FAST FASHION SLAVE

Fast Fashion is something that we are exposed to every day as consumers, and we buy into it because we want to be up to date on the latest trends and fads. In the midst of all the colors and fabrics at great prices are we being ethical and are we really buying fashion? With my current designer’s class, I went to visit H&M and Uniqlo to get a closer look at the stores that I shop at every day. 

H&M has been one of my go to stores for years now. They always lure me in with their exciting window displays and themes. What gets me the most is the price, because I am a college student that needs to watch their budget. Most recently they created the Margiela collaboration, which I didn’t even stand in line for because I knew it was out of my price range. I was pleasantly surprised to come back in and realize that some of the collection was still there and it was marked down. Some of the items were made of actual silk, leather, and wool, which means the quality is slightly above that of the rest of the H&M collections. I loved the idea of recreating garments for H&M that correlated with the heritage and previous collections of the fashion house. After having a long discussion about ethics in class and coming here, I saw H&M with a new set of eyes. This was the dollar store of department stores, and everything I bought at H&M I’ve thrown away. As mentioned in the article “Making the Case Against Fast Fashion Collaborations” by The Business of Fashion, the guest contributor stated, “In the US, the picture is even more dire, with consumers dumping an estimated 10 million tonnes of clothing annually.” I believe it, with such poor quality in the garments that we call “trendy” we always end up throwing them away when they go out of style or fall apart. 

I believe Uniqlo is on the other side of the spectrum, since it focuses its product range on basics with accents of trend. According to The Economist, 90% of their garments are manufactured in China. From what I’ve heard from peers is that the quality is pretty good for the price, and the denim is said to be phenomenal. Here the ethical question lies in the conditions of the laborers who make the clothing, and the environmental impact of pollution in China due to clothing factories. I have been researching about China for my global marketing class, and one of their biggest concerns is air pollution, because it is affecting the living conditions of the general public. If they are polluting the air that means that there are harmful chemicals in our clothes as well.  Tommy Crawford from Greenpeace states:

“In a constant race to get products on the racks, lots of big brands resort to outsourcing production in countries such as China and Mexico. But this clothing carries a hidden price tag. In many of these countries, lax regulations give suppliers of international brands a free hand when it comes to using hazardous chemicals to dye and process our clothes.”

My overall opinion on fast fashion collaborations is that they are becoming excessive. We are going to run out of designers to show case! I haven’t bought anything from fashion collaborations because I feel guilty. I think that it’s a great way to bring designer products to the masses, but then I feel that luxury loses its luster. When I can afford luxury and do have the money to buy myself a Margiela jacket, it won’t mean as much to me since it was already in H&M. The collaborations are great now that I’m a college student, but being a fashion student makes me want to wait for the real thing. I want to lose my fashion virginity in an actual Yves Saint Laurent store not at Target.

http://www.businessoffashion.com/2012/11/op-ed-toxic-chemicals-in-clothing-make-all-of-us-fashion-victims.html

http://www.businessoffashion.com/2012/11/op-ed-making-the-case-against-fast-fashion-collaborations.html

http://www.economist.com/node/16436304

RUN TO RETAIL

              After taking a class fieldtrip to Neiman Marcus and Barneys New York I was able to witness the process of editing garments from the runway to retail stores. Before going into these retail stores I was aware that both stores have different target markets. Neiman Marcus caters to a more sophisticated and conservative clientele, while Barneys caters to the client that wants those edgy and exclusive pieces from the runway. Both stores chose to exhibit Marni FW2012 as their focal point. As soon as you walked into the woman’s floor, the first thing you saw in both Barney’s and Neiman’s was Marni. The designs stayed true to the runway versions, and Neiman Marcus created a great cascade visual to display the garments. At Barneys, the fur and trench vest jacket was the first think you see when you enter the floor. The fur was bright red, and the trench was a nice toasted brown, which brought your eye towards Marni. Here are a few examples of the designs that were placed on the sales floor: 

Found at Neiman Marcus

Found at Barney's

Found at Neiman Marcus

 

 

 

 

                 

              Other designers that were found on the sales floor that didn’t require many alterations from runway to retail were the Bottega Venetta and Gucci handbags. Also, the Jason Wu jackets and blouses stayed true to the original runway show.

                The designer that I found had to cut back on their designs the most was Proenza Schouler. Many of the printed skirts were reworked to be simpler and clean while maintaining the same printed fabrics of the runway. It’s a shame that Barneys didn’t choose to buy the original, because the skirt sold in stores is boring compared to the one of the runway. I guess San Francisco wasn’t ready for so much Proenza. 

 

LANVIN IM IN LOVE

Lanvin Spring/Summer 2012
   Lanvin can definitely relate to the working professional woman who is classy and sophisticated, but lets the devil peak out once in a while, which I believe to be the theme of this collection. The color story was definitely neutral with many blacks and hints of white, and towards the end clashed with a hint of color in very flattering strapless dresses. He gave work attire a whole new meaning with high waisted pants, embellished rompers, and crisp black blazers with a dash of white.
   I thought the collection was very sexy and I think Lanvin while staying true to his aesthetic pushed the envelope just enough to be surprising. He stated that fashion cant always be on a low note, sometimes you have to bring it up, which is why his stage was mounted. One of my favorite pieces was what I call the half-hearted dress. I loved that the dress is a conservative beige dress, except for the black dash on one side. Its wierd and strange, but hot. Its the combination of feminine and class with edgy sexy bad girl. 

Cavalli is Simply Cavalli

Roberto Cavalli Spring/Summer 2012
    AMAZING! I want it all! I WILL TAKE ONE OF EVERYTHING! Leather for days and lace peek-a-boos were definitely exhibited in this collection, which is nothing short of what Cavalli loves to do. There was an extensive use of leather and reworking of leather to resemble lace. I'm sure every one of the cut-out leather pants took a lot of handwork, which is what makes them fabulous, sexy, and fearless.
    Roberto Cavalli was inspired by architecture and "art neuvo", which was behind the thought process when he chose these amazing silk prints. In every collection he wants to leave a sense of fantasy which was displayed in the hints of lace around the curves of the woman's body and in certain special areas. I would also like to point out a trend alert! Long sheer tunics and leather shredded pants is going to be a must for Spring.   

London's Club Attire

  Antonio Berardi: Spring/Summer 2012 

    The Berardi collection read sportswear meets the club, or maybe clubbing is a sport in some cases. The jackets, pants and shorts were very sporty using the mix of sheer and solid basics. The body suit was one of my favorite pieces, I thought it was sexy and very wearable for the Summer Season. It can definitely be dressed up with the embellished blazer and trousers.With the use of sequins and beading, Antonio Berardi was able to make a simple collection into something fun and feminine.
   Lastly I would like to mention the dress with the pants ensemble. This combination was displayed in many of his designs and I think its brilliant. The dress looks like a gown but the bottom is actually over-sized pants. That's the best of both worlds.

Slick Spring

New York: Alexander Wang
    This collection was absolutely inspiring to me because I believe it represents everything I love about being a woman and being independent. It was a very strong collection with basic shapes and dimensions, but what makes it truly extraordinary is the use of basics. Alexander Wang mentioned that he wanted to use the ordinary t-shirts, Bermuda shorts, and vests as groundwork for his designs, and reinventing them in new ways.
  Nothing about this collection is soft, on the contrary it is hard and tough like the skin of an animal and a survivor. Although hard to see to the naked eye, the cutouts of the fabrics and leather are made to resemble snake skin, zebra print, and crocodile.
 I would wear any of these designs because it is incredibly sexy, bold, but sophisticated, and the shoes! The shoes although simple, are the perfect touch of straight forward simple lines that the outfits needed.