sustainable fashion

The Cultural Element

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Sustainability and the contradictions of contemporary culture


This is when you go to an event dedicated to sustainability, and one of the first things you hear is a journalist stating that we cannot consume less!

“During the pandemic, we saw what happened–everything came to a halt. It’s clear that we cannot consume less.”

We looked at each other perplexed: “Are we in the right place?” If this is the viewpoint of someone invited as a speaker to discuss sustainability, imagine the mindset of the average consumer.

We could not engage with those people over there, but we take the opportunity to explain our thoughts here. In fact, we do believe the opposite, it’s quite evident.

Consuming less is one of the most effective ways to save our planet.

Consumption and capitalism


It is necessary to find a new economic model to replace capitalism, which has been revealed to be outdated and unsuccessful. Exponential growth is absolutely inconceivable and even harmful now.

Although a new economic model is a fundamental step, we cannot wait, arms crossed, for something to happen. Sooner or later, the gods of economics and politics will come up with a brilliant idea, a valid substitute. At least, we hope they do.

But in the meantime, maintaining a sustainable level of consumption is crucial. Becoming aware of what we consume and how we consume must be at the core of our actions.

When it comes to changing the way we live, eat, travel, or shop, culture plays a central role.

Culture comes through education. In the past, we had the excuse that sources, books, and information weren’t accessible. Now we can find whatever we need.

Knowing more about environmental issues and climate change. Discovering more about ethical work and production modes. Understanding materials, craftsmanship, quality.

Educating ourselves to become conscious consumers is what we can actively do to enhance our lifestyle and change for the better.

It’s about improving our well-being rather than accumulating things and money with the outcome of waste and exploitation.

Learning more is free, and often it just takes a click!

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Sale Season! The Status Quo Never Dies

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Why we keep buying into it


We’ve entered the sale season and the entire industry–sustainability advocates included, has jumped into hard-discounting mode.

While it’s understandable that Covid impacted the market, leaving high inventories, it seems clear that the status quo wins.
The push to leave things as they are, sticking to the usual patterns of production and sales, is stronger than the will to change.

The interests of the industry players are intentionally focused on maintaining the status quo. And the game is well-known: massive overproduction that corresponds to an omnipresent, gigantic distribution.

In order to sustain this system, mark-ups have gotten higher and higher.

Even those who launched “Rewiring fashion” did it following an outdated pattern, simply postponing delivery dates or sale seasons. Is that the solution? Really?

Perhaps this means that nothing has to change. Covid was not a lesson to learn but just an obstacle along the path. Rather than learning the lesson and changing strategy, they would prefer to sell all the stocked goods to any alien species. And maybe exploit a whole galaxy too.

Producing goods for the sale season


Producing goods to be sold during the sale season is the blind strategy of a sick market system. A short-term solution that offloads all the costs onto workers–creating new slaves–and exploiting the planet.

If sustainability includes ethical work–giving a proper wage to those who make our clothes, then sales, as they are, are not sustainable.

Prices are often inflated from the start to account for expected sale seasons. No sales means more realistic prices throughout the season, and therefore, more affordable items.

We hope to see industry players in the fashion field coming together  to find new strategies to avoid sales. By connecting and collaborating, they can add value to products and establish a viable, long-term strategy.

Furthermore, if they all claim to support sustainability, they should also take action to make it a reality.

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Timeless: A Mindful Buying Approach

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Why it’s crucial and why now


Timeless is a concept that has become quite popular in fashion nowadays. Why? And most of all, why now? Let’s dig deeper into this.

Timeless fashion – just as timeless design in general – refers to classic pieces: items conceived and made to last. But it also includes those pieces that feature such an innovative design that even after many years, they are still ahead of their time, always relevant. Evergreen, indeed. Those pieces end up being copied by other brands who feed themselves on the creativity of more advanced designers. And, if your eyes are a little bit trained, you can see where the inspiration of these items comes from.

Timeless fashion: the only worth investment


Timeless fashion is the only worthy investment. But why has it suddenly gained popularity? Why now?
Now that the system has collapsed, the fashion industry seeks new ways to survive. Timeless is a good strategy because it gives worth back to clothing and its production system. Also, it opens us up to a more thoughtful way of consumption.

Timeless tells you to buy less but better. It is the opposite of disposable clothing, and the opposite of fast fashion.

However, from the very beginning of suite123, about fifteen years ago, we promoted a vision of style that went beyond the rapid consumption of fast fashion. We primarly selected clothes with a distinct stylistic essence—never banal—featuring good design and crafted from beautiful materials. In fact, that is the essence of timelessness: items you can wear forever.

Now we are even more concentrated on this approach. Given the situation we are in, we firmly believe it is a mindful and appropriate choice.

The investment is higher, but it’s the only way to have clothes that last for a long time. A very long time, if you treat them carefully. Timeless fashion is one of the steps we need to take to reduce our impact on the planet.

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The Expiry Date: Fashion Or Mortadella?

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How communication strategies are undermining the fashion industry


Fashion communication – verbal, written and visual – has contributed to undermining the industry. In a world where fast fashion has become synonym of luxury and other similar absurdities, we always feel the need to define what we say. Somehow, we need to restore the meaning in this state of general confusion.

Hysterical mass production has led us to a broken industry incapable of selling the tons of items it produces. In fact, to manage the surplus, products are incinerated, making room for the next manifestation of this insanity.

So, why do niche brands or even high-end designers adopt these practices? Why do they feel compelled to hard-discount merchandise just a few months after its delivery to the stores, devaluing both their products and their brand identity?

“This item is new now, but it’s going to be old in three months or less.” There is no consistency in that.

A devaluing communication


The shallow language to attract consumers focuses not on value but on discounts or influencers:

PRE-SALE! – SALE! – Heavy discounts! – Black Friday! -60% -70%

Who offers less?!

“Today, with the influencers bad taste is everywhere.” – said Mr Valentino to “Il Messaggero”.

Herein lies a significant mistake in the communication and in the messaging of our industry.

When will fashion operators understand we are conceiving, producing, selling and communicating products born out of creativity? The moment we rediscover the value of that process, we’ll acknowledge the mistakes we’ve made.

Treating those products like milk or mortadella, as if they have a fast expiration date, is not a brilliant idea.

We love mortadella, and we also believe it holds more value than the majority of fashion products currently in stores. However, we think the true value of the entire creative process needs to be rediscovered and protected in the making and communication of fashion. It should be seen as something meaningful, timeless, not something to discard as quickly as possible.

What can we do to change?


Brands must produce less, taking extreme care of the entire process.
Heavy discounts should be eliminated, as they are not a healthy, long-term strategy.
People should consume less but better.

Let fast fashion serve its purpose for what is cheap, for people who chose not to see. At the same time, let’s protect and celebrate the timeless value of creativity, quality, and craftsmanship using the right language to support this mission..

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Awareness, Sustainability And Style

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Exploring the interconnection between conscious living, sustainable choices, and timeless style


Awareness, sustainability and style are deeply interconnected.

Creating awareness through style is the way we pursue sustainability and make a change. When you become self-aware, you dress in a specific way and pay attention to what you buy, and how you act. Indeed, through your style, you communicate a message.

Although we mainly refer to fashion, this concept applies to any field that involves design: technology, furniture, lighting, pottery, architecture, art and all aspects of our lifestyle.

You may have seen that sustainable brands are now blooming everywhere, so much that you have the impression of living in a wonderful world. A world of positive change. In fact, the attention to this topic is immense. The sense of caring stands out. But let’s dig deeper into what happens for real.

Awareness through style: understanding sustainability


The majority of sustainable brands launch their new projects simply to match the current marketing demands. Without that magic label, they wouldn’t sell or gain attention. But there’s no regulation governing this matter. And even if some certificates are provided by the suppliers, it’s easy to imagine how that could be exploited.

Anyhow, by selecting only one eco-friendly material, they enter the universe of sustainable brands. For sure, someone will applaud them. In fact, the game is so easy that it’s worth giving it a try.

The result is a brand labelled as sustainable that, to be honest, is anything but sustainable. It’s the umpteenth brand on a market that’s overcrowded, overpopulated, an almost exploding panorama.

And so, by creating awareness through style, we can gain a deeper understanding of sustainability.

Now let’s be clear: the best way for a brand with poor design, no meaningful concept, or added value to be sustainable is simply not to exist. That’s it.

Please, don’t do it. Please, don’t create another brand. We don’t need more brands; we need better ones.

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