This is not an article in the traditional sense. It is not an argument but rather a plea, a crying out for us to find a solution to a problem that seems to be dividing the fashion world. Neither side has currently offered up a feasible fix, yet their greatly opposing stances on this issue has only caused shoppers and fashion fans like me to feel even more guilty and confused about what I should be buying and wearing. What I'm talking about is slow vs. fast fashion.
Fast fashion is one of those uncomfortable truths that has always existed on the periphery of our consciousness; we always knew deep down that the people who made our clothes didn't have the happiest lives or earn the most money, yet we managed to push it down. It happened in a far away place, it wasn't our fault, it was probably exaggerated or inaccurate information. But this year the Boohoo factory scandal in Leicester made it harder for us to ignore it. All this negative publicity might have been the first step on a journey to improving working conditioms and wages, but it seems this is not yet the case. On Black Friday last week Pretty Little Thing were selling clothes for just 4p, creating a huge backlash on social media. Fashion has become disposable - where once we would mend and make do, now it is simply too easy to just buy a replacement. Given that the fashion industry has a bigger environmental effect than shipping and aviation combined, it's not exactly what the planet needs right now.
Slow fashion is the complete antithesis of this. A system that pays its workers a fair wage, makes clothes in a sustainable manner often out of recyclable materials, and the cost of course reflects this. Sounds pretty perfect, right? But it's really a triumph of idealism over realism. To begin with, if your taste in fashion is anything other than plain, floaty or cosy fabrics in either pale or block colours, you may struggle to find something that suits you (if anyone knows of slow fashion outlets that do offer something a bit funkier then please let me know). Also the price is going to cause problems for many of us. £94 for a pair of plain black leggings is not a viable option for so many people: it not only encourages the class divide that hangs over the eco warrior movement, but we can't expect people to choose between buying new clothes and putting food on the table. Clothes are also a necessity. That's not to say we need to buy a new outfit every week, but we all have to put something on our bodies.
So what is the answer? I am going to call it medium fashion. Clothes that are trendy yes, but are also sold at a fair price for both the consumer and the maker. They need to be accessible in a way that bridges the gap between both ends of the spectrum, so we can indulge a love of fashion without fearing for the human and environmental impact. If we can make the money hoarders at the top of the chain see that this idea is a financial and human cause worth fighting for, perhaps things will start to shift in the right direction. It is sadly possible that mesh tops and pleather trousers may never be truly sustainable, but if you are going to buy clothes like that at least make sure you love them and wear them enough to make them worth the effort that was put into making them. And I know that I would....
On a more serious note I am reaching out to anyone in the entrepreneurial, fashion or environmental fields to make medium fashion happen. Help us to look good and save the planet. Educate us please! A compromise has to reached, and now that this information is out there it seems a change is slowly starting to come. Big brands like ASOS and H&M are taking steps to lessen their impact on the planet and move towards more sustainable production methods. If we can keep pushing and stay aware, one day soon we could leave the fast vs. slow fashion divide far behind.
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