There is no doubt that we are lucky to live in a world full of choices. No matter if you are in a hurry or have something special in your mind – you are covered. From fast fashion stores to designer studios, as customer’s, we have the luxury to choose. But what to do if you are on the opposite side… Dear creator?
Who are you?
The best way is to think about two things: yourself as a designer/creator: what message do you carry? What’s important to you? Quality of the garment? Your design? Do you want everyone to wear You, or do you want to make one of a kind garments suitable only for that one client? It will ease up the decision of what kind of fashion you will make.
Once you have your list of goals you want to achieve, check what each type of production has to offer. Do you remember the pros and cons list? Well, then get yourself that legal pad and start writing one because it will later save you from risks of losing time, customers and money. Don’t know where to start? Let’s look at this together.
Mass production: “I want it – I got it” or wasteful disaster?
People love mass production because it’s fast, comfortable and cheap. “I want it – I got it” approach is what made it go this far. As long as the customer is happy, the brands are also happy as together with sales comes money. Minimum inventory, maximum profit and recognition. However, this kind of success doesn’t go without a side effect. Cheaply made clothes are created from garments that are worn out easy and then thrown away, which later turns into a huge pile of waste that pollutes the environment. And have you ever asked yourself: “Who Made my Clothes?” For quite some time fashion industry is tackling the problem of labour exploitation. Fast fashion is as fast as its workers, who sadly can only dream about fair working conditions. The good news is that more people are talking about this and tackling the problem. But as a designer, ask yourself, how do you picture yourself in this case? Are you going to use your “sustainability card” on this one?
Made to order: is one of a kind for everyone?
The truth is that people are getting more conscious about what they buy and what they wear. Circulating information about being more aware of our actions that harm the planet has impacted people to want more lasting things. And in this case, made to order clothing is something that says “quality over quantity”. From the buyer’s perspective, made to order clothing sounds very promising: something that is made specially for you, according to your measures, your taste and colour. But it also means that it will take longer to make this kind of piece and there is a high chance that it will be more expensive. How does this look from the brand’s perspective? Even though it may take more time and skills to make something one of a kind, this way your dream, as a high-quality creator, will be fulfilled. Focusing on what you produce instead of how much you produce is the key takeaway from today’s fashion landscape.
So what your gut is telling you? Don’t forget that you can share your thoughts and doubts with KUZ as its main focus is to help you!
