The Sustainability Issue
It is no secret that I always tend to teach my friends how to buy more responsibly, telling them to buy with a long-term approach instead of a ‘who cares, it’s cheap’ state of mind.
If you’re someone who buys new things pretty often because you easily get bored of your closet and can’t find new ways to innovate your style, then I want you to stop for a second and reflect on the effective costs. If you think about it, the money that you spend on Zara or other fast fashion brands is a big waste since the pieces usually don’t last more than a few months. Instead, what I started doing is slowly building a capsule wardrobe with pieces that resonate with me long-term, beyond what is going on trend at that moment. Every time that I want to buy something new I think ‘How many looks can I create with this?’ and if the answer is not clear in my head then it’s a big no.
To be able to respond to these questions efficiently you have to learn what suits you and what is the style you’re going for. My advice is to start looking around for inspiration and slowly encapsulate it in your closet. Yes, it does take time, but good things always take time and we should start being patient with fashion.
Things you can do -
Ask your friends to organize an afternoon where you share pieces that you are not wearing anymore! Fashion should be fun, don’t panic over it.
When you have something that you like but maybe doesn’t fit right, instead of throwing it away, get it tailored instead! Your neighborhood tailor will become your best friend.
A problem that I’ve encountered every time that I’ve tried to look for brands that are defined as sustainable is the fact that they are not offering the same ‘style’ or ‘coolness’ that I tend to look for. Why is it so hard to find good sustainable brands that can offer a competitive style? I would understand if they were going for a minimal approach (to advocate for a longer-term approach without following seasonal trends) but there must be someone offering somewhat of a competitive style to beat the enemy or else they will always be in the dark.
Another disadvantage that they have is the fact that is very rare that a small brand can afford to have retail space - they mostly do pop-ups and temporary locations - which makes it hard to attract new customers, especially due to the high range of prices that they offer.
Brands That I’ve Found -
Rifo Lab: good for basics like t-shirts or basic knits - made in Italy
By Herth: offers silk basic pieces that range from dresses to lingerie - made in Italy
Haikure: interesting denim pieces - made in Italy
If you have more brands in mind please don’t hesitate to share them!
Big News in the Luxury World -
Toni Belloni is stepping down from the role of group managing director of LVMH and chairman of its executive committee after 24 years. Under his control, LVMH grew its profit by 7 times together with its value in the Stock Market. Belloni will be succeeded by Stéphane Bianchi, CEO of the watches and jewellery division, in the latest reorganization of the group’s top ranks.
Vanessa Friedman, fashion critic of the New York Times, interviewed Phoebe Philo for the first time since the opening of her new label, and is very interesting what she says.
Dries Van Noten is leaving his role as creative director for his eponymous brand. Among the Antwerp 6, he was the only one left to handle the creative direction of his brand. The Antwerp 6 is a group of fashion designers who have all studied under Linda Loppa (I bought her book and is quite interesting) at the Royal College of Art in Antwerp.
Walter Van Beirendonck, Ann Demeulemeester, Dries Van Noten, Dirk Van Saene, Dirk Bikkembergs and Marina Yee.
France aims to put a tax on Fast Fashion pieces by 2030 to discourage the production of low-quality products. By doing this, France sets itself as the first Country in the world to be taking the first steps in this direction.
Furthermore, it is mentioned that the profits will be used both to sponsor brands that produce responsibly and for the textile's waste management.
Is it legal for luxury brands like Hermès to require customers to achieve Very Important Customer (VIC) status before allowing them to purchase the iconic Birkin bag? This practice is being challenged by a lawsuit from a customer who was denied purchase before acquiring VIC status, raising concerns about potential competition law violations. Who could ever think that someone could be upset for not being able to spend their money? But more importantly, what will this mean for the future of the brand?
Pierpaolo Piccioli leaves Valentino after 25 years at the company with 8 years as Creative Director. Valentino under his direction became by far one of my favorite brands because of its elegance and its unique sense of color use. By producing one-color collections, the all-black or the PPink collection, Pierpaolo Piccioli wanted to focus on the shape and the tailoring of the dresses, as it helps the eye to focus on the details.
My selection of Valentino looks by Pierpaolo Piccioli
Excited to see what will be the next chapter of Valentino! Who knows, maybe Alessandro Michele will give it a shot?
Have a great week!