The fashion industry operates at high speeds. Consumers take advantage of low prices, buying clothes often. Why are some industry insiders trying to pump the brakes?
Mikaela Hamilton Steinwedell
Ash Bruxvoort recently ended a complicated relationship, but it wasn't with a man, it was with her wardrobe.
Once the distressed owner of over 200 shirts, skirts, pants and dresses, she has cut her wardrobe by 75 percent, realigning her fashion choices with her environmentally conscious mindset.
"It was like I was using shopping to make myself feel better," explained Bruxvoort, a 24-year-old freelance journalist who said her unhealthy shopping habit snuck up on her after she started her first job.
For less than $20, a new skirt could erase the stress of a bad day of work, she said.
The modern fashion industry is built on this kind of instant gratification. "Fast fashion" — the mass-produced, low-priced fashion phenomenon associated with stores like Old Navy, Forever 21 and H&M — has completed clothing's transformation into an inexpensive consumable, more like a Starbucks drink or restaurant meal than a luxury good.
But, as Bruxvoort discovered, the shift comes at a cost. In order to keep prices low, fast fashion retailers use low-quality materials, selling items that wear out or tear in the span of a few months. Rapidly shifting trends mean consumers regularly buy new clothes without considering whether they are worth the price, trained by the fashion industry to favor full closets over slower, savvier shopping. And even as the cost of individual clothing items has markedly dropped, data on consumer spending show that shoppers are spending more overall, steadily increasing the industry's profits.
But a new slow shopping trend is resurging. Bruxvoort, for example, said now that she shops less and puts more thought into her purchases, she feels more in control of her money and happier with what's in her closet. Change can be intimidating, but Bruxvoort and other slow shoppers describe the process as empowering.
"If you do put in the time and thought, you're going to have a wardrobe that's really curated and beautiful," said stylist Jordan Duncan. "It will convey the message that you want to convey about yourself."
Quality versus quantity
Real spending, which takes into account both price changes and changes in spending, on clothing and footwear in America grew by nearly $100 billion from 1999 to 2013, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Clothing prices dropped over that period, meaning the amount of clothing purchased swelled. Consumers may feel like they're getting a great deal on individual pieces, but it's the fashion industry that ultimately benefits.
"The goal (of fast fashion) is for the consumer to purchase many articles of clothing in the fastest amount of time possible," explained Shannon Whitehead, a sustainable apparel consultant. "It may seem like there are four fashion seasons (spring, summer, fall, winter), but it's 52 seasons. There are new trends every week."
Whitehead said consumers often fail to realize how fast fashion purchases add up. In 2013, Americans spent an average of $1,604 on apparel and services, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported.
"(Shoppers) don't keep track of a shirt from Target or a tank top from Forever 21," Whitehead said, but regular $5 purchases add up over time. "You're doing more for your wallet by spending money on thoughtful, timeless pieces that last."
Fashion companies also take advantage of quickly shifting trends by peddling lower quality items that aren't built to last and convincing consumers that high closet turnover is desirable.
via fashion - Google News http://ift.tt/1rhvuBn
0 意見:
張貼留言