators knew how it worked, but since they were making a lot of money, it was fine. No complaints! As it was acceptable to do the worst things in the name of god-money. Now that the industry collapsed, they’ve started questioning it.

So, the industry operated through mono brand retail, department stores, parallel market, off-price stores–creating an over-saturated market. But how many fashion items those enlightened CEOs and managers did believe people could buy? Is the fact that they are no longer making money as they did enough for us believe in their redemption? We could invite Hannibal Lecter to the table, but perhaps, serving only vegetables will not be enough to change his tastes in food.

Who has a voice and influence on the sustainability discussion are exactly those who created the problem.

Ultimately, if we believe we can search for the value of sustainability among the same old faces, listening to their voice, we are wrong.

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