Burberry
Is the Fashion Industry over consuming?
According to the Oxford dictionary over consumption is ‘The action or fact of consuming something to excess.’ (2014) Over the last few generations fashion has become an expression of not just class but personality. Consumers have been turning to disposable fashion to stand out and stay in touch with the latest trends. Fashion has become the biggest Industry susceptible to trends. In the UK almost six billion items of clothing is owned in the UK which is equivalent to nearly 100 items per person. 1.7 billion of these items are unworn at home. (WRAP 2012) These facts show the extent to which the Fashion Industry is consumed and the speed of which it is doing so.
Retailers today have found themselves to be in competition with each other over fashion trends, creating ‘fast fashion.’ Fast fashion was created in early 2000’s with the trend boho chic. Young inspirational figures such as Kate Moss and Sienna Miller were seen in new fashions and the consumer did not want to wait another season for this trend forcing retailers to bring the production forward. Ex-Brand Director for Topshop, Jane Shepherdson explained that when Sienna wore a gilet they had to pull them forward fast. Sienna was creating boho in the autumn when retailers such as Topshop had expected it to be a trend for Spring. Having to pull the production forward and get them into stores quicker was a process named fast fashion. (Wikipedia, 2014)
There is always a high demand for the latest trends at cheaper prices. Fashion retailers such as Zara have a way to deliver these demands well. The company is vertically integrated which means they can control the design, manufacturing and distribution factors better as a business. They outsource labour-intensive operations such as garment sewing to local businesses, Using a local business means that they can respond quicker to mass production of items that are selling well and also they can easily cut off production of
According to the Oxford dictionary over consumption is ‘The action or fact of consuming something to excess.’ (2014) Over the last few generations fashion has become an expression of not just class but personality. Consumers have been turning to disposable fashion to stand out and stay in touch with the latest trends. Fashion has become the biggest Industry susceptible to trends. In the UK almost six billion items of clothing is owned in the UK which is equivalent to nearly 100 items per person. 1.7 billion of these items are unworn at home. (WRAP 2012) These facts show the extent to which the Fashion Industry is consumed and the speed of which it is doing so.
Retailers today have found themselves to be in competition with each other over fashion trends, creating ‘fast fashion.’ Fast fashion was created in early 2000’s with the trend boho chic. Young inspirational figures such as Kate Moss and Sienna Miller were seen in new fashions and the consumer did not want to wait another season for this trend forcing retailers to bring the production forward. Ex-Brand Director for Topshop, Jane Shepherdson explained that when Sienna wore a gilet they had to pull them forward fast. Sienna was creating boho in the autumn when retailers such as Topshop had expected it to be a trend for Spring. Having to pull the production forward and get them into stores quicker was a process named fast fashion. (Wikipedia, 2014)
There is always a high demand for the latest trends at cheaper prices. Fashion retailers such as Zara have a way to deliver these demands well. The company is vertically integrated which means they can control the design, manufacturing and distribution factors better as a business. They outsource labour-intensive operations such as garment sewing to local businesses, Using a local business means that they can respond quicker to mass production of items that are selling well and also they can easily cut off production of