In the decade I’ve spent working in fashion, the role of a designer has shifted from someone proposing new aesthetics and silhouettes into a cultural curator, merchandiser and marketer. Brands don’t sell new ideas anymore, they sell remixed versions of old ones.
^ kinda thinking the same about music. Apart from a handful of new bands charting their own path, everything sounds the same. Why am i still hearing diamonds in the sky by rihanna in this day and age? Have we all run out of ideas?
Vanessa Friedman's quote reminds me of one of my favorite quotes from one of my favorite books, 'Goodbye, Things: The New Japanese Minimalism' by Fumio Sasaki:
"Discard any possessions that you can’t discuss with passion."
Here are all my highlights from the book, if this is boost for you to read it.
Loved this newsletter, and totally agree with you, although I do feel that there is space for more avant-garde and less wearable work when it's produced in small quantities and seen more as art than a product for consumption (increasingly rare, but still happening – I also love digital fashion for this reason).
Per your point on the NYU article and divestment – I think this is amazing, but I also wonder how much money is coming into the university from fossil fuel companies? I wrote a feature on how complex this relationship is a few years ago (will link below), and unfortunately divestment is often only the first step.
So glad you are starting this newsletter. Purchased your book earlier this year and have since purchased a few more copies to give to likeminded - and not likeminded - friends so we can discuss your ideas on consumption and sustainability more.
Great review of Do's Lang showing. Two thoughts:
I have a pretty deep suspicion of anyone who "takes over" and esteemed label. It's not like I don't want someone to succeed, but one designer making their vision submissive to an over-arching idea of a more known desinger's "brand" feels like you are never going to get the best from either. (See Meunier and LDSS at Ann D., Raf's Prada, the list goes on.... It's pretty rare to find success here.) Some brands just need to be (and stay) history *AND THAT'S OKAY*. In the end Uniqlo is looking to sell the name LANG and not DO - and that is kinda a sucky situation for Peter to be in. Judging from his own namesake line the man has so much talent.
As to pricing, I'm all for luxury and semi-luxury lines to start thinking about the middle ground of the $200-$400 range for items, but knowing the marketing arms of all these large conglomerates, won't they just be trying to sell us all more and more mid-priced items, reeling us into the consumption cycle again as they make higher profits from new customers at (even slightly) lower price points chasing "bargains"? I am just totally mistrustful of any marketing that way in fear of feeding the beast so he gets fatter and fatter, and the world crumbles around us.
i have a bit of a naive dream that non-hyped, non-cynical clothing in the 200-400 bracket could actually have really broad appeal — we just need to give it time. people love great clothes, it's just really hard to find them at the moment! especially in menswear.
Thanks for todays article! I fully agree with the take, that we need the clothing has both physical and emotional durability.
Recently I am more and more convinced, that we can stop produce clothing overall (a bit utopian, I know). But yeah, if personal consumption is more or less easy to control, the next question, what should be done on society level?
One of the possible solutions would be to include education on materials, washing and mending techniques taught in school.
I don't whether it's already implemented in Germany, but in my opinion that could help people en masse to be more willing to wear and repair their clothing.
Anyways, a bit of thoughts
What in your opinion should be done to slow down production / consumption of clothing?
Making companies financially responsible for waste in both sides of the coin — their supply chains where the clothes are made, and what happens to clothes when they're no longer worn — would go a huge way in slowing down production and consumption, because it would de-incentivize making too much stuff, and making it unsustainably.
I will be very very interested to feel the garments when they are released. The quality of Helmut Lang pieces post Helmut are (for the most part) pretty appalling. My sense is that they are trying to churn out max product with the lower price tag but disguise it under the guise of being "accessible".
In the decade I’ve spent working in fashion, the role of a designer has shifted from someone proposing new aesthetics and silhouettes into a cultural curator, merchandiser and marketer. Brands don’t sell new ideas anymore, they sell remixed versions of old ones.
^ kinda thinking the same about music. Apart from a handful of new bands charting their own path, everything sounds the same. Why am i still hearing diamonds in the sky by rihanna in this day and age? Have we all run out of ideas?
Vanessa Friedman's quote reminds me of one of my favorite quotes from one of my favorite books, 'Goodbye, Things: The New Japanese Minimalism' by Fumio Sasaki:
"Discard any possessions that you can’t discuss with passion."
Here are all my highlights from the book, if this is boost for you to read it.
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1VdOV1Lw-49WWVGxbIiAyCMTw0Fdc3_RXOl9wIJibGSE/edit?usp=sharing
Hi Alec!
Loved this newsletter, and totally agree with you, although I do feel that there is space for more avant-garde and less wearable work when it's produced in small quantities and seen more as art than a product for consumption (increasingly rare, but still happening – I also love digital fashion for this reason).
Per your point on the NYU article and divestment – I think this is amazing, but I also wonder how much money is coming into the university from fossil fuel companies? I wrote a feature on how complex this relationship is a few years ago (will link below), and unfortunately divestment is often only the first step.
https://isismagazine.org.uk/2021/04/untangling-the-web-oil-gas-and-the-earth-sciences/
So glad you are starting this newsletter. Purchased your book earlier this year and have since purchased a few more copies to give to likeminded - and not likeminded - friends so we can discuss your ideas on consumption and sustainability more.
Great review of Do's Lang showing. Two thoughts:
I have a pretty deep suspicion of anyone who "takes over" and esteemed label. It's not like I don't want someone to succeed, but one designer making their vision submissive to an over-arching idea of a more known desinger's "brand" feels like you are never going to get the best from either. (See Meunier and LDSS at Ann D., Raf's Prada, the list goes on.... It's pretty rare to find success here.) Some brands just need to be (and stay) history *AND THAT'S OKAY*. In the end Uniqlo is looking to sell the name LANG and not DO - and that is kinda a sucky situation for Peter to be in. Judging from his own namesake line the man has so much talent.
As to pricing, I'm all for luxury and semi-luxury lines to start thinking about the middle ground of the $200-$400 range for items, but knowing the marketing arms of all these large conglomerates, won't they just be trying to sell us all more and more mid-priced items, reeling us into the consumption cycle again as they make higher profits from new customers at (even slightly) lower price points chasing "bargains"? I am just totally mistrustful of any marketing that way in fear of feeding the beast so he gets fatter and fatter, and the world crumbles around us.
Thanks again for the thoughtful writing.
Terry
i have a bit of a naive dream that non-hyped, non-cynical clothing in the 200-400 bracket could actually have really broad appeal — we just need to give it time. people love great clothes, it's just really hard to find them at the moment! especially in menswear.
Thanks for todays article! I fully agree with the take, that we need the clothing has both physical and emotional durability.
Recently I am more and more convinced, that we can stop produce clothing overall (a bit utopian, I know). But yeah, if personal consumption is more or less easy to control, the next question, what should be done on society level?
One of the possible solutions would be to include education on materials, washing and mending techniques taught in school.
I don't whether it's already implemented in Germany, but in my opinion that could help people en masse to be more willing to wear and repair their clothing.
Anyways, a bit of thoughts
What in your opinion should be done to slow down production / consumption of clothing?
Best regards,
David
Making companies financially responsible for waste in both sides of the coin — their supply chains where the clothes are made, and what happens to clothes when they're no longer worn — would go a huge way in slowing down production and consumption, because it would de-incentivize making too much stuff, and making it unsustainably.
I will be very very interested to feel the garments when they are released. The quality of Helmut Lang pieces post Helmut are (for the most part) pretty appalling. My sense is that they are trying to churn out max product with the lower price tag but disguise it under the guise of being "accessible".
super important point to make — none of this works if the quality sucks!