ERROR:
subscribe to style file blog via RSSfree speech: hadley freeman ponders the fashionable fallout of a faltering economy
October 9, 2008 4:46 pm
Attending Paris fashion week while the world’s economy goes into freefall is a disorientating experience. There’s nothing like watching the talking heads on CNN getting increasingly apocalyptic about the state of your finances, only to turn the TV off to rush to a fashion show featuring dresses and shoes with four-figure price tags. Of course, clothes take months to design and produce, so the styles that were on the runways last week were designed way before “credit crunch” sounded like anything more than a cute piece of alliteration. In that sense, you can’t really blame the designers for being as free as ever with the gilt and the gold.
I’d wager—and wagering may well be my only source of income soon, seeing as fashion journalism is probably not the most secure profession in a recession—that we won’t see the effect of the recession on the catwalks until the next round of shows, and that its influence won’t really be obvious itself until the ones after that. How it will manifest itself is a trickier issue. The obvious response is that designers will be forced to jettison the costly flights of fancy that have characterized the runways for the past few years: the tulip skirts, the enormous handbags, the heavy detailing, the frills and ribbons. Instead, they’ll return to tailoring in safe colors—blue, gray, and black—because customers will need to be convinced of the durability of any of the few purchases they make. You can say a lot of things about a metallic tulip skirt with frayed edges, but “durable” is probably not on the list.
Then again, that line of reasoning is probably too simplistic. Designers will likely opt for even more ostentation, because they know that the real money is with people who won’t be affected by this financial downturn at all. Fashion houses will be aiming for the new markets—Russia, China, India, the Middle East, and South America—and the enormous wealth therein. The lower end of the upper market (i.e., those who live in the West) will be the ones cutting back. The people who are buying up Francis Bacons and sailing round on super yachts (mentioning no names. Oh, just one, then—Roman Abramovich) will continue to shop without concern. This newly emerging demographic don’t just not worry about price tags, they don’t even look at price tags. So what we’ll see on the runways will be a microcosm of the world itself: the plain will get plainer and the ornate will get even more ornate.
How do you think the economy will affect fashion? Has it already changed your purchasing plans?
tags: Spring 09 collections, the economy
I just need to stop my laziness and use my sewing machine more as I did before “fast fashion” appeared! But how do I find the fabric and garment shops that has dissapeared the last 10 years?
Customize clothing is another option. And further there will be more 2nd clothes shops around, I hope…
I’ve done it before and I can do it again. All things has a positive and negative side to it: being inventive is the word for me now!
I’ve fashion always considered for the people you mentioned Mrs. Freeman. For a while I was able to buy so now and then a piece or shoewear with “a label”.
I’ve bought this Spring, feeling what was coming up, some great classic quality bags and I’ve enough older ones which I can use again. I’m ready for it! I’ve been poor years ago and I can do it again.
Hmm, I even did look more orginal and more so very me back then….
Oh, in the past I did the hems or zippers for free for people who couldn’t do that, now I want a little wage! Just a tiny bit…
By Appollonia on 10/9/08 at 5:37 pmIt’s time to lose those stupid marketing terms like”premium denim”, another name for “you are a sucker who paid too much of mom and dad’s money for those jeans that you can only wear once, because everyone will ostracize you if you are seen at the big GENART event in them AGAIN”. Even though the attendees are so self-absorbed they appear not to notice you looking shabby in those now twice-worn _____Jeans. But you NEVER know who’s looking so you better just go and spent the rest of your $10,000 allowance and get another pair. And replace that $220 custom designed T-shirt with the ironic graphics too, and those architect frame glasses. The whole thing looked tired 4 years ago and still you persist sporting this uniform. Well, I guess we can’t all be innovators, even if some of you are delusional in the belief of how much talent you actually have, even if you went to Pratt and majored in fashion. Another hint: learn the difference between car rags and actual wearable vintage pieces. I’m embarrassed for you.
By 123blackie on 10/10/08 at 1:35 amWe’re going to see fear-based fashion; it’ll be back to classics or punk.
By MissPam on 10/10/08 at 4:19 amRemember that when there´s war there´s more party and fun. It could happpen this same thing.
By paulalopez on 10/10/08 at 12:36 pmI’d hate to be the one saying it but I really don’t think the world is doing too good. The recession will also effect people who aren’t as rich as this Roman Abramovich, the people who are normal but are willing to spend $2000 on their dream bag. Beleive me, there are plenty of people who don’t even have that money securely in heir lives but they will still buy that bag/garment. Those people will probably lose their job or their job will be decreasing their wages to keep up with their own financial problems. So in turn, the designers get affected because those people aren’t buying.
Also, I know there are alot of people out their who don’t look at the price tag, but they will be affected too. Stockholders are pulling out of companies, the really rich peoples’ companies, and they’ll probably let go of some of their workers, making people upset and unemployed. The more unemployment, the less money that goes back into the economy.
Back to not thinking the world is doing too good, America is in a war that they never should have started (reminding me too much of the Vietnam war) and they’ve convinced Australia yet again to participate.
My final opinion is that I don’t think in certain countries, other than the ones stated, will actually buy enough from a store for it to stay open. I know that the designer stores in Australia will suffer tremendously, simply because most of the population can’t afford it in the first place.
By Kitty07 on 10/11/08 at 6:43 amHell yes my purchasing plans have changed. I think Kitty said everything perfect…I would splurge on an $1800 bag 6 months ago, now I’m not even buying $400 shoes. Just go into barneys, they aren’t really getting in anything new because they haven’t gotten rid of what they need to. I don’t want to say luxury fashion has become irrelevant, but its on the back burner.
By thepopo on 10/11/08 at 11:06 amBeing a designer or an artist in a time when current events are as catastrophic as now, is an amazing adventure. Though in financial numbers we’ll see a drop, I think there will be amazing things designers can say about this and voice through clothing and other forms of art. I am anticipating a surge of creativity, a surge of opinion, and colorful emotions evoking on the runway from this. AND THAT excites me.
By ambreenh on 10/11/08 at 2:14 pmI think fashion never gets down, if people get poor another people get rich, what designers need to do is keep the spirits of the maisons to people know it, the price is what make cloth exclusive, i cannot imagine a $500 balenciaga shoes, that cloth need to be expensive, because a lot of people don’t know what it means.
By luismontenegro on 10/11/08 at 11:18 pmI found ambreenh’s comment to be exciting and true! Personally, I’ve never enjoyed wearing black to a funeral. Not to say the econmoic crisis is a funeral, but we are facing hard times and wearing dark clothing will do nothing but make it more somber.
By Nigelific on 10/12/08 at 7:03 pmMy hope is that designers will produce clothing that is colorful, innovative, and whacky which will help lighten the mood. I am a teenager who’s been working for minimum wage for quite some time and I have found it fun and fulfilling to be innovative with my style and options.
Looking back on artist movements, they have, for the most part, all revolved around revolutionary times and are what influence artists today. If we look to these years ahead with excitement that we are able to live in a period that is interesting and ground-breaking, future generations will emmulate the looks of the 2000’s, just as some do now a days with the looks of the depression ridden 1930’s.
The customer who sees Fashion and Art as investments will not be affected by the economic crisis. The world and the audience will expect to see a reaction from the designers, the garment will need a higher/socio-economical reason to exist and purchased beyond simple aesthetic for high prices. Personally, I fail to see an investment return in today’s fashion community. Anyone who had a substantial 10-15% loss on their portfolios will surely think twice about buying anything or let their companion do so.
By sandraolden on 10/13/08 at 4:04 amThe newspapers are all gloom and doom. I am a personal stylist and yesterday dressed a client at Brent Cross shopping centre. The credit crunch does not appear to have affected shoppers here- it was packed. Take a look at my blog about it- http://www.thefashionfixstyling.blogspot.com and website http://www.thefashionfix.co.uk
By denisep on 10/13/08 at 9:41 amDenise P