Two
themes predominate in our analysis: “speed and style at low
cost”
and “disposability and limited durability.” These options enable
consumers
to constantly alter their identity. The infographic in Figure
1
delineates these emergent themes. In addition, three themes that
emerged
from discussions of luxury in both locales are desire/dream,
history/heritage,
and elegance/art. We focus below on only those themes
directly
relevant to the issue of sustainability.
Identity play and fast fashion.
282 Annamma
Joy, John F. Sherry, Jr, Alladi Venkatesh, Jeff Wang and Ricky Chan
The Advent of Cheap Chic
Often
participants combined several themes in their descriptions. Speed
was
described as part of the fast fashion industry mode. Updated looks,
greater
variety, and limited editions, along with the speed of their availability,
make
this industry very attractive to many consumers—initially
a younger
crowd, but now attracting older segments as well. Some
participants
even talked of speed that resembled that of the fast food
industry,
although they recognize the problems associated with creating
goods
for mass cultural consumption (Stillman 2003). Roxanne,
a
Canadian student, echoed the views of the Topshop brand director
mentioned
earlier: “I want to see new things and styles that can help
me
create and recreate my wardrobe and who I am. But I don’t want
to
look like someone else—so the limited edition satisfies this need to
be
unique. When I see it on the catwalks or in magazines, I want it
immediately.”
Roxanne’s desire is characteristic of how purchases are
made
in stores like Zara. As one participant, Rita, a Canadian student,
mentioned,
“If you do not buy the item that you like right away, you
will
not be able to get it later.” The supply side of fast fashion ensures
scarcity,
which in turn drives demand. Lynn, another participant from
Hong
Kong, referenced fast food, noting:
Since
the speed with which...the display and collection [changes]
is
fast, it [fast fashion] is similar to the fast food store. In Hong
Kong,
most of us go to fast food restaurants at least once a
week—the
same is true of fast fashion. We like new things and we
don’t
have to wait too long before we own these items.
Linda,
a Hong Kong student, noted: “Fast fashion (like Flash Gordon)
is
moving at the speed of light, speeding up deliveries, and reinventing...
[itself]
and...[its] designs as quickly as possible.” Clearly, time is of the
essence.
As Dave, a thirty-five-year-old Canadian merchandiser, pointed
out,
“Patience used to be a virtue. But nobody likes to be kept waiting.
Once
consumers have seen the latest fashion shows, they want to own
the
high-fashion item ASAP.”
The
possibilities of endlessly defining the self are envisaged. Wendy,
a
Hong Kong student, said: “Just recently I purchased a cocktail dress
for
my friend’s wedding party. I saw a similar dress at Marc Jacobs—a
velvet
beaded dress—but I bought this one at Zara for a fraction of
the
price. It may not be premium quality, but it is a trendy piece and
very
affordable!” The choice of that item was more than satisfactory,
so
why spend more? Since the dress was available at Zara, it suggested
style.
Nora, a Canadian shop floor assistant, commented: “The trendy
items
allow me to update my wardrobe more regularly than before. If
the
style is going to be dead in a year, why should I buy a piece that
Fast Fashion, Sustainability, and the Ethical Appeal of
Luxury Brands 283
will
last longer? In a nutshell, it is affordable pricing and acceptable
quality.”
Lara, a Canadian student, noted: “It is cheap chic—it is a
trend
worth buying into. I visit Zara and H&M twice a month and if
I
see something, I buy it.”
The
fact that all our participants were students or recent, employed
graduates,
and that all were under thirty-five years of age, inevitably
skewed
the responses. However, it is this demographic that is conscious
of
the catwalks, slavishly follows trends, and is perennially in pursuit
of
specific pieces that are both unique and stylish. They are also pragmatic.
Why
spend money on something that will last, at most, several
seasons?
Instead, acquire a number of items that are cheaper and offer
a
wide variety.
The
fashions themselves are seen as new and lively. Brendan, a thirtyyear-
old
Canadian salesperson, reported:
In-house
designers in these stores offer an eminently affordable
take
on the season’s trends from the catwalk. They bundle different
values
together in the goods. One is freshness, next novelty,
and
then trendiness. The pleasure from shopping for these goods
it
seems is endless. There is something new and cute each time
they
walk into a store like Zara.
Today’s Treasures, Tomorrow’s Trash
Disposability
plays a key role, along with speed and style, in fast fashion.
Edith,
a thirty-five-year-old Hong Kong consultant, said:
These
companies [referring to H&M] use designers like Stella
McCartney
and Karl Lagerfeld to create limited, one-time collections,
which
generally sell out within days. So they are very
creative
when it comes to strategy! Affordable prices mean that
consumers
are buying more clothes more frequently. But it also
means
they’re truly disposable. You may keep an item after ten
washes,
but the item may lose its lustre by then, or it may have
gone
out of fashion.
The
reference to ten washes is derived from fast fashion companies
themselves,
who openly proffer the number as a benchmark,
0 comments:
Post a Comment