Written by Rafiad Ruhi
Fashion is the perfection in selecting what pairs of footwear I will wear. Fashion is the idea of how I will dress myself. Fashion is the showcase of the accessories I put on to make my look complete. Fashion is a tool for me to express my confidence and class. What are we supposed to do if someone asks about the term fashion? What is fashion? It is a way to express self-confidence and autonomy. How many types of fashion are there? The fashion world has classified fashion into two types. They are fast fashion and slow fashion. Let us know the difference between fast fashion and slow fashion in the following:
Fast Fashion- According to Wikipedia fast fashion is a term used to describe a highly profitable and exploitive business model based on replicating catwalk trends and high fashion designs, and mass producing them at low cost.
Slow Fashion- According to Wikipedia slow fashion is a concept opposite to fast fashion and part of the ‘’slow movement’’ which advocates for manufacturing in respect to people, environment and animals.
After observing the definition of the terms we can definitely deduce that slow fashion is more sustainable compared to fast fashion as it is more concerned about the diversity of the environment.
Slow fashion is growing rapidly now. People are appreciating the sustainability of the products. Slow fashion is focused on small or medium levels of production. They are more inclined to quality over quantity and that makes it an attractive fashion going forward. The dresses are made ethically and since the quality is assured its win-win situation if more consumers move towards slow fashion. Slow fashion allows local workers to get engaged in this work and the use of eco-friendly materials is the most important factor consumers should consider to save the environment and on a larger scale the world.
The whole concept of slow fashion was brought in by a publication done by Elizabeth L. Cline. It was a good project as it was able to create awareness against the cons of the fast fashion industry. However, the chit chat about slow fashion was started by Angela Murrills, a fashion writer in an online magazine (George Straight).
The idea of slow fashion is interrelated with the Slow Food Movement. It was first founded by an Italian Carlo Petrini in 1986. Slow food is a pleasure and it carries a lot of awareness and responsibility. It rescues biodiversity, the need for consumer information and guards the identity of food ties. Slow food movement can be correlated with many things, for instance slow cities.
There are a few principles of the Slow Food Movement. They are given in the following:
- Good quality, delicious and healthy food.
- Productions are eco-friendly.
- Equal benefits for consumers and producers.
Kate Fletcher, a researcher, author, designer, and consultant and design activist had analyzed all about the slow fashion. In Milan, 2006 marked the invention of the three principles related to the slow fashion movement. They are pointed out below:
- Taking a local approach.
- Having a transparent system.
- Making sustainable and attractive products.
In 2019, Debapratim Purkayastha compared the movement of slow fashion with a case study of 7 weaves Social. Slow Fashion Brands from countries such as Germany, France, Belgium and Australia source garments and fabrics from 7 weaves. The case study of 7 weaves reflects on sustainable fair trading fabrics that were durable and produced by local workers. It emphasized on the responsible business practices to create a substantial environment where the diversity of the ecosystem will only increase.
Magazines are the most powerful tool to highlight the problems created by fast fashion industries. In 1990, both vogue magazine and New York Times published articles regarding sustainable trends in the fashion world. Katherine Hammet, a British designer, gave a speech about the environmental effects it was having at the United Nations. In 1995, Armani used hemps in its collection. In 2001, Natalie Chanin commenced a project called The Alabama. It was a collection of 200 hand stitched T-shirts. This project also got featured in the New York Fashion Week. Following this event marked another new production line by Stella McCartney where she introduced animal-free policies. In the past years, people have been very active against those who are destroying the environment for making some profit and they have created a revolution. Now fashion brands like Zara and H&M have to celebrate ceremonies which are transforming to a tradition such as Fashion Revolution Day and Second Hand September.
Slow fashion has set itself a set of marketing game plans. They concentrate more on a specific group of consumers. Unlike fast fashion, people who like slow fashion prefer versatility, low upkeep and good quality. These are classical and durable designs. They have set themselves a standard where consumers are circumspect about the materials used to produce the products. There are a few marketing principles followed by them. They are given in the following:
- They change their clothing line once in a while.
- They produce less and stock up less.
- They pay heed to the materials being used up.
- They ensure ethical and non-repressive methods of production.
Slow fashion production is really different from other fashion types. They are produced with local workforce and local materials. Fast fashion focuses more on quantity and that’s why they are using cheap workforce and materials. Slow fashion’s objective is to make sure the quality of the product is up to the mark. The cost of production is not so high, that’s why the quantity is low.
Slow fashion also differs when it comes to the point of pricing. They have a price range for their clothing. A second hand dress from a thrift shop which costs only $5 and a designer dress which costs $700 are both examples of slow fashion. Economics deals with the quantity more but conditions are being set out to pay more for sustainable products.
Global economy is alive on only one principle. That is, more production will lead to more consumption and only then the scales of economies can be attained. The production method of slow fashion doesn’t allow the quantity of its products to be more compared to fast fashion. The reliability and existence of slow fashion has been questioned several times.
In 2018, it was found that people reduced their shopping to 37% as they were more aware of the ongoing sustainability campaign. H&M had a revenue of $25 million in the fiscal year of 2016. As the campaign gained strength, their sales dropped and they were accused of not maintaining sustainability of their products, instead they are actively working to destroy the environment. The spread of the movement made two powerful fashion houses namely Zara and H&M to practice fashion in a more ethical way.
Sustainable products need more recognition and exposure. 67% people now think it is an important factor when they purchase fashion goods. It is more of a consumer’s duty to head towards sustainable products and encourage others to do the same because only then the quantity can also be ensured along with the quality of the product since demand will rise more for slow fashion and sustainable products which are produced without harming the environment.
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