One of the recurring negative issues that nagged at me was the fact that fashion, as a concept, is about the what’s new and what’s next; even in simpler times, pre-Internet. That is in direct conflict with the sustainable concept of consuming less. Nowadays, the fashion business is a multi-billion dollar industry that is solely based on what’s new and what’s next. Slowing down of consumer purchasing would have a serious effect on the bottom line of every company. I cannot imagine that any stockholder or CEO would be happy with that effect. Embracing sustainability as an industry wide practice is completely antithetical to the core value of the entire business: making money and lot of it based on perceived need for the continual desire for something new. The industry is not going to embrace something that, if implemented, could spell the end of the fashion business as we know it. That was a bitter pill for me to swallow, as someone working in that business.

It used to be that designers put out Spring/Summer and Fall/Winter collections, 2 a year. Now there are so many “seasons” and we are continually bombarded with something new. I love the very old school European idea of saving to buy an amazing pair of shoes, bag or what have you and having it be timeless and wear it until. My personal style heroes are people who seemed to live that idea.

So if everyone who pays attention to fashion or even a casual observer were to just stop shopping, the industry would grind to a halt and the out of control consumption would stop. Great, right? Wrong. The other side of the above point is that we have millions of people employed worldwide by manufacturers and any other facet of fashion garment and accessory production. A great many of these folks are gainfully employed and not being exploited. They are just workers who need their jobs. So if a crazy business like fashion starts to slow down and layoffs happen, people lose their jobs and their ability to support their families.

Slowing down an out of control business that wreaks such havoc environmentally and many other ways or have massive layoffs and factory closings that result in job loss, quality of life loss for individuals and even set backs in development for emerging countries? It is a horrible Catch-22 to which there is no easy answer. I try to buy my clothing with conscience as best I can.

I love fashion and love smaller and unique designers. Production for them is done locally in many cases and you are supporting smaller companies with local workers. I buy a lot of vintage. Great stuff is timeless and unique and it already exists. I try and think about everything I buy from not just a desire based point of view but what brought it to be for sale in front of me. I like Ms. Starbucks’s distinctions (read her thoughts in detail at her website) and the points she brings up. There is no standard and I’m not sure how there can really be.

When I was sourcing, I just tried to find beautiful and amazing stuff that no one had ever seen and have it be from companies that I felt had a greater mission than just profitability. There are some amazing people out there in the world!!! It’s a very serious and complicated issue that has no set answer but keeping a dialogue open and not being afraid to admit faults so that they can be addressed and changed is key. So is transparency in information and intent.

Thanks, Laura

Along similar lines, I believe that Fashion for a cause has gained more and more interest among consumers, such as T-shirts designed by various clothing designers where a portion of the proceeds goes to fund a certain cause and the FEED bags by Lauren Bush.

I think it’s wonderful when you can wear a graphic T-shirt that is not only gorgeous in its design but also sends a great message as well.

Cheers and as always, I enjoy reading your insightful articles.