The Impact of Immediacy

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THE IMPACT OF IMMEDIACY L’Officiel Indonesia digs into the core of fast fashion phenomenon, where quality is starting to be overpowered by quantity.

BY CARISSA VICKY

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arlier this year, Burberry broke the news that they are not going to follow the traditional runway calendar anymore. Instead of holding four shows a year, they are going to present two shows by combining menswear and womenswear together and create a ‘seasonless’ collection that is immediately available for purchase after the show. By aligning the runway and retail calendar together, Burberry is on the lead for a game-changing shift in the fashion industry. What we are witnessing here is a result from the shift of culture. We live in the digital age where culture of immediacy is causing disruptions in the fashion system.

Christopher Bailey, Chief Executive Officer of Burberry, sees the need for a change in the system because there has been a change in the way customers thinks and behaves. Fashion shows were once events that are exclusively attended by editors and buyers – the people who ‘dictate’ how the industry works. Yet nowadays, it is a common sight to see the runways flooded with influencers and bloggers sitting in front rows, shoving their phones cameras to capture the ‘moment’ and share it through social media. For some, they are heroes.

They democratise fashion. They are the new curators who dictate how fashion and trends are perceived by the world.

However, the uncontrollable nature of digital media can be very dangerous. Back in the days, the flow of information can be easily controlled. In the digital world, news travels fast and this constant exposure to new things and trends, which might not be carefully curated, is slowly causing an impact to the industry.

This leads to shifting shopping behaviour for consumer of all ages and budgets alike. You might find it hard to believe, but when Kim Kardashian post a naked selfie

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on her instagram with her private parts censored, sales for black bandeaus suddenly show some increase in number. People want what they see (on their favourite celebrities/influencers) and they want it now.

It gave birth to the “See Now, Buy Now” – a method many high-fashion brands such as Prada and Tom Ford are currently trying to implement. By catering to the excitement of the moment, the model could potentially drive more sales instead of driving it towards the sales rack seasons after. Christopher Bailey, who is at the forefront of this model, had mentioned that you couldn’t expect consumers to understand why there is a time gap between the showing and the release of the collection. This demand is what currently threatening the luxury fashion houses. This threat is seen as an opportunity for companies like H&M and Forever21.

They grasp the opportunity by providing what the consumers desired. Spanish retail giant, Zara, even managed to attract more shoppers with distribution of new items in limited quantities to stores worldwide every twice a week – further more fuelling the incentive to buy now or miss out forever.

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“They are very separated, yet they are very dependent on each other, because the commercial vision needs to pay for the creative vision’s existence, in a way”

CREDIT PHOTO

The speed, however, is becoming faster and faster. To compete in such a competitive industry, and to mention a fast one, creativity is needed and there is a limit to creativity before you are bound to burnout. Take Raf Simons for example. He finally gave his last bow in Dior, refusing to take ‘part’ in the fast fashion phenomenon. Demna Gvasalia, creative director of Balenciaga and Vetements, also mentioned in a recent interview with Business of Fashion that there is a disconnect between the creative vision and the commercial vision, “They are very separated, yet they are very dependent on each other, because the commercial vision needs to pay for the creative vision’s existence, in a way. This dependency creates an unbalanced relationship because the market dictates what creativity needs to do, in order to sell.”

So, while designers are struggling to create something new every season, retailers, which probably are going through the same creativity burnout to keep up with the pace they set on their own, are taking references from the unlimited access of designers’ collection available on the internet six months before it is supposed to hit the store.

Perhaps this alone can explain why we are no longer excited when Proenza Schouler’s latest collection hit the store, for we might have already seen a similar design on the display of the nearest Zara’s store.

Is digital media a threat then? Maybe it is time for us to take a step back and reassess the whole situation. The world is constantly evolving and to be human is to be able to adapt to the situation and to be current. Fashion is no exception when it comes to conversion. Embracing change is a must to survive. However the disruption is already happening. It might not result in chaos just yet, but hell is about to break loose if the situation goes on for a foreseeable future. Imagine the fashion industry as a full speed train and all those who are involved it in, designers, retailers, consumers are the passengers. The train is going so fast, perhaps experiencing some slight bumps along the road, but the faster the train goes, the higher the chance that it will run off its rail.

There are reasons why the Italian Fashion Chamber as well as several fashion houses such as Hermes, Chloe and Chanel rejects the idea of immediacy. The previous system has worked for quite some times for a reason. It protected both the creative and the commercial aspect of the industry. The road we are heading now is a path that kills the business, as well as creativity. We cannot just turn a blind eye to this whole situation. Fashion is in a state of revolution, whether it is for better or worse, no one knows.