Something New from Something Old

Fashion Consort News Bytes

It’s no secret that the fashion system thrives on creating and selling new products—constantly. In fact, the fashion industry is very adept at built-in obsolescence, with an especially short lifecycle, wherein the very item that was heralded as the “must have” in September is no longer even desirable or cool in February. Because the fashion system is built on seasons—fashion brands must deliver something completely new at least every six months—spring and fall—to replace the old. And in some cases, brands are delivering specialty seasons such as holiday and resort on top of that, or simply forgoing seasons altogether and dropping new styles on a weekly or monthly basis. While tech companies are often “called out” and even sued for supposedly building in obsolescence, consumers rarely make the connection to the same techniques fashion companies have been engaged in for decades.

So, it’s time to start really asking why we, as customers, continue to support brands that have no real impetus to change, no matter their storied histories. It’s time to start putting our money where our mouth is. If we want change, then things must actually change and that may mean letting go of nostalgia, so that fashion brands will be forced to adapt, or make way for more innovative brands that don’t trade on built-in obsolescence.

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