A Primer on Grass Roots Fashion
The recession has made us rethink our fashion statements. It’s been well pointed out that the downturn in the economy has to a great extent impacted the fashion industry. Although recessions come and go, this current one we’re experiencing is going to have a chronic impression on our whole concept of fashion. We are living in a very pragmatic period now. Before these practical days we’re now living in, we revelled in the decadance of fashion - nothing was extreme or too pricy - you could only be charged with being too lacklustre. Now though the catwalks and fashion labels are receiving bad publicity. Even if you look at the more affordable brands, suddenly they’re admonished for sweatshop factories. What went wrong? Why are the public are turning against labels like this?
First off, fashion ain’t dead. In point of fact, looking online there is tough rivalry between online fashion traders (e.g. searching for evening bags) - a signal there is still a great demand for fashion. What’s dying out is the old-school way we considered fashion - being told what’s now popular by the big brands. Fashion has always looked at the public rather than vice versa, and nowadays many issues are turning us off big fashion brands. For a start, young people are much more conscious of globalization, and flaunting your fashion labels can give the impression you are narcissistic and inconsiderate in certain circles. Secondly, it’s the economy, stupid! Fashion has always been seen as something of a luxury, not an essential. In an economic downturn, luxury items are the first to be forgotten on the store shelves. Finally, people express themselves a lot more individually nowadays - groups of friends are a lot more tightly knit, the days of huge TV show ratings are finished, and fashion demands that kind of sheep-like thinking to sell in numbers.
How does the future look for fashion brands? Like ever, they need to adapt to survive - create a broader range of fashion lines to cater to more niches of the market. If you’re a boutique store offering unique fashion lines at a cheap price, the future looks bright for you in spite of the depressing economic times we are experiencing. Nowadays, individuals are shuffling their styles, buying from marketplaces and smaller, affordable fashion stores.
