"Stuff" is not Fashion

It is not Stuff, it is Fashion

Too often do we mix the two.

Here is a mid-week shocker. Be pre-warned, this is a very "number filled" article. H&M sells about 500 000 000 items a year from 1700 stores across the world. This earns them $440 million bucks a year. Not too bad. They are the 3rd largest clothing realtor in the world, after GAP and Spain's Inditex (never heard of it). Now for the most shocking fact in my mind. A piece of clothing can be designed, produced, and distributed, so from the drawing board to the hanger; in 20 days. Yeah, crazy right? It wasn't always like that. Remember the times when it would take a month for some little seamstress to make a dress?

The world is just pumping out STUFF faster and faster. As soon as a colour or cut becomes popular and gets in style, it's on the racks making the company rich. It's a rush for them to make it, and it's a rush for us to buy it. This rush has increased the seasons of the year. Fashion used to have 5 distinct seasons (summer, fall, spring, winter and Resort). Now we have a staggering 26 seasons, all lasting about 2 weeks each. I love the excitement of waiting and anticipating what is going to become in style. Now the wait is gone, by the time we have the chance to prospect, the runways are out.

H&M is restocked daily, getting about 3 trucks a day bringing the world more stuff. Look at Hollister and Abercrombie. That isn't what fashion is about. A shirt with a name on it, with a pair of yoga pants is not fashion, its people wearing stuff. The more there is the less special it is, so nothing is important. Labels now rush, rush, rush to design and sell, sell, sell. It’s like fashion has had one too many cups of caffeine.

What ever happened to stopping and smelling the roses? It is facts like these that make the world look at fashion as a superficial indulgent. It is not. I say, down with “stuff” and let’s rebuild the world of fashion.