Fashion Vs Creativity

Without question, the previous few years have seen a significant upheaval in the fashion business. It took only a few weeks to complete what was formerly a three- to six-month cycle from design and manufacture to retail delivery. This see-now-buy-now concept, sometimes known as “fast fashion,” is best shown by Forever 21, Zara, and H&M. It gives buyers a choice to buy the collection right away after the presentation and offers a variety of collections throughout the year.

Digital and social media have undoubtedly accelerated and altered the conventional fashion calendar to cater to customers who are growing more enamoured with instant gratification and ongoing new trends. The customer is aware that they won’t see an item they like again. Therefore, they should buy it as soon as they do. The consumer also values a transient new ‘trend’ that may be worn and sees the product as a treasure to be enjoyed now rather than something to be kept forever.

One can question whether or when ideas and inspiration still have a role in a typical design and manufacturing cycle that has been reduced. Given that production and time to market are now the guiding principles, can fashion still be regarded as an art form? Does fashion still have anything to do with creativity and innovation?

 The Shift To Shorter Seasons:

Although the creative process for developing a piece of clothing varies greatly from designer to designer and brand to brand, it typically entails some or all of the following: vintage shopping for perhaps leather jacket men’s, research through historical books, observation of global trends, web and social media browsing, and, of course, the importance of natural and intuitive inspiration. From the first stages of design and material selection to production and distribution, the conventional fashion cycle is a protracted procedure. In the past, fashion was known as haute couture, when expensive clothing was manufactured to the precise specifications of the purchaser. Designers spent months perfecting a fresh style as a consequence of pouring their hearts and souls into creating everlasting items brimming with creative intensity. As a result, many companies only had two seasons each year. This constant demand and pressure for designers to constantly come up with marketable ideas – like different leather jackets for men every other week – is killing their creativity. And even if you could locate the essential creative component, the fashion industry’s complex system of manufacturing and distribution means that, when everything is shut down, the process becomes all but impossible.

Designer Burnout And Social Media:

Fast fashion has evolved into a force that, in addition to wreaking havoc on the environment and abusing workers (mainly women) in the global south on a vast scale, really kills creativity. Burnout is a problem for creators across industries, not simply those in the fashion industry, as a result of late-stage capitalism’s unrelenting production needs. Due to its reliance on a continual, fast-moving profusion of information to be relevant, the social media influencer industry is especially vulnerable to this.

Social media, especially, plays a key role in limiting creativity as it hastens the life cycle of fashion trends while simultaneously making it simpler to add to your wardrobe. Trends are always changing, especially on TikTok, where influencers post about new products every day. Videos from particular TikTok genres are also a part of unsustainable behaviours which contribute to a lack of creativity. Hauls from quick fashion behemoths like Shein, Zara, Princess Polly, and Amazon costing several hundred dollars are abundant on many TikTok For You sites. These films’ widespread appeal is a sign of a wider issue with normalised overconsumption.

Does this lead to a never-ending buying loop since who doesn’t want to own the newest, trendiest item? The next best item is continuously being sought after by customers, who simultaneously abandon last week’s trends in the dust. They can’t seem to commit to one particular look; one day, it’s men’s leather jackets from the year 2000, and the next, it’s flouncy sleeves from the 1970s. Naturally, one can’t help but worry if our generation will genuinely have a trademark style because we are always consuming fashion through social media.

A Brighter Side – Slow Fashion And Indie Brands:

The polar opposite of fast fashion is slow fashion. What does it mean to approach fashion more imaginatively and deliberately? Though it is entwined with ethical and ecological fashion, its fundamental concern is reconsidering our relationship with clothing. In comparison to other things, the movement is more of a way of life. Slow fashion emphasises less consumption and production while taking a more holistic approach to the complete product lifestyle and highlighting quality over quantity or obsessing over trends. It asks the question: Are you genuinely in need of a new purchase?

Indie brands are those that are autonomous, creative, and driven by a cause. These brands in the fashion and beauty industry have great potential for the market’s future since they are setting trends in cosmetics and employing novel procedures and management techniques. Indie brands have a genuine and approachable slogan that draws them closer to their customers and makes them feel like they are a part of the brand’s history and mission. They source raw materials ethically, like using fair-trade leather when producing men’s leather jackets Canada.  Additionally, they uphold standards like sustainability, clean ingredients, and well-being since authenticity and ethics are ingrained at their core.

Rather than expending all of their energy on creating for the sake of producing, creative individuals in fashion sectors ought to have time to create. That is only possible if fashion, as we know it in the 21st century, is fundamentally altered—algorithms are changed, seasons are eliminated, and quick satisfaction is rejected. And for everything to work, everyone throughout the supply chain—from producers to consumers—must be willing to sell, purchase, and earn less. Sustainability itself will remain a consumer draw rather than a preservation effort as long as spectacles like weekly Tiktok trends persist. Creativity is being stifled by these restrictions and is slowly being rendered obsolete.

Looking for a perfect brand that bases fashion on creativity? Leatheriza Affinity is the best example.

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