What happens when designers are forced to keep pace with the fashion industry, to create designs based on a future that is easily presented in real time by fast fashion houses? They quit…the fashion race that is.
We caught up with four New York City based designers who opted off the fashion calendar for their own reasons and found an independence they aren’t willing to give up ever again.
Designer Carrie Parry
Carrie Parry: I had been searching for a sustainable business model that supported a “race to the top,” contrary to the typical fashion business model of “racing to the bottom.” I found that by operating exclusively online and through alternative retail strategies, we were able to shift the cost structure away from retail and bring the value to our customers and makers.
It’s also always been important to me to have a relationship with my customers and artisans and I wanted to have the opportunity to further explore our supply chain and take our customers along for the journey.
Carrie Parry
Carrie Parry: Consumers want to buy pieces that can be worn when they see them in the media and most of us desire pieces that can be worn now and worn year round. I believe that the fashion industry’s system of showing collections six months prior to shipment and selling collections out of season is no longer a fit to today’s culture and weather patterns. This is one of the reasons we transitioned to selling seasonless pieces.
In addition, by moving away from seasonal collection we can instead create considered, more durable better- crafted designs that have integrity. It’s also increased flexibility in our production because we can develop and produce during the off-season in order to bring the factories consistent work and manage inventory smarter to prevent waste. Like consumers, we as designers have the opportunity to use our purchasing practices for good and I feel in order to make real long-term sustainable progress we must really work together and part of that is to slow down the pace of fashion.
Read the full article on the Brooklyn Fashion+Design Accelerator.
