Small Fashion Shops Look Better Placed in Recession
The downturn in the economic system has given us all a fashion rethink. been well remarked that the recession has to a great extent had a negative affect on the fashion industry. Although recessions come and go, this recent recession we’re in is going to have a chronic effect on our whole concept of fashion. We are living in a very practical period these days. It wasn’t so long ago that decadance and frivolousness were all part of the fashion scene - there was no such thing as too overpriced or too extreme. - you could only be accused of being too lacklustre. Now though the catwalks and fashion labels are getting bad publicity. And since everybody’s aware of globalisation, even bargain-priced fashion labels are getting bad publicity for using sweatshops to produce their goods! Is it that everyone suddenly become so incredibly difficult to please?
No chance. We humans love fashion, and forever will. It is engrained in our pysche to spot trends! In fact, looking on the web there is ample competition between online store retailers (e.g. looking for fashion accessories or Accurist watches) - a sign there is still a great demand for fashion. What’s dying out is the old-school way we thought about fashion - being told what’s now stylish by the big labels. In reality, fashion has always followed our lifestyles instead of the other way around, and nowadays many issues are turning us off big fashion brands. For a start, people are very much more aware of globalization, and showing off your fashion labels makes you look selfish and uncaring in certain circles. Second, we’re bust! Style has always been a luxury, not a necessity. In a recession, luxury items get hit the worst. Lastly, individuals define themselves a lot more individually these days -we don’t need to be ordered what to wear or how to act, there’s no large “tribe” to fit in to or assimilate their thoughts, and fashion needs that sort of groupthink to sell in large amounts.
How does the future look for fashion brands? Like ever, they must adapt to survive - create a broader range of clothing lines to cater to more niches of the market. If you’re a tiny store offering unique fashion lines at a decent price, you have a strong business model in spite of the depressing economic times we are in. Nowadays, people are combining their styles, buying from marketplaces and more personal, bargain-priced fashion shops.
