For several months, a strong rivalry has emerged between fast fashion and slow fashion.
On the one hand, fast fashion represents all the cheap clothes sampled from the ideas of the biggest fashion shows of haute couture brands. These pieces are sold in large quantities at low prices, thus encouraging conspicuous consumption by customers.
On the other hand, slow fashion on the contrary represents collections designed with the aim of allowing the cohabitation between fashion, quality and the possibility of preserving pieces over time.
Slow fashion is spreading more and more massively thanks to the awareness of different generations, especially the youngest, and numerous movements encouraging better consumption.
THE IMPACTS OF FAST FASHION IN THE WORLD
We live in a globalized world where shopping at the mall is not an act without consequences. Indeed, consuming today is an action that creates strong pressure on the environment and the individual. But, behind these fast fashion collections, many negative impacts are generated from an environmental, health and human point of view.
AN ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
The production of clothing belonging to the field of fast fashion generates excessive consumption of water and pesticides, massive production of packaging and costly and polluting means of transport.
Thus, the fast fashion market uses a massive amount of non-renewable resources. Why give in to this phenomenon when these clothes are only intended for a short life?
A HEALTH IMPACT
A HUMAN IMPACT
Finally, human conditions are also put to the test for the benefit of fast fashion products. In the majority of cases, the workers come from exploited and poorly paid countries.
When you mention this, you certainly think of the collapse of the Rana Plaza building in Bangladesh or of the Uyghur people who were subjected to deplorable living and working conditions for the benefit of 80 brands, including almost 40 in the field of fashion.
Two disasters which raised awareness on a global scale leading to numerous movements and numerous lawsuits to avoid this.
A PHENOMENON THAT IS GROWING, SLOW FASHION
To counter the impacts of fast fashion, slow fashion highlights a longer life process for clothing, a practice whose way of consuming advocates quality.
The slow fashion phenomenon was born following a general awareness of the population and in particular of the younger generations very affected by the future of the planet.
CREATORS AND BRANDS TO CHANGE THE GAME
Slow fashion highlights a multitude of small designers who have the common objectives of reducing environmental impact by using, for example, sustainable and high-quality materials. These creators highlight local production that respects the environment while ensuring respect for stakeholders.
This general awareness has led to the creation and promotion of a multitude of responsible and sustainable brands. These brands are specialized in shoes, clothing and even jewelry!
UPCYCLING
In addition, slow fashion gives rise to different practices: among them, upcycling! To find out more about this practice that we advocate at Louise Marcaud, I invite you to read this article which perfectly illustrates everything this practice covers: https://www.louisemarcaud.com/post/up-cycling-rien-ne -gets-lost-everything-transforms
GENERAL MOVEMENTS
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GREEN FRIDAYS VERSUS BLACK FRIDAYS
New brands, new practices but also new events have emerged since the slow fashion phenomenon has grown. Indeed, you certainly know the famous Black Friday where promotions are featured in the different fashion chains! To deal with this phenomenon which accelerates the negative impacts of fast fashion, retailers and consumers are organizing Green Friday, a movement brought together by more than 700 companies in 2019. Among these brands we find Aigle and Rosemood.
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UNDISPUTABLE SOLIDARITY ON SOCIAL NETWORKS
Finally, on social networks, great solidarity has been established between content creators and subscribers with the aim of moving towards a better world and encouraging better consumption. Among these influencers who highlight slow fashion we find HelloooBeauty aka Clémence Bertrand who highlights more ethical brands and practices; Marieggch aka Marie, a colorful Instagrammer who takes on the challenge of completing 80% of her wardrobe with second-hand clothes: a challenge that we take on alongside her. Several hundred influencers promote this healthier lifestyle and help us make increasingly thoughtful choices thanks to the brands they promote.
TOOLS TO IMPROVE OUR CONSUMPTION
To encourage the population to consume ethically, more and more tools are being made available.
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APPLICATIONS
We are thinking in particular of the different applications that classify clothing according to their environmental commitment! Among these applications, Good On You and Clear Fashion, known as the most reliable applications for consuming clothing responsibly.
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THE LABELS
Then, labels are becoming more and more common. Thanks to these, it is easier to learn about the working conditions and the environmental and health impact of the brand.
Several exist, however the best known are the World Fair Trade label which guarantees ethical manufacturing and the Global Organic Textile Standard which ensures that the fabrics used are of organic origin and that social criteria have been respected.
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SECOND HAND MARKETPLACE AND SITES
Finally, there are more and more marketplace platforms which aim to list responsible brands and second-hand platforms which aim to offer a new life to all types of clothing: vintage, luxury, mass distribution, etc.
Let us conclude that, thanks to all the actions and actors who participate in the development of slow fashion, a growing number of individuals and brands are taking the lead in reviewing the way they buy clothes. However, even though gestures and movements to advocate an ethical lifestyle are becoming more and more frequent, fast fashion brands are far from having lost their customers.
So, at the moment we are facing a sort of rivalry between the two extremes of fashion.