Volume 1 // Research & Conceptual Design by Kathryn Costa

Revolt /evol/ A CALL FOR A FASHION REVOLUTION

KATIE COSTA // UNIVERSITY OF CINCINNATI

/volume 1 - research & conceptual design/

Revolt /evol/

KATIE COSTA // UNIVERSITY OF CINCINNATI THIS PROJECT IS DEDICATED TO RACHEL, MY FOREVER FASHION FRIEND

the contents ZARA ADVERTISEMENT

/table of contents/ 4 the background 16 the trends

42 the problem

54 the precedents 66 the site

96 the program

116 the appendices

the background 6

RUNWAY SHOW

/fashion is a powerful tool; like a second skin that we can tweak to be any version of ourselves/

For many years, fashion has been a central component of who I am, how I express myself, and how I form connections with others. As a reserved person, I find that I often use fashion in the place of words as a method of portraying my sense of self. I believe that fashion is a powerful tool; like a second skin that we can tweak to be any version of ourselves, as well as a foundation for creating connections with others. Some of my best memories with my mother growing up are the moments we have shared shopping together, with my teenage-driven journey into establishing a personal style occurring alongside her own style awakening. Fashion was also a connection basis for one of my closest high school friendships, a bond that

culminated in a trip to New York Cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Spring 2012 Fashion Week. The pure enchantment I experienced on that trip remains with me to this day, fueling my passion for fashion and creating a desire to use interior design to deliver that same magic I feel to others.

FASHION CONNECTS US ALL. That fact has only become increasingly true in the last thirty years as the making of clothing has become a global process, passing through many hands to arrive at a marketable product.1 These products are exactly what have had such a positive influence on my own life. But what is the true cost of that happiness? Who and what are suffering so that I may buy without a second thought? The first time I realized

I was part of the fashion problem was in 2013 with the collapse of the Savar building in Rana Plaza, a factory complex in Bangladesh responsible for various savvy-shopper brands, many of which I recognized from my own wardrobe. Since this tragedy, I have become increasingly interested in what the true global impact of fashion is. Despite this interest, I have continued to frequent the brands at the core of the issue over the last two years. By asking myself what it would take to change my own shopping habits, I believe I can answer that same question for the large number of people who are as zealous about fashion as I am, creating a capstone with meaning and validity, working towards a better, more fashionable future.

/define/ /fast fashion/

quality < quantity Apparel that is produced at an accelerated pace with inexpensive materials and labor in order to provide consumers a plethora of options at low prices. The clothing is typically very on-trend, although it is not exclusively fashion fads, and is not intended for long term, repeated wear.

/slow fashion/

quality > quantity A counter-movement to fast fashion that focuses on producing apparel in an environmentally and socially sustainable way, encompassing ideas such as fair wages for workers, safe work environments, clothing intended to last, minimal environmental impact, and knowing where clothing is being produced.

BLACK FRIDAY CROWD

why fast fashion? Fast fashion retailers are making record profits despite a growing amount of negative press detailing uses of slave labor, both domestically and in third world countries, and horrific detriments to the environment. The primary explanation for people continuing to buy this clothing is not due to lack of awareness. Rather, it is a culture of buying cheap and buying often to constantly refresh a personal style that has emerged in the past twenty years, amplified by the use of technology as a tool of constant connection to new trends and trendsetters. Even if a person is interested in ethical, sustainable fashion, labels are inconceivably ambiguous, making it difficult to determine what the responsible brands are. This is especially true for

in-store shopping; the market lacks a brick-and-mortar store dedicated to affordable, responsible fashion whose responsibility is tangible. The fashion industry is glamorous, it is seductive, and it has some dirty secrets. The ultimate goals of this capstone are to educate people on what responsible, transparent fashion is and how it can affect them on both a personal level and the world at-large, as well as provide the means to make purchasing that fashion much simpler than it currently is. Additionally, I am interested in how clothing is made, how social and environmental sustainability is achieved and quantified, and how that clothing can be made affordable, making an in-depth look at production methods essential.

/survey/results/

/based on a survey of 45 peers within the united states/

/important clothing qualities/

89% 84% 84% 76% 73% 62% want

want

affordability

style

fit

need

comfort

Quality

/only.../

of people look for Production methods or sustainability concerns when purchasing clothing

/only.../

19% 10

of surveyed people knew the meaning of the phrase â&#x20AC;&#x153;fast fashionâ&#x20AC;?

>>>>>and 87% yet>>>>> >>>>>and 91% yet>>>>>

people would pay more for 78% ofethically-produced clothing

of people would pay more for environmentally conscious clothing

of those surveyed frequent brands that are either traditional fast fashion or brands who practice fast fashion practices

/analysis/ Clothing for social and ethical good is an admirable and vital cause that can be utilized as a selling point for clothing. It cannot, however, be the only thing clothing has to offer. Ultimately, fashion is about individuality and indulgence; by focusing solely on the issues behind the clothing, the allure ceases to exist. This is why interior design plays such a critical role in this concept - by using space to create an experience, another facet is added to the act of purchasing responsible fashion, enhancing its desirability. The goal is not to in any way suffocate the fashion experience

MIAMI SWIM FASHION WEEK

by forcing a slimmed-down, cookiecutter wardrobe consisting only of basics: a reputation that slow fashion is prone to having. Rather, it is advocating for passionate fashion, something that has the ability to evoke the same excitement five years from now that it does at the point of purchase. Fashion should be an investment in happiness over a vicious cycle of instant gratification. Space can work to be an integral part in the understanding of the significance of a purchase, as well as learning how to make more educated choices.

/scope/ By focusing on slow fashion ideals, which involve challenging the new normal of ephemeral clothing, I will create a space dedicated to complete transparency and responsibility in the full cycle of fashion that works to engage a wide variety of fashion consumers. This space will work to create physical transparency and allow customers to interact with the process, ultimately bringing clarity to a complex industry. These ideas will come to life in a retail space that focuses on experiential shopping through educational opportunities and various methods of brand interaction. As a result of this center, consumers will not only have the opportunity to make more conscientious decisions about their purchases, but also play a more significant role in the clothing that they are wearing and purchasing, emphasizing fashionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ultimate objective â&#x20AC;&#x201C; self-expression.

TOPSHOP OPENING

/soul/ The principal goals of this project are the awareness and addressing of the concerns behind fashion, both calling attention to the current plight of the fashion industry and working to rectify its inadequacies. By keeping these issues at the forefront, this project will have a strong foundation in social and environmental justice in the industry. // Lack of affordable, ethical clothing // Rana Plaza and subsequent disaster awareness // Overabundance of donated garments // Water usage // Unequal distribution of wealth // Lack of awareness of where fashion is coming from // Neurological response to finding a deal // Slave labor // Sweatshop-like conditions // Subcontracting & lack of regulation // Clothes sharing // Slow fashion movement // Consumer addiction to fast fashion // Lack of transparency in industry // Reaching those who find fashion frivolous

/significance/industry/ Fashion is an industry that affects everyone. In most societies, not only is clothing a necessity, but a method of self-expression and individuality. As a result, my capstone has the potential to positively influence all. The majority of producers of fashion are from third world countries, as well as the marginalized in more modern cultures. By supporting companies that believe in the humane treatment of workers through safe working conditions and livable wages, consumers have the power to make retailer leads listen and change their own practices, sparking a needed change in the fashion

industry. Consumers stand to benefit from this capstone in a multitude of ways. For anyone already invested in the slow fashion movement, my space will make it easy to access fashion they can see is responsible through transparency. With the interactive education aspect, those who are not as knowledgeable about the fashion industry have the opportunity to learn and make more educated choices. Even for those who do not necessarily care about what fast fashion is doing to this planet and its people can still benefit by having access to reasonably priced, high quality clothing options.

SLOW FASHION AD

/significance/space/ Spatially, this project looks to incorporate the educative qualities of a museum into a retail space with the ultimate goal of creating a dynamic, engaging user journey that tells a story and sells the product supporting the slow fashion narrative. Conceptually, this project promotes purchasing less for a greater good. This causes it to fall in an atypical niche of retail; one focused on elevating product rather than necessarily moving it off the shelves. By focusing on education behind the product rather than the marketing of it, the space can

redefine what the retail experience is. Product will need to feel special and desirable, taking cues from luxury retailers and applying them to midrange brands. Furthermore, promoting transparency in the fashion industry will create interesting opportunities for unique spaces focused on ultimate customer engagement. With this project, the fashion and interior design industries will be reenvisioned for a future of simultaneous growth in responsibility, with space being used as a method of elevating product to reflect its newfound basis in ethicality.

/sources/info/ 1 // "Globalization Changes the Face of Textile, Clothing and Footwear Industries." International Labour Organization. October 28, 1996. Accessed July 19, 2015.

/sources/pics/ Page 2 // “Free Zara Ads Pictures.” Good Pix Gallery. 2014. Accessed July 12, 2015. Page 4 // Janjigian, Lori. “A Tomboy Takes Fashion Week.” The Huffington Post. September 14, 2013. Accessed July 16, 2015. Page 6-7 // Osborne, Hannah. “Black Friday 2014: Why Shopping for Deals Makes People Go Crazy.” International Business Times. November 24, 2014. Accessed July 16, 2015. Page 9 // “Fashion Runway.” Img Need. June 6, 2015. Accessed July 16, 2015. Page 10-11 // “Topshop Opens in Brisbane.” EVH. December 10, 2013. Accessed July 18, 2015. Page 12-13 // “Five Tips to Slow Fashion.” BlogHer. January 12, 2015. Accessed July 16, 2015. Page 14-15 // Bedat, Maxine, and Soraya Darabi. “Taking A Stand.” Zady. April 9, 2014. Accessed July 20, 2015.

the trends 18

3D PRINTED FASHION

/Retailers have no motivation /themes & insights/ to1/socially be transparent /Theme /Theme 2/ /Themein 3/ their and Environmentally Transparency in Creating an business practicesAffordable without Responsible Fashion/ Industry/ Market/ the demand from customers/ // People are addicted to finding deals and purchasing without need // Clothing is responsible for 20% of pesticide use worldwide, pollution from dyes and processing, and an overuse of water1 // Donation centers receive more clothing than they know what to do with, oftentimes sending it overseas2 // Fast fashion companies are still being called out for using slave labor today, domestically and overseas // There are few effective ways to recycle used clothing into new // Many people are not interested in an anti-fashion movement (creating long-lasting products that defy trends and fads) // Ultimately, fashion is a visual field and needs to look good first in order to keep people interested

// While work factories are monitored, work is often subcontracted out to unregulated factories, which is when issues arise // People lack awareness of where their clothing comes from and how it is made // Retailers have no motivation to be transparent in their business practices without the demand from customers // Buying unsustainable fashion tells brands it is okay to be unsustainable // Oftentimes brands have no idea where their products are being produced // Australia - 61% of companies do not know where their products are made3 // There are many people who do not care about fashion, making it even more difficult to engage & educate them

// The market for responsible, affordable fashion is very limited today // Fashion brand owners: richest people in world // Fashion production: poorest people in world // Since the 1990â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s, retailers have consistently moved production overseas to save money4 // Passing of the Trans-Pacific Partnership may put imported retailers at an advantage due to reduced import taxes // Garments made in the fast fashion industry model are made cheap and not designed to last

NSP ARE NCY

/Now/

BLIN D >>

TRA

Most companies have no handle on where their products are being produced, with many certified factories subcontracting out to places with no regulations or safety precautions. In 2013, 1,129 people lost their lives in an unregulated Bangladesh factory when the floors collapsed due to upper floor generators5 RANA PLAZA BUILDING COLLAPSE

/Future/

Focus will be placed on transparency in production, knowing where clothing is produced and giving business to companies who treat their employees and the environment with respect6 Organizations like Fashion Revolution are working to make responsible fashion more accessible to all, as well as raise awareness about the dangers of fast fashion7

FASHION REVOLUTION AD

G NIN MEA

/Now/

S LES

Americans buy approximately 70 garments a year, or more than one a week, and only wear 50% of what they have in their closets8 This leads to many wasted garments that eventually are disposed of

LUE

A >> V

CELEBRITY CLOSET

/Future/

People will place more value in the things that they own, Making smarter, more versatile, better quality clothing purchases. Since the factory collapse in Bangladesh in 2013, much more awareness has been brought to unjust, unsustainable practices9

3 // FASHION REVOLUTION ORGANIZED AD CLOSET

>> L OCA L

Up until the 1960â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s, 95% of American fashion was produced in the United States, with the majority of that production taking place in New York Cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Garment District10 1932 NEW YORK CITY GARMENT FACTORY

/Now/

LOC

AL > > GL OBA L

/past/

CHINESE GARMENT FACTORY

Only 2% of clothing is currently produced in the United States, with Neoliberalism and the subsequent globalization caused by it pushing many companies to move their production overseas, with the majority in third world countries with inexpensive labor10

/Future/

AMERICAN APPAREL FACTORY

There will be a resurgence in interest in domestic production, with a focus on fair labor and boosting the local economy, as well as pride in work. Companies like American Apparel are already working towards the implementation of this movement10

UR NAT E NTH > SY AL >

/Now/

Cotton and polyester are used about equally in clothing creation, with them each accounting for approximately 45% of clothing worn by people today11

TIC

COTTON FIELD

/Future/

While cotton production levels are projected to stay about the same for the next ten years due to limitations created by a finite amount of available land area, polyester will see massive growth as the demand for quantity of clothing continues to increase12

POLYESTER CLOTHING

>> S HAR ING

/Now/

OWN ING

Fashion is mostly considered an individual purchase, buying and keeping something until it is either worn down or out of style13 Satisfaction typically comes in the form of owning, primarily so when that purchase is for something new

SHOPPING HAUL VIDEO SCREENSHOT

/Future/

With Millennials embracing business models such as Uber, bike shares, and crowdfunding, they pave the way for companies that allow them to access better goods through trading, borrowing, and sharing, a viable business model for the fashion industry to access new trends without being wasteful14,15

UBER CAR

ICE CHO I NTIC >> A

/Now/

O PAT

We live in a world oversaturated with choices. It has been proven that a person feels paralysis and dissatisfaction when presented with too many choices. Today, the tendency of designers is to provide customers with as many options as possible, such as Old Navyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s overwhelming number of colors of flip flops16 OLD NAVY FLIP FLOPS

/Future/

Anticipatory design is a radical shift in terms of thinking about how design is done. It seeks to address convenience and quality when making decisions, decreasing the number of micro decisions in a day and allowing people to focus on more important matters16

CLOTHING DISPLAY

/steep/social/ /rana plaza savar building collapse/ Effect: Vogue calls this the 21st century version of the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire, an incident that created awareness and eventually led to a safer garment industry.17 Right after the Rana Plaza disaster, major awareness was brought to the horror that is Bangladesh garment production. The collapse was the most deadly structural failure in modern history, and many died after being forced to work in a building known to have cracking structure.18 It was a major push in concern about ethical fashion, leading to a global interest in how fashion can be made better. It has also encouraged a discussion about how brands can become more transparent in their production, as they often do not know how and where their clothing is being produced. “The Rana Plaza collapse was certainly not the first such occurrence but it

struck a chord; it really seemed to resonate with people,” said Stephanie Hepburn, an author focused on human trafficking in the fashion industry.19 That attention has been good and bad for Bangladesh’s garment industry, according to Srienivas Reddy, the Bangladesh director for the International Labour Organization.19 On the one hand, it has spurred international brands to take an interest in the country, supplying funding, time, and ideas to improving the garment industry. On the other, it has created pressure for the industry to improve rapidly. “All these issues evolved over the course of the past 30 years, but people wanted to see them fixed in months,” Reddy said, “Some people felt like, ‘Why is everyone focused on Bangladesh when there are a lot of other exporting countries that don’t meet these international standards?’”

SAVAR BUILDING

/steep/social/ /taylor swift bbma jumpsuit/ Effect: After Taylor Swift wore a Balmain designer white jumpsuit to the Billboard Music Awards, retailer Nasty Gal tweeted an image of a strikingly similar product available on their website, claiming that was what Swift had worn on the red carpet. This

sparked an immediate sellout of the product and was followed up with backlash from people that felt Nasty Gal claimed ownership knowing it was a copy.20 There is a systemic issue of copying in fashion made complicated by a lack of copyrighting laws.

/Keeping up with clothing demands/

TAYLOR SWIFT AT BBMAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S

Effect: Retailers are being asked to be transparent in their business practices, but increased demands make that impossible. While work is given to factories that are regularly inspected and maintained, work is often subcontracted out to other factories that are not monitored. Garment-trade veterans say the industry simply would not run without these subcontractors.5 While most brands require approval of subcontracted work so factories can be inspected, the lengthy process oftentimes forces factories to skip the process. There are many documented instances of companies being caught

in scandals when unregulated factories collapse or burn without them knowing their products were being produced there.21 Transparency is a major issue in fashion right now. Even places that have been considered successful in terms of ethical fashion have had their issues. Cambodia is sometimes touted as a model for the global industry, partly because it was the first major garment producer to be monitored by the International Labor Organization.22 Over the past two years, however, workers there have struggled, sometimes at great risk to themselves, to obtain fair wages. 27

/steep/social/ /Shopping for the action of shopping rather than the good/ Effect: Research shows that the brain finds pleasure in the pursuit of inexpensive things, and high-street chains and online retailers sites are cashing in. Secondhand stores receive more clothes than they can manage and landfills are overstuffed with clothing and shoes that do not break down easily.23 Studies done by researchers from Stanford, MIT, and Carnegie Mellon have shown that while the pleasure center of the brain lights up when shown a desirable item, this feeling directly correlates with the price of the item, with an overall increase in happiness when the item appears to be a deal.24

The only way to turn a profit selling clothing as cheap as it currently is to sell massive quantities of it, a business model that fast fashion retailers have capitalized on, with Americans purchasing more than one item of clothing each week on average. Americaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Research Group, which interviews 10,000 to 15,000 consumers a week on behalf of retailers, says that even in the aftermath of two deadly tragedies in Bangladesh in 2013, shoppers seem more concerned with the fit and price of their clothing than whether they were made in factories where workers are safe and are provided reasonable wages.25

SHOE SHOPPING

/steep/social/ /planned obsolescence/

Effect: Planned obsolescence is a strategic method to sell more product by intentionally shortening its lifespan.27 This can occur with either a technical deficiency that renders the product useless or a stylistic shift that makes the product undesirable. This allows companies to have complete control of the market. This idea is the driver behind fast fashion; it is the constant need to update a wardrobe due to new styles and cheap apparel deterioration. The practice is completely unsustainable and is the reason slow fashion is beginning to gain traction in the fashion industry.

ANDROGYNOUS FASHION

/Gender Inequalities/

Effect: Fashion is very much influenced by gender, race, and sexual identification. Fashion can be one of the most discriminating industries, when describing looks and shapes. However, the trend as of late seems to be overall acceptance: whether that be a larger range of body types, a more equal representation of races, or a trend of androgynous dressing. A recent scandal in fashion exclusion involved the banning of flat shoes for women on the Cannes Film Festival red carpet.26 Rather than the fashion industry agreeing that women on a red carpet must look a certain way to be fashionable enough to participate, it sparked a major debate on why a rule like this is so discriminatory, with much of the fashion community agreeing.

/steep/technological/ /Technology /Rise of Technology redefining fashion/ & blogs/ Effect: Fashion has always had mixed reactions to technology. Apple is one of the first to successfully create an accessory that the fashion community someone is interested in wearing, with future projections promising more of the same.28 Diane von Furstenbergâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 2012 runway show featured models in Google glass, but there was a general consensus that the fashion industry was not accepting of such an unfashionable technology piece.29 For tech to truly become mainstream in the fashion industry, it must be functional, simple, and look beautiful. NPD Group predicts that 9% of Americans will own a smart watch by next year.30

Effect: As the world becomes increasingly connected in the digital landscape, the influencers of fashion have dramatically shifted.31 As fashion magazines become a dying industry and fashion week expands beyond the main stages, people are turning to internet fashion stars more than ever for the latest trends and styles.32

APPLE WATCH FASHION

/steep/technological/ /e-commerce customer service over brick & mortar store/ Effect: In a study done by Forrester, it was discovered that companies with an online-only presence are ranked much higher than stores with both online and store presences.33 This speaks to the millennial generation that prefers to shop at home, as well as retailers working diligently to ensure that an online retail experience is successful.

3D PRINTED SHOES

/3D printing/ Effect: Fashion has been enthralled with the idea of 3D printing since its advent. Lâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Oreal has just announced its partnership with Organovo, a bioprinting company to create human skin for product testing. Organovo is ultimately working to print functioning organs that can be implanted into humans, making skin for safe product testing a lucrative but small part of what they do.34 Lâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Oreal believes that 3D skin is the way forward for safe and effective product testing. Runway shows have started to feature 3D printed shoes, accessories, and even clothing, paving the way for a world of very exciting fashion and decent working conditions.35

/steep/economical/ /Chinaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s economy slowing down/ Effect: China, known as one of the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fastest growing economies not long ago, is facing slowing growth rates. This is due to a multitude of factors such as an unsustainable high growth rate previously, a workingage population peak in 2012, and a large increase in total country debt.36 While a slow down in growth is not necessarily a bad thing, it has affected the fashion industry of China, primarily in the luxury and department store industries.37 Recently the Chinese markets have rapidly crashed as a result of the overinvesting of borrowed money by much of the population. While the long-term effects are yet unfounded, it is safe to say that this will affect fashion, as China is the largest producer of fashion in the world.38

/L.A. to raise minimum wage to $15/hr by 2020/ Effect: Many fashion brands have factories in Los Angeles for creating clothing quickly, used primarily for more specialized, smaller jobs to supply U.S. brands. Raising the cost to have employees in the area makes it even more difficult for an American fashion factory to survive when labor is so much cheaper overseas.39 Similar efforts are being made nationwide, with proposals in the works to raise the federal minimum wage to $10.10 from $7.25.40

LA WAGE PROTESTS

/steep/environmental/ /California Drought/

Effect: California currently produces 75% of the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s designer jeans, with one pair of jeans requiring up to 2,900 gallons of water to produce.41 It takes more than 100 gallons of water to produce one single pound of raw cotton or shorn wool, not including what is needed for rinsing and preparing the product, or washing and dying the fabric once the material is made.42 This presents a huge problem for places like California, where a large majority of domestic clothing is produced, because of water shortages that are only growing in severity.

CALIFORNIA DROUGHT

/Pesticides & Insecticides/

Effect: There is a global effort to reduce the use of pesticides and insecticides because of their harmful effects on the environment. Cotton uses 22.5% of the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s insecticides and 10% of all pesticides on 2.5% of agricultural land, making fashion a major contributor to global pollution.43 Cotton is the most pesticide-intensive crop in the world, which is not only an environmental skill, but also a health one, with pesticides injuring and killing many people each year.4 The usage of these have many harmful effects; Chlorpyrifos, used in West African cotton, causes brain and fetal damage, impotence and sterility in the communities surrounding the fields.44 It also takes up a large proportion of agricultural land, much of which is needed by local people to grow their own food.

/steep/environmental/ /Environmental Consciousness/ Effect: Over the course of the last ten years, being ecologically friendly has transformed from a bohemian trend to a mainstream customer concern. This concern affects the way a customer purchases fashion; in a 2014 Nielsen survey, more than half of 30,000 people surveyed were willing to pay more for fashion produced in an environmentally friendly way.45 As customers demand more transparency in production, many retailers are taking steps to become more sustainable, even if those steps do not lead them to being labeled a sustainable company.

/Climate Change/ Effect: With climates generally becoming warmer, it is slowly changing the type of clothing we wear season to season. Winter styles that were typically sold in September are now not needed until months later, creating larger losses for retailers who are following traditional clothing introduction calendars.46 Retailers are now consulting with climatologists to determine the time to sell certain products most effectively.

GLOBAL WARMING EFFECTS

/steep/political/ /Political Figures in Fashion/ Effect: As the 2016 presidential election approaches, fashion will be heavily influenced by politics, as will politics by fashion. As the primary democratic and female candidate, Hillary Clinton is likely to receive a lot

of coverage based on her wardrobe.47 Other examples of political fashion icons are Michelle Obama and Kate Middleton, both known for their influence in the fashion world and the ability to sell garments.48

/Maritime Silk Road/ Effect: China has a $16.3 billion fund to finance the construction of transportation infrastructure linking its markets to three continents.49 The fund, overseen by Chinese policy banks, will be used to build and expand railways, roads and pipelines in Chinese provinces that are part of a strategy to facilitate trade over land and shipping routes. The focus of the Maritime Silk Road is to support and facilitate booming trade growth between Asia and Africa, following the centuries-old Silk Road trading route.50

MICHELLE OBAMA

The land route â&#x20AC;&#x153;focuses on bringing together China, Central Asia, Russia and Europe,â&#x20AC;? creating a massive loop linking three continents.51 China hopes to gain closer cultural and political ties with each of the countries along the Silk Road. This route will provide huge opportunities in trade and industry overall, with fashion being included. Africa in particular will benefit, a market with the potential for fashion that lacks the connections in infrastructure and culture to become a global entity currently.

/steep/political/ /Trans-Pacific Partnership/ Effect: The Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP)is meant to help promote trade between participating countries which include Vietnam, Japan, Malaysia, and Australia by reducing tariffs and other costs associated with importing and exporting goods from one country to another.52 On a global scale, import taxes cause brands to lose money outside of their country headquarters, so this partnership works to offset those costs, making the global market much more accessible. The savings that companies accumulate due to this partnership can then be passed on to consumers, making it mutually beneficial. However, there are some issues with the TPP. Primarily, it will make it even less expensive to import goods into the U.S., further discouraging domestic production. There are also many legal issues surrounding it. The Investor-State Dispute Settlement (ISDS), one part of the partnership, would allow a company to sue a 36

governmental body if it was not happy with its manufacturing or marketing practices. For instance, Nike could sue the Vietnamese government if it did not comply with labor laws. Currently Phillip Morris Asia, a cigarette corporation, is suing the Australian government through a different trade pact because it says that Australian law — which requires cigarettes to be packed plainly so that they will seem less desirable — is cutting into the tobacco giant’s profit.53 While the ISDS could be used for good or bad, many believe it gives big corporations too much power. On May 8th, Obama chose to make his big speech about the importance of the TPP at Nike, a multibillion-dollar company that could save millions each year under the agreement. Nike manufactures more shoes in Vietnam than anywhere else and pays a tariff of 30% on every pair imported, making them a prime example of TPP benefitters. CIGARETTE PLAIN PACKAGING

/steep/political/ Effect: It has been said that “fashion reflects the temper of the times” in that when political stability and economic prosperity reign, frivolous fashion dominates the runways and shelves.54

/Fashion & Politics/

The opposite can be said during a political or economical downturn; consumer confidence takes a hit and fashion sways towards sensible and practical during unstable times.

/Neoliberalism Opening up Global Trade/ Effect: Neoliberalism is a set of ideas that caught on from the mid to late 1970’s, famously associated with the economic policies introduced by Margaret Thatcher in the United Kingdom and Ronald Reagan in the United States following their elections in 1979 and 1981.55 The ‘neo’ part of neoliberalism indicates that there is something new about it, suggesting that it is an updated version of older ideas about ‘liberal economics’ which has long argued that markets should be free from intervention by the state. In its simplest version, it reads: markets good, government bad.56 This attitude liberates the market, opening RONALD REAGAN

it up globally. Fashion has absolutely been influenced by this shift in the past twenty five years. In the 1960’s, the United States was making 95% of the clothing purchased in the country. Today, that number is 3%. Many businesses have moved their manufacturing overseas because of the lack of restrictions and cheaper labor prices in other countries. Lacking any sort of governmental regulation, it is up to the individual company to set their own voluntary ethical standards for manufacturing. This is exactly what causes the lack of ownership that has led to the many negative impacts of the fashion industry today. 37

/historical bkgd./ /The Sewing Machine Becomes /Post WWII Purchasing Mainstream/ Power/ Early 1900’s 1940’s Priorto the 1900’s, high quality garments were a luxury because they could only be available through professional dressmakers. By the turn of the century, however, the sewing machine had became relatively common and the first factory- assembled ready-towear garments became available in department stores.57 At this point, handmade clothing remained the most frugal option, making true fashion still only for the very wealthy.

After a period of conservation and rations for the war effort, people were going back to work and living the American dream, able to purchase a variety of new goods on the market. Women in particular continued to work after starting jobs while the men were fighting overseas, thereby gaining a newfound purchasing power.58 This led to a fashion peak focused on work wear and a surge in the amount of clothing people owned due to increased budgets and a flood of materials in the market after years of rationing.

1940’S VOGUE PHOTOGRAPH

/SOUTH KOREAN immigration/ Early 1960’s The Korean War in the early 1950’s left South Korea devastated. A damaged economy and infrastructure lead to the migration of many citizens to the Americas.59 They settled in various areas, including Los Angeles and New York City. They had little knowledge of the culture or trades of the places they were reaching, so they brought what they knew; the making and selling textiles and clothing. Their influence inspired major growth in the fashion production industry and these cities remain two largest producers of fashion in the country today.

/Reaganomics & Neoliberalism Globalize Fashion Industry/ 1980’s Prior to Neoliberalism, tight state government regulations kept many industries local, including fashion. The whole idea behind neoliberalism is that state was the root of societal evil, that free markets could do nearly everything better than government, and that the economic crises of the past were the result of state meddling. Under the guidance of Ronald Reagan in the United States and Margaret Thatcher in the United Kingdom, neoliberalism got the boost it needed to be a worldwide trend, opening up the market to much freer trade. This caused many fashion companies to move their manufacturing overseas, where the labor was cheaper and the

regulations were looser. Companies are in no way required to perform to any ethical standard, instead following their own optional ethical guidelines primarily used as a marketing tool. Neoliberalism was also the cause of the rich getting richer and the poor getting poorer, with Reagan’s trickle-down economic idea failing miserably.55 Fashion companies stood to make a huge profit by filling a new market requirement for affordable fashion, made possible by the shift overseas. By increasing the income gap, cheap fashion became an increasingly important commodity as people needed to purchase apparel with less money to dedicate to it.

/historical bkgd. cont./ /H.R. 5055 Proposed in U.s. House of Representatives/ March 30th, 2006

/Save the Garment Center Movement Starts/ 2007

/New York Fashion Week Moves out of the Garment District/ February 3rd, 2009

H.R. 5055, or Design Piracy Prohibition Act, was a bill proposed to protect the copyright of fashion designers in the United States.59 Many fast fashion retailers thrive on a quick response business model, often including taking inspiration from higher-end designers. There are countless incidences of fashion copycats with following lawsuits, so the failure of this bill to pass spoke to the blasĂŠ attitude many feel towards fashion.

Save the Garment Center was formed in response to the consideration by New York Cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s city hall to remove zoning laws that protect the Garment District by keeping it for clothing production purposes.60 This ultimately would have led to the demise of this fashion center, allowing corporate headquarters and high-end housing to take its place. Despite the decline of this area since the shift of production overseas, there are still 846 fashion companies headquartered in this area, making it the largest fashion area in the world.

Fashion Week for New York City began in 1993 in the Garment District and grew there for over 15 years. It was the perfect location due to the proximity to so many fashion studios and helped the city become the fashion capital it is today. The show moved for multiple reasons, including outgrowing the park and increasing difficulty in working with park management.61

/Rana Plaza Garment Factory Collapses/ April 24th, 2013 In the worst modern-day structural failure in history, 1,129 Bangladeshi workers lost their lives when cracks in the foundation of the Savar building caused the it to collapse.17 Shops and a bank on the first floor evacuated the day before when the cracks were discovered, but factory workers were threatened with losing their jobs if they left. After several brand labels were found in the rubble, some being created there without the brand’s knowledge, it sparked international attention to how detrimental fast fashion is to the countries producing the garments.

FASHION REVOLUTION CAMPAIGN

/fashion revolution day/ April 24th, 2014 Fashion Revolution is a movement birthed in response to the aftermath in Rana Plaza. It was discovered that many people and fashion brands had no idea their clothing was being produced in such horrid conditions. In an effort to raise awareness, the tagline “Who made your clothes?” was developed as a multimedia campaign to get consumers involved in the call to brands to be more transparent and responsible in their practices. This day is now an annual event that continues to grow as awareness is raised.6

/sources/info/ 1 // Newell, Andrea. “Conscious Design Can Drive Change in the Fashion Industry.” Triple Pundit. Triple Pundit, 3 Feb. 2015. Web. 28 May 2015. 2 // Frost, Aja. “Forever 21, H&M, Zara, Uniqlo: Who’s Paying for Our Cheap Clothes?” Groundswell. Forbes, 27 Oct. 2014. Web. 27 May 2015. 3 // Donelly, Beau. “Damning Report on Exploitation in Australian Fashion Industry.” The Age. April 16, 2015. Accessed July 16, 2015. 4 // Cachon, Gérard P., and Robert Swinney. “The Value of Fast Fashion: Quick Response, Enhanced Design, and Strategic Consumer Behavior.” Management Science 57.4 (2011): 778-95. Web. 5 // Lahiri, Tripti, and Christina Passariello. “Why Retailers Don’t Know Who Sews Their Clothing.” The Wall Street Journal. July 24, 2013. Accessed July 12, 2015. 6 // Prentzel, Olivia. “#whomademyclothes Demands Transparency in Fashion Industry.” Kicker. April 24, 2015. Accessed July 12, 2015. 7 // Jackson, Jacqueline. “Who Really Pays for Our Clothing?” Environmental Leader. June 3, 2015. Accessed July 12, 2015. 8 // Cline, Elizabeth L. Overdressed: The Shockingly High Cost of Cheap Fashion. New York: Portfolio/Penguin, 2012. Print. 9 // Lutz, Ashley. “This Consumer Trend Could Be Terrible For Fast Fashion Brands.” Business Insider. Business Insider, Inc, 04 Sept. 2014. Web. 27 May 2015. 10 // Vatz, Stephanie. “Why America Stopped Making Its Own Clothes.” The Lowdown. May 24, 2013. Accessed July 12, 2015. 11 // Howell, Stacey. “How Much of the World’s Clothing Is Made From Cotton?” LIVESTRONG. April 13, 2013. Accessed July 12, 2015. 12 // Qin, Yang. “Global Fibres Overview.” Tecnon OrbiChem. May 16, 2014. Accessed July 12, 2015. 13 // Eagan, Greta. Wear No Evil: How to Change the World with Your Wardrobe. 2014. Print. 14 // Mincer, Jilian. “Millennials Follow Uber with New Fashion Trading Model.” The Business of Fashion. Reuters, 28 May 2015. Web. 29 May 2015. 15 // Dkystra, Josh Allen. “Why Millennials Don’t Want To Buy Stuff.” Fast Company. July 13, 2012. Accessed July 12, 2015. 16 // Quito, Anne. “The Next Design Trend Is One That Eliminates All Choices.” Quartz. June 18, 2015. Accessed July 12, 2015. 17 // Jones, Dolly. “How The World Has Changed Since Rana Plaza.” Vogue UK. April 1, 2014. Accessed July 12, 2015. 18 // Maher, Sam. “Rana Plaza: Two Years after the Tragedy, Why Has so Little Changed?” The Guardian. April 22, 2015. Accessed July 12, 2015. 19 // Westervelt, Amy. “Two Years after Rana Plaza, Have Conditions Improved in Bangladesh’s Factories?” The Guardian. April 24, 2015. Accessed July 12, 2015. 20 // Marinelli, Gina. “Nasty Gal Takes Credits For Taylor Swift’s Balmain Jumpsuit—But Will Balmain Care?” Refinery29. May 19, 2015. Accessed July 12, 2015. 21 // “Transparency” Fashion Revolution. Accessed July 12, 2015.

22 // Welsh, David. “Fair Trade for the Global Garment Industry.” The New York Times. May 21, 2015. Accessed July 12, 2015. 23 // Bain, Marc. “H&M’s “sustainability” Report Hides the Unsustainable Reality of Fast Fashion.” Quartz. April 12, 2015. Accessed July 12, 2015. 24 // Bain, Marc. “The Neurological Pleasures of Fast Fashion.” The Atlantic. March 25, 2015. Accessed July 12, 2015. 25 // D’Innocenzio, Anne. “It’s Incredibly Difficult To Prove That Clothing Is ‘Ethically Made’” Business Insider. May 1, 2013. Accessed July 12, 2015. 26 // Pithers, Ellie. “Why Flat Shoes Being Banned at Cannes Is a Fashion Faux Pas.” The Telegraph. May 19, 2015. Accessed July 12, 2015. 27 // Kane, Colleen. “The Rise of Planned Obsolescence.” Zady. July 2, 2015. Accessed July 12, 2015. 28 // Strange, Adario. “How the Apple Watch Could Reinvent Fashion as We Know It.” Mashable. March 8, 2015. Accessed July 12, 2015. 29 // Indvik, Lauren. “9 Percent OF Americans Will Wear Smartwatches By Next Year, Study Claims.” Fashionista. April 17, 2015. Accessed July 12, 2015. 30 // Messina, Judith. “New York Startups Seek Inroads to a Growing Wearable-Tech Market.” Crains New York Business. May 7, 2015. Accessed July 12, 2015. 31 // “The Business Of Blogging.” The Business of Fashion. Accessed July 12, 2015. 32 // Bourne, Leah. “The Rise Of The Style Blogger.” Forbes. February 12, 2010. Accessed July 12, 2015. 33 // Indvik, Lauren. “In Customer Service, Online-Only Retailers Are Beating Out Brick-And-Mortar.” Fashionista. April 21, 2015. Accessed July 12, 2015. 34 // Young, Katy. “L’Oreal 3D Prints Skin for Product Testing.” The Telegraph. May 21, 2015. Accessed July 12, 2015. 35 // Matich, Danielle. “Fashion - 3D Printing Industry.” 3D Printing Industry Fashion Category. Accessed July 12, 2015. 36 // AP, Tiffany. “China’s Unlikely Invaders.” The Business of Fashion. May 19, 2015. Accessed July 12, 2015. 37 // “Why China’s Economy Is Slowing.” The Economist. March 11, 2015. Accessed July 12, 2015. 38 // Williams-Grut, Oscar. “Here’s a Simple Explanation of Why Chinese Stock Markets Are in Free Fall Right Now.” Business Insider. July 8, 2015. Accessed July 14, 2015. 39 // “A $15 Minimum Wage Bombshell in Los Angeles.” The New York Times. May 20, 2015. Accessed July 12, 2015. 40 // “Raise the Wage.” The White House. 2014. Accessed July 14, 2015. 41 // Cheng, Andria. “Why the Fashion Industry Is Eyeing the California Drought Impact Closely.” MarketWatch. April 22, 2015. Accessed July 12, 2015. 42 // Lee, Jan. “The Apparel Industry’s Answer to Global Water Shortages.” Triple Pundit People Planet Profit. March 12, 2015. Accessed July 12, 2015.

43 // “Pesticides.” Ethical Fashion Forum. Accessed July 12, 2015. 44 // “Impact Of Textiles And Clothing Industry On Environment: Approach Towards Eco-Friendly Textiles.” Fibre2fashion. Accessed July 12, 2015. 45 // Baker, Jessi. “The Rise of the Conscious Consumer: Why Businesses Need to Open up.” The Guardian. April 2, 2015. Accessed July 12, 2015. 46 // Leonard, Tom. “Climate Change ‘Could Be a Fashion Disaster’” The Telegraph. October 7, 2007. Accessed July 12, 2015. 47 // Fury, Alexander. “Hillary Clinton’s Outfits Will Be as Important as Her Policies in Her Presidential Bid.” The Independent. April 19, 2015. Accessed July 12, 2015. 48 // Akbareian, Emma. “Kate Middleton Sends Sales of Yellow Dresses Soaring following the Birth of Her Daughter.” The Independent. May 7, 2015. Accessed July 12, 2015. 49 // “China Said to Plan $16.3 Billion Fund for ‘New Silk Road’” Bloomberg.com. November 4, 2014. Accessed July 12, 2015. 50 // Eyler, Brian. “China’s Maritime Silk Road Is All about Africa - East by Southeast.” East by Southeast. November 17, 2014. Accessed July 12, 2015. 51 // Tiezzi, Shannon. “Where Is China’s Silk Road Actually Going?” The Diplomat. March 30, 2015. Accessed July 12, 2015. 52 // Kelly, Ruth. “Trade Deals Threaten Developing Countries.” The Guardian. May 13, 2015. Accessed July 12, 2015. 53 // Sherman, Lauren. “What the Trans-Pacific Partnership Means for Fashion.” Fashionista. May 18, 2015. Accessed July 12, 2015. 54 // “Politics and Fashion: A Symbiotic Relationship.” Up My Ali. August 11, 2011. Accessed July 12, 2015. 55 // Martinez, Elizabeth, and Arnoldo Garcia. “CorpWatch : What Is Neoliberalism?” CorpWatch. Accessed July 12, 2015. 56 // Tirman, John. “The Failure of Neoliberalism and the Global Migrant Crisis - The Boston Globe.” The Boston Globe. June 1, 2015. Accessed July 12, 2015. 57 // Forsdyke, Graham. “A Brief History of the Sewing Machine.” International Sewing Machine Collectors Society. Accessed July 17, 2015. 58 // Frank, Dana. Purchasing Power: Consumer Organizing, Gender, and the Seattle Labor Movement, 1919-1929. Cambridge [England: Cambridge University Press, 1994. 59 // Moon, Christina. “The Secret World of Fast Fashion.” Pacific Standard. March 17, 2014. Accessed July 13, 2015. 58 // Carson, Rachael. “Who Made My Clothes?” Fashion Revolution. Accessed July 13, 2015. 59 // Delahunt, Bill. “H.R.2196 - Design Piracy Prohibition Act 111th Congress.” Congress. March 30, 2006. Accessed July 17, 2015. 60 // “Our Story.” Save the Garment Center. Accessed July 17, 2015. 61 // Kugler, Sara. “NYC Fashion Week to Move from Bryant Park to Lincoln Center, Away from Garment District.” Bryant Park. February 3, 2009. Accessed July 17, 2015.

/sources/pics/ Page 14 // Armund, Eliza. “3D Printed Fashion.” Fashion Confession. May 6, 2015. Accessed July 12, 2015. Page 16 // Lahiri, Tripti, and Christina Passariello. “Why Retailers Don’t Know Who Sews Their Clothing.” The Wall Street Journal. July 24, 2013. Accessed July 12, 2015. Page 16 // “Transparency.” Fashion Revolution. Fashion Revolution, n.d. Web. 27 May 2015. Page 17 // Bayleaf Beijinhos. Accessed July 12, 2015. Page 18 // “Joseph & Feiss Company.” Abandoned. March 16, 2014. Accessed July 12, 2015. Page 18 // “China PMI Shows January Factory Growth Stalls, Fanning Worries over Deflation.” South China Morning Post. January 23, 2015. Accessed July 12, 2015. Page 18 // “American Apparel Factory Flea Market, Is It Worth It?” IMPOSSIBLE. April 17, 2014. Accessed July 12, 2015. Page 19 // “Wikimedia Commons.” Accessed July 12, 2015. Page 19 // “Pro Turbo Speed. Matt Nordstrom.” DesignApplause RSS. August 9, 2012. Accessed July 12, 2015.

Page 20 // Noelle, Kayleigh. “Black Friday Shopping Haul 2013!!!” YouTube. December 1, 2013. Accessed July 12, 2015. Page 20 // “Boston, Uber Sign Unique Data Sharing Agreement.” StateScoop. January 13, 2015. Accessed July 12, 2015. Page 21 // “Old Navy Flip Flops Unappreciation.” The Nerd At The Cool Table. April 28, 2011. Accessed July 12, 2015. Page 21 // “Design Ace- Daniela Corte.” The Office Stylist. March 12, 2013. Accessed July 12, 2015. Page 22 // Joffrin, Laurent. “Rana Plaza : L’étoffe des Salauds.” L’Obs. April 24, 2014. Accessed July 12, 2015. Page 23 // Scott, Ellen. “Taylor Swift’s Jumpsuit at the Billboard Awards Is a Thing of Dreams.” Cosmopolitan. May 18, 2015. Accessed July 12, 2015. Page 24 // Bain, Marc. “The Neurological Pleasures of Fast Fashion.” The Atlantic. March 25, 2015. Accessed July 12, 2015. Page 25 // Backius, Jimmy. “Androgynous Style.” Fashion Gone Rogue. Accessed July 12, 2015. Page 26 // “Tim Cook Targets Luxurious Apple Watch Success in China.” Watch. camp. October 26, 2014. Accessed July 12,

2015. Page 27 // “3D Printing.” Wikipedia. July 9, 2015. Accessed July 12, 2015. Page 28 // Nazarian, Adelle. “Minimum Wage Hike Approved for Hotels in Los Angeles Despite Jobs Loss Warnings Breitbart.” Breitbart. September 27, 2014. Accessed July 12, 2015. Page 29 // Turow, Eve. “You Need to Know: About That Drought.” The Huffington Post. March 22, 2015. Accessed July 12, 2015. Page 30 // “Plant Problems? No Problem.” CABI. July 25, 2012. Accessed July 12, 2015. Page 31 // Sieh, Maureen. “Michelle Obama Symbolizes the Face of Beauty in the 21st Century.” Syracuse. March 3, 2009. Accessed July 12, 2015. Page 32 // MacBean, Nic. “Cigarette Packet and Lighter.” ABC News. March 26, 2015. Accessed July 12, 2015. Page 33 // “”A Time for Choosing”: Ronald Reagan’s Self-Governance Speech.” Citizens for SelfGovernance. October 29, 2014. Accessed July 12, 2015. Page 34 // Penn, Irving. “Vogue.” Vogue. September 1, 1950. Accessed July 16, 2015. Page 37 // “Altromercato News.” Altromercato. Accessed July 16, 2015.

the problem 44

RANA PLAZA VICTIMS

/people/current are sacrificing state/ their lives, ability to work, or their livelihoods; all for the sake of consumers/ Over the last two decades, the fashion industry has exploded into a global business with a focus on promoting quantity over quality purchases, creating a demand for large volumes of clothing at highly-competitive prices that is being fulfilled by fast fashion retailers at the benefit of both them and the consumer, an alluring yet unsustainable practice that is becoming increasingly implausible. As fashion brands expand globally, it becomes more and more difficult to hold them accountable for unethical business practices, creating an industry that lacks transparency and responsibility. Fashion production-related accidents,

shortcuts, and missteps have caused a plethora of situations in which people are forced to sacrifice their livelihoods, ability to work, or even their own lives; all for the sake of the consumer having the ability to purchase the latest runway trend at an unreasonably low cost. Bringing awareness to this disheartening issue will aid in having shoppers understand that they play a critical role in this vicious cycle. That, by continuing to support fast fashion and all that it stands for, it tells companies that their practices are acceptable. That profits, not people, are what matter. We cannot continue like this; it is time for a Fashion Revolution.

/current source/ The United States imports the majority of its apparel from overseas manufacturers. This map shows the data as of February 2014, illustrating a major market in Southern Asia and Middle America. Many of these countries are known for their large populations of impoverished people and need for work, making for cheap labor that clothing companies are able to capitalize on.

Mexico - 4.6% Honduras - 3.1% El Salvador - 2.3% Nicaragua - 1.8% Guatemala - 1.7% Haiti - 1% Dom. Republic - 0.8% 46

made in USA 2.5%

VIA FIVETHIRTYEIGHT1 & THE AMERICAN APPAREL AND FOOTWEAR ASSOCIATION2

China - 37.1% Vietnam - 10.4% Bangladesh - 6.2% Indonesia - 6.1% India - 4.1% Cambodia - 3.2% sri lanka - 2.1% Pakistan - 1.8% italy - 1.6% Philippines - 1.4% Jordan - 1.3% Thailand - 1.3% egypt - 1%

/tazreen fashion factory fire/dhaka/bangladesh/ November 24, 2012 117 Dead, 200 Injured4

/Garment Factory Fire/Moscow/Russia/ September 12, 2012 14 Dead6

/Garment Factory Fires/Karachi & Lahore/Pakistani/ september 11, 2012 257 Dead, 600 Injured5

/Sportswear electrical fire/dhaka/Bangladesh/ december 14, 2010 29 Dead, 11 Injured4

/Garment Factory Fire/dhaka/Bangladesh/ June 03, 2010 124 Dead, 200 Injured4

/Spectrum Factory collapse/dhaka/Bangladesh/ April 11, 2005 64 Dead, 80 Injured3

/the real fashion disasters/

/shoe factory collapse/Wenling/China/ July 05, 2015 11 Dead, 30+ Injured11

/Aswad factory fire/Gazipur/bangladesh/ October 09, 2013 10 Dead, 200 Injured10

/starlight factory contaminated water/Gazipur/bangladesh/ JUne 05, 2013 600 hospitalized9

The Savar building contained multiple functions such as a bank, apartments, and stores, with the primary function being clothing factories. The day prior, cracks were discovered in the building structure and the building was immediately evacuated. Many of the workers protested outside when forced to return to work, refusing to enter the dangerous building. The owner retaliated by bringing in gang members to beat the workers, forcing them to go into work that day.51 That morning, generators on the top floor started up after a power outage, immediately collapsing eight floors to the ground, trapping thousands of workers. The factory was responsible for labels such as Primark, Mango, Joe Fresh, Benetton, The Childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Place, and Walmart.

/sneaker Factory collapse/Kompong Speu/Cambodia/ May 16, 2013 3 Dead, 10 Injured8

/rana plaza collapse/ dhaka/bangladesh/ April 24, 2013 1,129 Dead, 2,515 Injured7

/wages/monthly/aug. 2013/12

$138 china

$91 $39 $96 $1740 vietnam

bangladesh

indonesia

united states

/based on full time work @ minimum wage/

/working conditions/

/hours & days worked/ united states

China

bangladesh

5 days/week

7 days/week13

7 days/week14

/benefits/

â&#x20AC;&#x153;benefitsâ&#x20AC;?

united states

Other

// Subsidized lunches // Paid sick leave // Job security // Health insurance

// Lack of access to drinking water // Unsafe infrastructure // Unexpected schedule changes // Unpaid overtime // Lack of fire safety equipment15

8 hrs/day 12 hrs/day 14 hrs/day

GARMENT FACTORY FIRE

why international? International production of fashion comes with many injustices - so why continue to use it? /economics/ /empowerment/

The use of third world countries has become an integral component to the success of the fashion industry in the inexpensive labor and large workforce they are able to offer. However, the fashion industry is not the only one benefitting from this partnership. The production of garments and textiles provides much-needed employment and revenue to some of the most impoverished areas in the world.16 While the conditions may not be acceptable, the loss of the fashion industry in countries such as Bangladesh would lead to certain economic failure. It is a matter of choosing the lesser evil - with steady revenue for the country and its people valued over the potential hazards fashion poses. WORKER MUKHTA MOLLAH

Many of the countries that suffer on behalf of the fashion industry are dealing with a multitude of other social issues as well, one of which is the lack of opportunities for women to support themselves. In Bangladesh, the garment industry workforce is 90% women, making it unique in its ability to provide independence to girls who would otherwise rely on marriage to be taken care of.16 These working women are not seen as victims of the fashion industry, rather, they are idolized by their peers for having the ability to survive on their own. By providing a means of escaping poverty, the fashion industry has transformed the cultures of these countries to include a more modernized, self-supporting society. 51

the cycle The lifespan of fashion consists of three main components - creation, consumption, and conversion. Fashion relies on a connection between design and purchasing in order to create marketable products that will make a profit. However, the industry remains largely unconnected in regards to both what happens to that fashion after it is done being worn, as well as how old fashion can be used to create new. By connecting all three of these stages in one space, therein lies an opportunity to create transparency in a complex industry and provide an educative experience to consumers.

/create/ the designing & production of fashion

/convert/

/consume/

the returning & reusing of fashion

the purchasing & wearing of fashion

how might we use space to promote transparency in the production and consumption of fashion? 53

/sources/info/ 1 // Chalabi, Mona. “Where the U.S. Gets Its Clothing, One Year After the Bangladesh Factory Collapse.” FiveThirtyEight. April 23, 2014. Accessed July 19, 2015. 2 // Bain, Marc. “More of Your Clothes from US Brands Will Soon Be Made in Vietnam, India, and the US Itself.” Quartz. June 19, 2015. Accessed July 19, 2015. 3 // “Spectrum Collapse: Eight Years on and Still Little Action on Safety.” Clean Clothes Campaign. April 11, 2013. Accessed July 19, 2015. 4 // “That’s It Sportswear Fire: One Year on Workers Still Dying in Unsafe Buildings.” Clean Clothes Campaign. December 15, 2011. Accessed July 19, 2015. 5 // Walsh, Declan, and Salman Masood. “More Than 300 Killed in Pakistani Factory Fires.” The New York Times. September 12, 2012. Accessed July 19, 2015. 6 // “Garment Factory Fire Kills 14 Vietnamese Workers.” The Moscow Times. September 12, 2012. Accessed July 19, 2015. 7 // ”Factory Collapse in Bangladesh.” Www. globallabourrights.org. Accessed July 19, 2015. 8 // Bandit, Sek, and Joshua Lipes. “Three Killed in Cambodian Shoe Factory Collapse.” Radio Free Asia. May 16, 2013. Accessed July 19, 2015.

9 // Chowdhury, Syed. “Up to 600 Workers Taken Ill after Drinking ‘contaminated’ Water at Bangladesh Clothing Factory.” The Independent. June 6, 2013. Accessed July 19, 2015. 10 // ”Bangladesh Garment Factory Fire Kills 10.” CBSNews. October 9, 2013. Accessed July 19, 2015. 11 // “Shoe Factory Collapses in Eastern China, Killing 11 People.” Yahoo! News. July 5, 2015. Accessed July 19, 2015. 12 // Luebker, Malte. “Minimum Wages in the Global Garment Industry.” International Labour Organization. October 31, 2014. Accessed July 19, 2015. 13 // “Case Studies: Garment Workers Around the Globe.” WIEGO. Accessed July 19, 2015. 14 // ”Sweatshops in Bangladesh.” War On Want. Accessed July 19, 2015. 15 // Gonzales, Nayelli. “Why Taking Care of Your Apparel Workers Is Good for Business.” Triple Pundit People Planet Profit. November 18, 2014. Accessed July 19, 2015. 16 // Ghosh, Palash. “Despite Low Pay, Poor Work Conditions, Garment Factories Empowering Millions Of Bangladeshi Women.” International Business Times. March 25, 2014. Accessed July 19, 2015.

MOURNING RANA PLAZA

/sources/pics/ Page 42 // Akhter, Taslima. “2014 Photo Contest.” World Press Photo. Accessed July 20, 2015.g Page 48 // Burke, Jason. “Bangladesh Factory Fires: Fashion Industry’s Latest Crisis.” The Guardian. December 8, 2013. Accessed July 20, 2015. Page 49 // Weiss, Kenneth. “Bangladesh Women Find Liberty in Hard Labor.” Pulitzer Center. March 13, 2014. Accessed July 20, 2015. Page 52-53 // Batson, Chris. “Rana Plaza Anniversary.” FT Photo Diary. April 24, 2015. Accessed July 20, 2015.

the precedents 56

LENA FASHION LIBRARY

/works towards social /case studies/ and environmental good /typological/typ./ /stylistic/sty./ /technical/tec./ in the fashion industry/

Examples of projects that are similar in terms of program or idea; looking at what can be taken away from other projects that work towards social and environmental good in the fashion industry

Projects and spaces that are similar in style in aesthetics, making them aspirational goals for the design part of this project, as well as indications of the graphics and branding of the fashion line

Examples matching in technical requirements, looking at existing spaces and projects that can speak to what this project will need in order to meet all of its functional and specialized requirements

/ BRA NDS P./S LOW FAS HIO N

/TY 58

THE SLOW FASHION IDEALS1:

// Seeing the big picture of global manufacturing // Slowing down consumption // Diversity to oppose environmental degradation // Respecting people // Acknowledging human needs // Building relationships // Resourcefulness // Maintaining quality and beauty // Profitability // Being conscious

ION ASH P./F /TY /

S TAL REN

LENA, Rent the Runway, and Crossroads Trading Co. all act as fashion libraries for people who do not want clothing in their wardrobe that they do not need. On average, people only consistently wear 20% of their wardrobe, so this model is a great way to negate waste while still constantly refreshing style.2 It would be an interesting interior component to implement in my capstone. 59

ORY / FAC T BLIC P./P U /TY 60

The Portland Garment Factory works to create fashion in the US for various people and brands in an environment that is healthy and inspiring. They are focused on quality and fun partnerships that benefit everyone involved. The way this space works with the function intended would make a great model for my space. Public factories in general can be a huge draw for tourism places like the Hershey factory in Pennsylvania and the River Rouge Factory for Ford can be features in themselves in a larger area dedicated to various attractions.

DM FOO LOW P./S /TY /

ENT

M OVE

The slow food movement is a direct parallel to slow fashion, with the goal of making the world a better place in terns of environment, economy, and society through food that is accessible, healthy, clean, and tasty. I believe that food is farther ahead of the fashion industry in terms of public awareness and acceptance because it deals with personal health as well as health of the earth, whereas in fashion it is much more difficult to see the negative effects of fast fashion. Looking to slow food as a model for my capstone will be incredibly beneficial.

STO MIZ ABL E FA SH./ P./C U

/TY 62

Continuing the trend of customization, many businesses exist exclusively to create customizable garments. While all of these shops are exclusively e-retailers, the business model of allowing consumers to customize their clothing is always appealing. By allowing consumers to play a more important part in what they wear and customizing it to ensure the best fit, they are more attached to the garment and much more likely to utilize it to its fullest potential, rather than throwing it away after a few wears.

EUM

US Y./M /ST S/G S/

HIC

RAP

Education is a crucial part of the slow fashion movement, but it needs to be incorporated into a space without overwhelming the other functions or feeling like a lecture. Museums are an excellent example of making education an entertaining experience. While this space cannot solely be a museumlike journey, inspiration can be taken from the way graphics are used to provide information to the consumer in an interesting way. The Museum of Croydon, for example, uses bold graphics and bright colors to show the history of the community of Croydon in an exciting way.

/FE ATU RE/ UMS USE Y./M /ST 64

Selling the overall idea of fast fashion requires many elements, the most important of which is effective retailing. To encourage ideas of buying less and buying quality, merchandise needs to have a special quality to it, and they way that product is displayed needs to reflect that specialness. Museums such as The Met are a great example of how to display objects in a compelling way that makes them feel unique and allows them to tell a story. By implementing similar ideas, the merchandise can become museum-like as well.

SHIO

G FA CLIN ECY C./R /TE

One of the best ways to rectify the environmental impacts of fast fashion is to make textile recycling more fun and convenient than it currently is. Companies like H&M, Leviâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s, and Marks & Spencer all use creative methods and incentives to get consumers recycling properly.3 Retailers are then able to give these donations to companies like I:Collect, who are able to properly sort and process these garments. Studying the methodologies of these companies can aid in determining the most effective strategies and the equipment needed to recycle clothing.

/sources/info/ 1 // “New Consumer Guidelines.” Slow Fashion Forward. Accessed July 20, 2015. 2 // Lutz, Ashley. “People Don’t Wear A Shocking Amount Of Their Clothes.” Business Insider. April 18, 2013. Accessed July 20, 2015. 3 // Wallander, Mattias. “Greenspiration: The Innovative Ways That Companies Are Making Textile Recycling Fun.” The Huffington Post. August 3, 2012. Accessed July 20, 2015.

FASHION EXHIBIT

/sources/pics/ Page 54 // Tang, Vivien. “Lena Fashion Library.” August Reign. November 18, 2014. Accessed July 13, 2015. Page 56 // “Reformation.” Reformation. Accessed July 17, 2015. Page 56 // “Alternative Apparel.” Alternative Apparel. Accessed July 17, 2015. Page 56 // “People Tree” People Tree. Accessed July 17, 2015. Page 56 // “Cuyana.” Cuyana. Accessed July 17, 2015. Page 56 // “Everlane.” Everlane. Accessed July 17, 2015. Page 56 // “Annie Greenabelle.” Annie Greenabelle. Accessed July 17, 2015. Page 57 // “Rent The Runway.” Rent The Runway. Accessed July 17, 2015. Page 57 // “San Francisco Neighborhood Shopping Guide: Upper Haight.” Examiner. com. April 2, 2013. Accessed July 17, 2015. Page 57 // “About.” LENA the Fashion Library. Accessed July 17, 2015. Page 57 // Tang, Vivien. “Lena Fashion Library.” August Reign. November 18, 2014. Accessed July 13, 2015. Page 58 // “Plan the Perfect Chocolate

Getaway to HERSHEY’S CHOCOLATE WORLD Attraction in Hershey, PA!” Hersheys. Accessed July 17, 2015. Page 58 // “Autumn Beauty.” Village Tours and Travels. Accessed July 17, 2015. Page 58 // Fabric & Process.” CRAZY WIND. Accessed July 17, 2015. Page 59 // Holt, Laura. “Getting Back to Our Cooking Roots with the Slow Food Movement.” Agrilicious! Accessed July 17, 2015. Page 59 // McIntyre, Paula. “Support Your Local Green Grocer’s and Help Cut down on Waste.” Farming Life. November 23, 2014. Accessed July 17, 2015. Page 59 // “SlowFood: Anti-globalization Strategy.” AdvICT. September 5, 2012. Accessed July 17, 2015. Page 60 // Mayo, Rose. “Customizable Fashion: Bow & Drape.” Blonde in This City. March 19, 2014. Accessed July 17, 2015. Page 60 // “Coming Soon.” Gallery Hip. Accessed July 17, 2015. Page 60 // “PromoPays - Design Custom T-shirts.” PromoPays.com. Accessed July 17, 2015.

Page 61 // “Museum of Croydon.” A Practice for Everyday Life. 2007. Accessed July 13, 2015. Page 62 // “Gallery 823 - The Annenberg Collection: Nineteenth- and TwentiethCentury Masters.” The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Accessed July 20, 2015. Page 62 // Smith, Roberta. “Where Elegance Meets Eros.” The New York Times. May 8, 2014. Accessed July 20, 2015. Page 62 // “New York Museums Officially Ban Selfie Sticks.” Economy Lead. February 9, 2015. Accessed July 20, 2015. Page 63 // Mitchell, Tim. “India Recycled.” The Guardian. May 22, 2008. Accessed July 20, 2015. Page 63 // Grayling Brings Shwop At Work to Bristol.” Bristol PR. Accessed July 20, 2015. Page 63 // Ong, Gwen. “H&M Conscious Collection In Store Now.” Venus. March 21, 2013. Accessed July 13, 2015. Page 64 // Leon, Fernando. “The Museum At The Fashion Institute Of Technology “Impact: Fifty Years of the CFDA” Exhibition Press Preview.” Zimbio. February 8, 2012. Accessed July 20, 2015.

the site 68

NYC SKYLINE

/The/sitelocation should requirements/ be /open diverse terms /street frontage/ floor plan/ in /history/ of fashion, with an engageable community/ /mass market/ /community/

A property with a significant amount of storefront windows would be most ideal for the retail component of this space, allowing merchandise to be showcased to draw customers into the store

The building needs to have a large, open area to most effectively house a factory and all of its running parts without having to worry about running into existing mechanical or structural components

A location with a historical background in the fashion industry is preferred, speaking to the notion of bringing back American garment production in a place where it was produced historically

Because this store will focus on producing a few things very well, having repeat customers will not be as crucial as having a constantly updated customer base. More people to attract means a more successful business

The location should be diverse in terms of fashion, with an engageable community that is willing to accept a new set of fashion ideals and styles, even if that means a slight increase in clothing prices

/shop proximity/

/revitalization/

Retail stores are most successful when they are close to other retailers, allowing customers to jump from store to store with ease. A location with similar shopping opportunities will be very valuable

With a focus on bringing awareness to the social and environmental injustices of the fashion industry, this project could also work to revitalize an area that is moving towards becoming a more fashionable community 69

/site/over the rhine/ Over the Rhine is Cincinnatiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s oldest and most historic neighborhood. While it faced much hardship at the start of the millennium with homelessness and poverty, a current major effort to revitalize the area has revamped it into a hotspot for some of the best restaurants and shops in Cincinnati. This up and coming area

is a major draw for millennials looking for a unique experience, which is a great clientele for my capstone project. Cincinnati in general is home to many millennials who would be most open to this project. Over the Rhine is a logical choice for capstone because constant access to the site is a definite advantage.

/swot/ /strengths/

/weaknesses/

/opportunities/

/Threats/

// The site would be easily accessible throughout the duration of the project // Cincinnati has a large influx of millennials, the group that will be most receptive to this concept1 // The rent in this area in relatively inexpensive

// Over the Rhine is a growing area, so this project could continue to elevate the area2 // Local design schools produce many capable designers in the area that this project could provide meaningful employment to

// Cincinnati is not a city known for being fashionable; there may not be enough of an audience // Cincinnati is not a huge city for tourism, especially during winter months

// While Over the Rhine itself has nice, high-end areas, much surrounding it is not, meaning that it lacks a certain connection with the surrounding landscape that could be detrimental // Cincinnati does not have a market for experiential retail currently, so there is potentially not enough interest for this project to be successful

/site/hudson district/ The Hudson District is an up and coming area in Detroit with growth stemming from a new interest in a fashion community. Once home to the famous Hudsonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s department store, second only in size to Macyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Flagship in New York City, this area is historically a large fashion hub for the city of Detroit. Now being revived by brands

such as Detroit Garment Group, John Varvatos, and D:Pop, planners predict that this district will explode in the next decade and attract millennialdriven retailers such as Restoration Hardware and REI. Detroit is where I grew up, so being on the forefront of an exciting time for the city would be a great opportunity for this capstone.

/swot/ /strengths/

// Rent is very low in this area right now // This area has a history in fashion, with the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s second largest department store (Hudsonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s)operating here until 19834

/opportunities/

// This area is going through major redevelopment focused on bringing in specialty retail, which has the potential to be a major shopping destination for the city // A project like this could provide employment to a city that desperately needs it

/weaknesses/

// Detroit is not a city known for fashion // There are not a lot of people walking through this area currently

/Threats/

// Detroit is a highly volatile economy with much uncertainty in the future

/site/garment district/ In 1960, 95% of clothing sold in the US was made in New York Cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Garment District. Due to global expansion, that number today hovers between 2% and 3%. Despite this, New York City is home to 846 fashion companies; more than London, Paris, and Milan combined. New York City is the

fashion capital of the world, and the Garment Center continues to make that possible, being the epicenter of it all. With the large number of vacant buildings and fashion-related businesses, as well as a history of factories, this would be the ideal place if my capstone includes production.

/swot/ /strengths/

/weaknesses/

/opportunities/

/Threats/

// My project would be most successful in this location in terms of an interested audience and sheer amount of people // This fashion-forward city would embrace a new kind of retail store // Historically, the Garment District produced 95% of American clothing, so the fashion background of this area would be great to play off of5 // Many buildings are equipped to deal with the type of manufacturing that fashion requires, as well as the storefronts for retail components

// Save the Garment Industry is a big movement right now to bring back manufacturing to the neighborhood, which this project could contribute to // There is already a network of production, so sourcing and potential partnerships are very possible // There is a well-connected network of available financiers and grants to help fund new businesses focused on fashion production in the area6 // Being centrally-located within the city allows it to be accessible to a large number of locals

// I have the least amount of knowledge about this location // This area is difficult to access due to its distance from campus, making getting information on the area more difficult // With the lack of connections in the area, it is hard to survey the people who reside in the area

// This area has cleared out, with so many New Yorkers flocking to the latest and greatest, and if that trend continues it could become an issue for site context // New York Cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s market may be oversaturated with retail

/site/times square/ Times Square is an incredibly popular tourist destination with over 50 million visitors per year, making it the 3rd most visited place in the world.7 In a city known for its many shopping destinations, Times Square is specifically known for its specialty retail with a customer base that is primarily visitors. According to the Times Square

Alliance, there is still 2.1 billion dollars worth of untapped revenue in the area, with 992 million of that being based in retail.8 Times Square is a high-energy area with a huge market to capture, making it an ideal place to have a capstone project focused on reaching a wide audience of people who do not fully comprehend the issue.

/swot/ /strengths/

/weaknesses/

/opportunities/

/Threats/

// There is a lot of fast fashion retail in this area, so this is a good opportunity to educate those who are the biggest customers of that type of store // Times Square is home to a variety of specialty retailers that offer something extra in terms of the customer experience, so this project would fit in within that space typology

// This area is notoriously avoided by New Yorkers, so it will be more difficult to bring them to this location // Fast fashion companies with much lower prices will be the main competition for this project

/site evaluation/ Convenient Access Marketability in Location Foot Traffic

Location

Surrounding Neighborhood Parking Public Transportation Similar Surrounding Retail Revitalizing the Area Rent Affordability Total 78

Site 1 // Cincinnati 5 // Very close to campus, can visit at any time 2 // Cincinnati does not have a large market for innovative fashion 3 // OTR is becoming increasingly popular with new restaurants and shops 2 // There are many rough areas surrounding OTR 4 // There is a decent amount of lots and street parking 2 // Buses and public bikes make traveling decent 2 // There is some apparel shopping in this area, but not much 3 // This area has been heavily revitalized already 4 // While becoming more popular, this area is still relatively inexpensive 27

Site 2 // Detroit 4 // Close proximity to home, fairly easy to access 1 // There is a very small consumer base in this area

Site 3 // New York City 2 // Too far to visit, most likely will not visit for project 5 // As a fashion capital, there will be a large number of interested shoppers 2 // Most foot traffic in the 5 // This city has a high volume area is during sporting of foot traffic, both residents and events only tourists 3 // The areas around here 5 // Neighborhoods home to are fairly nice many businesses and retailers 5 // As the Motor City, there 1 // Parking is very difficult and is plentiful parking expensive in this area 1 // Public transport is 5 // Public transportation is seriously lacking abundant and simple 1 // There are very few other 5 // There are lots of other retail stores in this area spaces in this area, drawing people looking to shop 5 // This area is at the very 2 // Redeveloping of the beginning of revitalization Garment District is a large movement currently 5 // As a developing area, 1 // This area is incredibly rent is very reasonable expensive and populous 27

why new york city? /international/ 1 new york city 2 paris 3 london

1/3 OF ALL DOMESTIC GARMENTS ARE DESIGNED AND PRODUCED IN NYCâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S GARMENT DISTRICT

Los Angeles is the only city in the United States that produces more garments than New York City11

/national/ 4 los angeles 19 miami 25 dallas

#1 fashion capital

New York City is the biggest fashion capital in the world for 2014 based on Global Language Monitor Rankings. These rankings are determined by the frequency at which they are talked about, both in the news and social media.10

New York City is the second largest tourism destination in the United States7 orlando - 48 million per year new york city - 47 million per year chicago - 45.5 million per year anaheim, CA - 42.7 million per year Miami - 38.1 million per year 79

/the building/ /1450 Broadway/

Ground Floor

2,513 sf

A 1,200 sf

y dwa Broa

West 41st Street Between Broadway & 6th Avenue N e w Yo r k , N Y 10 018

// Corner storefront property with multistory windows // 42 floors total // 16,316 square feet per floor // Large storefront windows and West 41st Street Between views from story B r oabove adway & 6th Avenue N e w Yo r k , N Y 10 018 // Simple, rectangular-like floor plan // Less than one block to nearest metro station // Ideal location between Garment District and Times Square in Midtown Manhattan // Newly-renovated lobby and sf 12 5,803 exterior B 1,500 sf 41st Street

GROUND FLOOR

oor

2,513 sf

FIRST FLOOR

Lower Level 8,000 sf 5,803 sf

y dwa Broa

A 1,200 sf

B 1,500 sf 41st Street

Up To

4,000 sf

/site evaluation cont./ Shell Space & Volume Shell Shape (Plan & Section)

Building Properties

Shell Edges (Natural Light, Views, Egress) Structural Grid Signage Opportunities Storefront Windows Outdoor Space Service Entrance

Building Character

Factory - Appropriate Facilities History in Fashion Production History in Fashion Sales

1450 Broadway With 42 floors at over 16,000 square feet each, there is a lot of flexibility in the amount of square footage this project takes up The shell shape is fairly simple, with an angled facade that can be utilized to create interest at the entrance This building has a large number of storefront windows on the first floor for drawing in customers, as well as upper floor windows to display multi-floor functions. The windows face the northeast and west, allowing for indirect light The structural grid is fairly standard for such a large building, with enough space between columns to work with Broadway is a street known for its ostentatious signage, allowing this project to get creative with its exterior branding The space has a good proportion of glazing to structure, creating individual marketing opportunities While there are not many opportunities for exterior congregation directly on-site, Bryant Park is one block away, as well as outdoor seating on Broadway The service entrance and elevator are both very easy to access from both the street and the space This area historically contained a lot of clothing production and is zoned for both commercial and industrial spaces, making it a logical location for a combination production and retail facility The Garment District has a rich history of producing clothing for America and is still responsible for 28% of the cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s manufacturing at large13 Both the Garment District and Times Square are home to a multitude of retail shops 81

/neighborhoods/

/times square/

New york Cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s entertainment, specialty retail, and tourist destination hub

Situate between these two neighborhoods to attract both industry natives and visitors New york Cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fashion design studio, manufacturing, and wholesale production hub

/garment district/

/zoning/ 1450 Broadway is located in a C5-3 district.14 C5 indicates a commercial district with continuous retail frontage to be a combination of offices and retail spaces. Department stores, office buildings, and mixed buildings containing residential space above office or commercial floors are typical C5 uses. C5-3 indicates that floors above the sky exposure plane must be set back at least 15â&#x20AC;&#x2122; from the street.

commercial manufacturing residential

/climate/ /rainfall/average/

NYC: 40.7127° N, 74.0059° W









       





/temperature/average/ 

comfort Index Difference between Solar Time and Local Mean Time

Equation of Time [mins]

15 10

45/100 5 0

-5

-10 -15

-20 Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Jan

www.jaloxa.eu

Month

VIA U.S. CLIMATE DATA15

/topography/ Manhattan is an incredibly flat terrain, a necessary trait for such a built-up city. Topographical changes happen primarily in the surrounding waters of the island; the Hudson and East River.16

/parks/

VIA GOOGLE17

/landmarks/nyc/

VIA CITY GUIDE NYC18

/landmarks/local/

VIA CITY GUIDE NYC18

/transport/metro/ One of the primary ways that people travel around the city is the wellconnected metro system. There are two major metro stops on the same block as 1450 Broadway, making

it a easy place to access for locals and tourists alike. This area also acts as a crossing point for a few of the different lines, which helps to connect various parts of the city.

VIA GOOGLE17

/transport/bike/ Ranked the nationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s twelfth most bikeable city by Huffington Post, New York City is known for incorporating bike lanes and paths on both their

VIA GOOGLE17

busy streets and various parks.19 This map illustrates streets in the area that accommodate bikers, with plenty of access points to 1450 Broadway.

/signage/ The majority of signage in this area is for transportation purposes, indicating a wide variety of public transportation available, as well as private transportation options including bike

lanes and parking garages. Walk signs are also an important part of northern Times Square, where a plaza exists that remains offlimits to all motorized public transit.

VIA GOOGLE17

/lighting/

VIA GOOGLE17

/demo graphics/ This axonometric map compares the demographics of the Garment District and Midtown, which contains Times Square, to New York City as a whole. Generally speaking, both Times Square and the Garment District have significantly less crime than the city, making them attractive places for a tourism destination. The income in these two areas is also significantly higher, making it an ideal location for a space asking people to spend more on quality clothing.

VIA CITY DATA20

/apparel retailers/ There is a high concentration of apparel retailers in Midtown, including tourist shops of Times Square, designer merchandise of the Garment District, and the flagship stores of

VIA GOOGLE17

34th Avenue. These stores cater towards a mix of tourists and locals, as well as consumers and designers, so it is important to know where these retail locations are located.

/sources/info/ 1 // Christian, Paula. "Winning the Millennial Generation." Cincinnati Business Courier. February 20, 2015. Accessed July 15, 2015. 2 // “The Midwest’s Secondary Markets Seeing Surge in Mixed-use Developments.” RE Journals. July 14, 2015. Accessed July 15, 2015. 3 // Conlin, Jennifer. “Last Stop on the L Train: Detroit.” The New York Times. July 11, 2015. Accessed July 15, 2015. 4 // Austin, Dan. “Hudson’s Department Store.” Historic Detroit. Accessed July 15, 2015. 5 // Vatz, Stephanie. “Why America Stopped Making Its Own Clothes.” The Lowdown. May 24, 2013. Accessed July 12, 2015. 6 // “Resources.” Save the Garment Center. Accessed July 15, 2015. 7 // “World’s Most-Visited Tourist Attractions.” Travel Leisure. November 10, 2014. Accessed

July 20, 2015. 8 // “Pedestrian Counts.” Times Square Alliance. Accessed July 20, 2015. 9 // Chung, Jen. “The Rent Is Too Damn High: Toys R Us Is Leaving Enormous Times Square Location.” Gothamist. March 18, 2015. Accessed July 15, 2015 10 // “New York Takes Top Global Fashion Capital Title from London, Edging Past Paris.” The Global Language Monitor. 2015. Accessed July 15, 2015 11 // “Neighborhood Focus: Garment District.” Uncle Sams New York Tours. July 20, 2009. Accessed July 15, 2015. 12 // “1450 Broadway.” Winick Realty Group LLC. October 1, 2014. Accessed July 15, 2015. 13 // “Proximity Is Creativity: Unlocking the Value of the Garment District.” Urban Omnibus. November 14, 2012. Accessed July

20, 2015. 14 // ““Zoning Maps - New York City Department of City Planning.” NYC.gov. March 21, 2015. Accessed July 15, 2015. 15 // “Climate New York.” U.S. Climate Data. Accessed July 15, 2015. 16 // “New York City.” ArcGIS. June 24, 2014. Accessed July 15, 2015. 17 // “Google Maps.” Google. Accessed July 15, 2015. 18 // “What to Do in Midtown West.” City Guide NYC. February 10, 2014. Accessed July 15, 2015. 19 // “Most Bikeable Cities of 2015.” The Huffington Post. May 15, 2015. Accessed July 20, 2015. 20 // “Garment District.” City Data. 2010. Accessed July 15, 2015.

/sources/pics/ Page 66 // Macdonald, Chad. “Does New York City Create Unhappiness?” Big Appled. December 21, 2014. Accessed July 15, 2015. Page 78 // "1450 Broadway." Winick Realty Group LLC. October 1, 2014. Accessed July 15, 2015. Page 95 // Hugonnard, Philippe. “Signpost, Fashion Ave, Manhattan, New York City.” Allposters.com. Accessed July 20, 2015.

the program 98

SPECIALTY RETAIL INSTALLATION

/unfashionable clothing /user profiles/ and /industry native/problematic /fashionista/ practices /Functionista/ are not mutually exclusive/

As someone who works in the business, this person is highly knowledgeable about fashion and mostly likely has a firm stance on how fast fashion fits within the industry. While they made not need the education aspect, the experience will most likely be most riveting for this group, making them frequent visitors of the space. This project will be most useful to them as an access point for new types of fashion, both produced within the facility and brought in from various other parts of the world.

This group may not know the technicalities of fashion, but they are passionate about the industry and care about what they wear. They most likely have an opinion on fast fashion, but for most, it is probably based around the idea of having many styles to choose from at low prices, not necessarily global consequences of it. This space will attract them primarily on the basis of experiential retail, with the ability to learn more about the industry they loved balanced with the ability to shop new brands.

The functionista is someone who cares about clothing from a utilitarian standpoint; focused much more on the comfort and practicality than on the style. As a self-identified group of anti-fashionistas, they are the most difficult group to engage with this project. By placing focus on the social and ecological good that comes from this space, this project can work to captivate them from an educational standpoint, as they may not realize that unfashionable clothing and problematic practices are not mutually exclusive.

/user journey/Retail/ The retail space makes it easy to purchase responsible fashion - both produced in-house and through partnerships in other fashion manufacturing countries. Various types of retail, such as a fashion library that allow customers to rent clothing, help consumers make smart choices about the clothing they wear.

fitting rooms

in-house production

retail store

3rd party partners

Entrance Portal fashion library 100

check out (rent)

check out (buy)

/user journey/production/ The production space acts as a walkable tour for customers to gain knowledge of the methods of fashion production and to gain an understanding that there are people behind each piece of clothing that is made. By seeing the clothing production, it will give people a more personal connection with the issue.

textiles

design studio

patterning/ cutting

sewing

trims/ notions 101

/define/ /product costs/

Costs directly associated with the making of goods, including raw materials, costs of labor, and overhead, or the cost of operating the factory itself1

/period costs/

All costs that are not product costs, including the price of operating the retail component of the business and administrative costs1

/sam/standard allowed minutes/

A method of estimating the time value of a product based on the average rate that a qualified worker can complete creating it2

/Lean manufacturing/

Continuous elimination of all waste in the production process for streamlined production costs, increased output, and shorter production times3

102

/sam / 4

/Crew Neck t-shirt/ /sleeved shirt/ 6-12 Range 17-25 range 8 Average 21 average /Dress Pants/ 35 Average

/Sweater/ 35-55 Range 45 Average

/Dress/ 30 Average

/Suit Jacket/ 70-135 Range 101 Average 103

/program/ Activity Fitting Rooms

Retail Space

Quantity of Space

Adjacencies Checkout, Merchandise

Checkout

Fashion Library

1-2 employees

Window Displays

Checkout, Fitting Rooms, Storage Merchandise, Fitting Rooms

TBD

Entrance Portal, Merchandise

10 windows

20% of retail component TBD

TBD

Storefront Windows

Design Studio

TBD

Textiles, Sewing

Textile Department Trim Department Patterning & Cutting Sewing

TBD TBD TBD TBD

Trim Patterning Sewing Design Studio, Merchandise, Stairway, Storage

Offices

TBD

Restrooms

Storage Restrooms Elevator Stairway

None 4 single stalls TBD TBD

100 sq ft per person5 2,000 garments 7’6” x 7’6” 50 sq ft each 130 sq ft each

1,000 sq ft 56.25 sq ft 50 sq ft 130 sq ft

Merchandise, Sewing Merchandise, Sewing Merchandise, Design Studio Merchandise, Sewing

Factory

Designed Spaces Programmed Spaces

Size

6 fitting rooms, 1 56 sq ft accessible, 156 sq ft attendant 20 sq ft standard TBD 30 sq ft per TBD person5 1-6 employees 6 stations @ 3’x5’ 90 sq ft

Merchandise

104

Occupants

Furnishings & Fixtures Seating, Mirrors

Equipment None

Mannequins, Display Tables, Surveillance Racks, Seating Counter Space, Queues Registers, Phones

Code Requirements

Public Access

5% or at least 1 must be accessible6 TBD

Yes

Max. 36” counter height, clear floor (30”x48”)for wheelchair7 TBD

Yes

Views

Qualities

Checkout, Merchandise Checkout, Fitting Rooms Merchandise

Private, Individual

Bold, Dynamic

Yes

Merchandise, Exterior From Exterior

Yes

None

Yes

Open, Featured Clear, Simple

Mannequins, Racks

POS, Phones

Mannequins, Displays

None

Drawing Tables

Computers

Minimal signage, clear windows8 TBD

Textile Storage Storage, Cutting Tables Storage, Cutting Tables Sewing Tables

TBD TBD TBD All manufacturers in NYC must register with the NYC Dept. of Labor9 TBD

Yes Yes Yes Yes

None None None Merchandise

Varied Varied Efficient Open, Fun, Energetic

Work Surfaces

Computers Computers Cutting Machine Sewing Machines: Lock Stitch, Overlock, Flat Lock, Presser Printers, Phones

Avoid

Simple

Storage Units Plumbing Fixtures None None

Computers None Elevator Cab None

TBD 1 lavatory/50 people 42” mounted controls TBD

No Yes Yes Yes

Minimal Avoid Merchandise Merchandise

Effective Functional Accessible Featured

Eye-Catching, Provocative Fun, Creative

105

/program 1/ /Retail/

/Production/

Times Square visitors/day: 300,000 People Garment District Visitors/Day: 200,000 People 500,000 total : capture 1% for 5,000 customers/day

Assume 40% of people make a purchase 5,000 * 40% = 2,000 sales/day

average shopping trip: 36 minutes10 open Hours: 10 hours/600 minutes 5,000 people @ 36 mins each / 600 minutes Estimate: 300 people/hour Recommended Space: 30 sq ft/customer Total Space: 300 people @ 30 sq ft each = 9,000 sq ft retail

106

t-shirt: 500 @ 8 SAM = 4,000 = 66.66 hrs/8 hr workday = 9 Shirt: 250 @ 21 SAM = 5,250 = 87.5 hrs/8 hr workday = 11 Pants: 250 @ 35 SAM = 8,750 = 145.83 hrs/8 hr workday = 19 Sweater: 250 @ 45 SAM = 11,250 = 187.5 hrs/8 hr workday = 24 Dress: 250 @ 30 SAM = 7,500 = 125 hrs/8 hr workday = 16 Jacket: 250 @ 101 SAM = 25,250 = 420.8 hrs/8 hr workday = 53 Lab: 250 @ 100 SAM = 25,000 = 416.67 hrs/8 hr workday = 52 184 sewers total @ 20 sq ft each = 3,680 sq ft

/program 1/spatial/ fashion library storage 2,000 sf ft 2,500 sf ft retail / 3rd party elevator core 4,500 sf ft

design textiles studio 750 sf ft 750 sf ft pattern trims cutting 750 sf ft 750 sf ft elevator core open to below

retail / production building lobby 4,500 sf ft

sewing 3,680 sf ft

107

/program 2/ /Retail/

/Production/

Times Square visitors/day: 300,000 People Garment District Visitors/Day: 200,000 People 500,000 total - capture 2% for 10,000 customers/day

Assume 40% of people make a purchase 10,000 * 40% = 4,000 sales/day

average shopping trip: 36 minutes10 open Hours: 10 hours/600 minutes 10,000 people @ 36 mins each / 600 minutes Estimate: 600 people/hour Recommended Space: 30 sq ft/customer Total Space: 600 people @ 30 sq ft each = 18,000 sq ft retail

108

t-shirt: 1,000 @ 8 SAM = 8,000 = 133.33 hrs/8 hr workday = 17 Shirt: 500 @ 21 SAM = 10,500 = 175 hrs/8 hr workday = 22 Pants: 500 @ 35 SAM = 17,500 = 291.67 hrs/8 hr workday = 37 Sweater: 500 @ 45 SAM = 22,500 = 375 hrs/8 hr workday = 47 Dress: 500 @ 30 SAM = 15,000 = 250 hrs/8 hr workday = 32 Jacket: 500 @ 101 SAM = 50,500 = 841 hrs/8 hr workday = 106 Lab: 500 @ 100 SAM = 50,000 = 833.33 hrs/8 hr workday = 105 366 sewers total @ 20 sq ft each = 7,320 sq ft

/program 2/spatial/ retail 4,500 sf ft

fashion library 2,000 sf ft

retail 4,500 sf ft

elevator core

textiles 1,500 sf ft

building lobby

pattern cutting 1,500 sf ft

retail 4,500 sq ft

storage 5,000 sf ft

sewing 3,680 sf ft design studio 750 sf ft

trims 750 sf ft elevator core

sewing 3,680 sf ft

elevator core

3 109

/program 3/ /Retail/

/Production/

Times Square visitors/day: 300,000 People Garment District Visitors/Day: 200,000 People 500,000 total - capture .5% for 2,500 customers/day

Assume 40% of people make a purchase 2,500 * 40% = 1,000 sales/day

average shopping trip: 36 minutes10 open Hours: 10 hours/600 minutes 2,500 people @ 36 mins each / 600 minutes Estimate: 150 people/hour Recommended Space: 30 sq ft/customer Total Space: 150 people @ 30 sq ft each = 4,500 sq ft retail

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t-shirt: 250 @ 8 SAM = 2,000 = 33.33 hrs/8 hr workday = 5 Shirt: 125 @ 21 SAM = 2,625 = 43.75 hrs/8 hr workday = 6 Pants:125 @ 35 SAM = 4,375 = 72.91 hrs/8 hr workday = 10 Sweater: 125 @ 45 SAM = 5,625 = 93.75 hrs/8 hr workday = 12 Dress: 125 @ 30 SAM = 3,750 = 62.5 hrs/8 hr workday = 8 Jacket: 125 @ 101 SAM = 12,625 = 210.4 hrs/8 hr workday = 27 Lab: 125 @ 100 SAM = 12,500 = 208.33 hrs/8 hr workday = 27 95 sewers total @ 20 sq ft each = 1,900 sq ft

/program 3/spatial/ fashion storage library 1,000 sf ft 2,000 sf ft sewing 1,900 sf ft elevator core

retail building lobby 4,500 sf ft

trims 500 sf ft textiles 500 sf ft elevator core open to below pattern design cutting studio 500 sf ft 500 sf ft

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/livable wage/ Numbers via MIT Living Wage Calculator11 All numbers are representative of a single adult living in New York County The goal of this calculator is to determine a full-time employee wage that allows a person to live comfortably in a city, including expenses such as food, medical care, housing, transportation, and taxes. In many cities, the minimum wage is not enough to sustain a reasonable lifestyle, especially in an expensive location such as New York City. By looking at a livable wage instead, decent treatment of employees can be prioritized.

/poverty wage/ wage that only considers rent and food costs

$5.00/hr /minimum wage/ Government-determined baseline wage

$8.00/hr /Livable wage/ minimum income to be financially independent

$14.30/hr 112

POVERTY IN NYC

/labor costs/ Pay sewers $15/hr (round up livable wage) $0.25/minute t-shirt: $0.25/min * 8 SAM = $2.00 Shirt: $0.25/min * 21 SAM = $5.25 Pants: $0.25/min * 35 SAM = $8.75 Sweater: $0.25/min * 45 SAM = $11.25 Dress: $0.25/min * 30 SAM = $7.50 Jacket: $0.25/min * 101 SAM = $25.25 Lab: $0.25/min * 100 SAM = $25.00 BROOKLYN GARMENT FACTORY

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/clothing cost/overseas/ This model looks at a shirt produced in a garment factory overseas that is owned by the retail company, otherwise known as vertical integration. Typically, a garmentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s production price would be doubled to get the wholesale cost, and then doubled again to get the retail price that consumers pay. With vertical integration, the retail and production are under the same umbrella, which allows middle-man costs to be cut out. Companies such as Zara are able to make such large profits by selling large quantities of clothing rather than large markups.

Materials/$1.38

Labor/$0.12 Dyeing/$0.50 Finishing/$0.60 Transport/$1.03

production total/$3.63 x2 retail price $7.26 total 114

Numbers via Ecouterre12

/clothing cost/domestic/ Materials/$2.75

Labor/$2.00 Dyeing/$0.50 Finishing/$1.25

Producing within the factory makes this project vertical integration as well, with all of the processes happening in one building. For this set of clothing, material and finishing costs are doubled to create a higher quality, longer lasting product. The biggest change is the difference in labor cost; paying a fair wage brings labor costs up from 3% of the production cost to 31%. Much savings comes from the lack of overseas transportation needed. Because this store will not sell the volume that fast fashion retailers will, a 150% markup ensures that a profit can be made for the company while keeping costs relatively low for the consumer.

production total/$6.50 150% retail price $16.25 total Numbers via Everlane13

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/sources/info/ 1 // "What Are the Differences between Period Costs and Product Costs?" Investopedia. October 27, 2014. Accessed July 19, 2015. 2 // Sarkar, Prasanta. “What Is the Meaning of SAM in Garment Industry?” Online Clothing Study. Accessed July 20, 2015. 3 // Manktelow, James. “Lean Manufacturing: Working More Efficiently.” MindTools. Accessed July 19, 2015. 4 // Sarkar, Prasanta. “Standard Minutes (SAM or SMV)for Few Basic Garment Products.” Online Clothing Study. Accessed July 20, 2015. 5 // Chiara, Joseph. Time-Saver Standards For Interior Design and Space Planning. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1991. 6 // “Dressing, Fitting, or Locker Rooms.” United States Access Board. Accessed July 17, 2015. 7 // Americans with Disabilities Act: ADA Guide for Small Businesses. 4th ed.

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Washington, D.C.: U.S. Small Business Administration, 1999. 8 // FACADE Guide to Storefront Design. New York City, New York: New York City Small Business Services. 9 // “Apparel Manufacturing Industry Certificate of Registration.” NYS Department of Labor. Accessed July 17, 2015. 10 // Hale, Beth. “Going to the Shops Takes up THREE Years of a Woman’s Life.” Daily Mail. April 7, 2010. Accessed July 20, 2015. 11 // Glasmeier, Dr. Amy. “Living Wage Calculator.” Living Wage Calculator. 2015. Accessed July 20, 2015. 12 // Chua, Jasmin Malik. “INFOGRAPHIC: What Does That $14 Shirt From Bangladesh Really Cost?” Ecouterre. July 6, 2013. Accessed July 20, 2015. 13 // Moore, Kristina. “Designer Spotlight: Everlane Making Retail Markup Transparent.” Forbes. November 20, 2014. Accessed July 20, 2015.

HAITIAN GARMENT FACTORY

/sources/pics/ Page 96 // “Suspended Figure by Ayako Maruta at Diesel Denim Gallery Aoyama.” Dezeen. February 15, 2008. Accessed July 16, 2015. Page 100-101 // Chua, Jasmin. “How Ethical Are Your Favorite Fast-Fashion Brands?” Ecouterre. June 8, 2014. Accessed July 16, 2015. Page 101 // T-Shirt by Mourad Mokrane via the Noun Project Page 101 // Shirt by Katie Wright via the Noun Project Page 101 // Pants by Manav Dhiman via the Noun Project Page 101 // Sweater by Ben Biondo via the Noun Project Page 101 // Dress by Steven Weigh via the Noun Project

Page 101 // Blazetyr by Ben Biondo via the Noun Project Page 110 // Katz, Celeste. “New York - NYC Gap Between Rich And Poor Greater Than India’s, Says New Report.” What’s News? September 29, 2010. Accessed July 20, 2015. Page 111 // Robinson, Melia. “Go Inside The Brooklyn Factory Where America’s Most Powerful Men Have Their Suits Stitched By Hand.” Business Insider. October 28, 2014. Accessed July 20, 2015. Page 114-115 // “Matt Damon and Other Celebs Back a High-End Apparel Factory in Haiti - Businessweek.” Rapadoo Observateur. September 20, 2013. Accessed July 20, 2015.

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the appendices 118

SHOPPERS ON A BUSY STREET

/appendix/a/future thoughts/ As this project continues, more attention needs to be given to the full cycle of fashion rather than only speaking to the production and consumption aspects. By only showing ideal production standards within the United States, it takes away the primary driver of the project; working to fight injustices in the global fashion industry. Instead, transparency can be delivered through drastic educational tactics integrated throughout a retail space, ultimately achieving the goal of an informed customer base with the resources to access responsible fashion. Rather than creating a singular, domestic brand devoted to slow fashion, this center should focus on the curation of various brands, making it the ultimate access point with a physical presence. Further research will

concentrate on determining what the baseline standards for responsible fashion are, as well as the brands that are already starting to fulfill these requirements. Additionally, it will be important to figure out how an in-store brand is integrated within these various third party suppliers to keep the integral production aspect of the project a spatial feature. From a conceptual design standpoint, nailing down a final concept driven by the issues highlighted in this volume should create a solid basis on which to start designing a space. Finally, by staying constantly connected to both the core issues and the consumers who determine the success of the space, this project will continue to successfully move forward in its challenging of the current state of the fashion industry.

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/appendix/b/survey/ What is your Age?

What is your Gender? What is your State of Residence? How many articles of clothing do you purchase per month, on average? 0 1-4 5-10 11-20 20+ What is your average monthly budget for clothing? $0 $1-20 $21-50 $51-100 $101-250 $251-500 $501-1000 $1000+ How often do you shop for clothing? (This includes browsing, both in-store & online. You do not necessarily had to have made a purchase) More than once a week Once a week 2-3 times a month Once a month Once every 3 months Once every 6 months Once a year Less than once a year Never How often do you purchase clothing? (A purchase must have been made) More than once a week Once a week 2-3 times a month Once a month Once every 3 months Once every 6 months Once a year Less than once a year Never How do you acquire the majority of your clothing? (Choose the most applicable option) Item I choose and purchase myself Item I choose, but someone purchases for me Item someone else chooses and purchases for me Hand-me-downs/clothes sharing 120

What do you look for when deciding whether or not to make a clothing purchase? Affordability Style Something you need Fit Too good of a deal to pass up How it was produced Quality Environmental/Sustainability Keeping up with trends Comfort Versatility Durability Brand Name Fair Trade Other Where do you make the majority of your clothing purchases? Big Box Retailers (Walmart, Target) Fast Fashion Retailers (H&M, Forever 21) High End Department (Saks 5th Avenue) Low End Department (Sears, JCPenney) Luxury Name Brand (Chanel, Michael Kors) Thrift/Secondhand (Goodwill, Salvation Army) Mid-Range Name Brand (Ann Taylor, Express) Activewear Brands (Adidas, Nike) Online-Only Retailers (Amazon, Zappos) Locally-Owned Boutiques Other How many garments do you currently own that have never been worn? 0 1-2 3-5 6-10 10+ Do you know the meaning of the phrase â&#x20AC;&#x153;fast fashionâ&#x20AC;?? Yes No Somewhat How much more money would you be willing to spend on clothing if a company could prove it was produced ethically? (Without slave labor, livable wages for workers) 0% 1-5% 6-15% 16-30% 31-50% 50%+ How much more money would you be willing to spend on clothing if a company could prove it was produced with environmental consciousness? (Use of organic materials, able to be recycled, no overuse of water, zero landfill waste, minimal pollution) 0% 1-5% 6-15% 16-30% 31-50% 50%+ 121

/volume 1 - research & conceptual design/

/revolution/

OVER THE LAST TWO DECADES, THE FASHION INDUSTRY HAS EXPLODED INTO A GLOBAL BUSINESS WITH A FOCUS ON PROMOTING QUANTITY OVER QUALITY PURCHASES, CREATING A DEMAND FOR LARGE VOLUMES OF CLOTHING AT HIGHLY-COMPETITIVE PRICES THAT IS BEING FULFILLED BY FAST FASHION RETAILERS AT THE BENEFIT OF BOTH THEM AND THE CONSUMER, AN ALLURING YET UNSUSTAINABLE PRACTICE THAT IS BECOMING INCREASINGLY IMPLAUSIBLE. AS FASHION BRANDS EXPAND GLOBALLY, IT BECOMES MORE AND MORE DIFFICULT TO HOLD THEM ACCOUNTABLE FOR UNETHICAL BUSINESS PRACTICES, CREATING AN INDUSTRY THAT LACKS TRANSPARENCY AND RESPONSIBILITY. BY CONTINUING TO SUPPORT FAST FASHION AND ALL THAT IT STANDS FOR, IT TELLS COMPANIES THAT THEIR PRACTICES ARE ACCEPTABLE. THAT PROFITS, NOT PEOPLE, ARE WHAT MATTER. WE CANNOT CONTINUE LIKE THIS; IT IS TIME FOR A FASHION REVOLUTION.