The Rise of Fashion and Why Slow Fashion is so Important

The Rise of Fashion

If you look in anyone’s wardrobe (myself included) they are many outfits to choose from. However, this was not always the case. During ancient times if you owned more than two changes of clothing you would have been deemed as middle class.

The desire for a larger, more elaborate wardrobe increased alongside society’s wealth, and during the 14th-century fashion evolved.

“Fashion- the latest style of clothing, hair, decoration, or behaviour”

Oxford Dictionary

Clothing went from being a necessity so we were not running around naked, but to a statement. The desire to wear more elaborate clothing was driven by monarchs who could afford the cost of having expensive outfits. In fact, King Louis XIV is credited with establishing “haute couture” and introducing the seasonality of fashion.

The Industrial Revolution

As the demand for clothing increased, so did the workload for seamstresses and tailors and home sewists would have to spend hours trying to keep the few garments that they owned in good repair. A solution was needed, and this solution was provided in the form of a mechanical sewing machine. The first sewing machine was created in the late 1700s during the industrial revolution.

The advent of sewing machines hugely reduced the time it took to fix or sew a garment and the first sewing factories were opened. This was the beginning of the mass production of clothing.

Fast Fashion

Prior to the 20th century, the fashion industry used to prepare four rounds of styles per season. One for each season; spring, summer, autumn, and winter. A vast amount of research was undertaken by fashion designers prior to a launch to try to figure out what the consumer wanted. However, the rise of fast fashion meant that what was in fashion this week is now out of fashion by next week.

“Fast Fashion- inexpensive clothing produced rapidly by mass-market retailers in response to the latest trends”

- Oxford Dictionary

This vast turnaround in what is popular means that 92 million tons of textile waste is produced every single year! That’s one truckload every second! Not to mention the human rights issues that have become apparent in the garment manufacturing industry in recent years.

Slow Fashion

As the name suggests, slow fashion is the complete opposite of fast fashion. Garments are chosen, or constructed by carefully considering the processes and resources that went into making them.

Slow fashion has increased during the last few years and consumers are becoming more concerned with the ramifications of the fast fashion industry. The slow fashion ideology fits really well with garment sewing.

Sewing Your Own Clothes

By sewing your own clothes you can be part of the entire process, and if you wish, completely reject fashion. By making your own clothes you get to choose. For me, this is one of the most empowering parts of sewing. I can choose to sew a garment that I know will suit me, fit my body shape, and in a colour or pattern that I love.

I find that I very rarely visit high street retailers anymore and rely on many of the brilliant independent pattern companies to help me decide on what I should make next. Independent pattern designers often create fashion-inspired patterns but with a unique twist. Therefore, in my opinion, I am likely wearing something more fashionable than anything I could buy in a shop.

Remember- “Fast fashion isn’t free. Someone, somewhere is paying.”

— Lucy Siegle