The End of the World

Examples…? uncontrollably. highly exciting. The direct mirror function of social, sociological, and cultural trends and changes was - and still is - what I perceive to be the most fascinating aspect of this indus try.

Jeans are basically seen as the model pupil of globalisation. They were the first clothing item to globalise an image. They have always been the key look of counterculture, an icon of youth, and a symbol of freedom. This clear po sitioning was distinct and extremely successful over decades. It was a real no-brainer! However, when the globalisation and (media) digitalisation turned jeans into a borderless mass product, they were transformed into a stereotype. The tattooed rock & roll youthfulness became a hollow pose and jeans became a logistics business. Several people have since tried unsuccessfully to find a new, credible positioning in our (consumer) world. The same applies The End of the World to the digitalised communication and consumer behaviour of the image-rele

An opinion piece by Stephan Huber vant, young target group and the surge of vertically integrated companies. The latter was only made possible by globalisation. And so, in order to shorten this “I t’s the end of the world as we know it!” Many of us probably sang along to the chorus of this R.E.M. song - which ultimately Or: also a victim of globalisation. dates back to 1987 (!!!), would you believe it For a very long time, one of most important - without really thinking about what it ac cultural roles of fashion retailers was to make tually means. In the current situation, quite the scent of fashionable sophistication and a few of us might remember it. The radical flair of international metropolises perceptichange that we are experiencing on all levels ble. Their duty was to bring a little Paris, of society - and therefore also within our own Milan, and New York to cities like Regensburg personal, individual sphere - has really taken or Wels. They communicated the images, stories, on a new dimension. What takes our breath away and know-how. After all, this glittering world is not change itself. After all, our planet was not only far away in a physical sense back has been a “world in progress” for 4.5 billion then. Today, we carry this world around with years. The breathtaking element is the speed us in our pockets and no longer merely travel in which this change is taking place. It has to all these mythical - or possibly slightly led to a widespread feeling that change can no demystified - locations of yearning by placing longer be influenced, but merely “happens”, a finger on a map.

The driving forces behind the radical change What I’m Trying to Say: are “digitalisation” and “globalisation”. This Our industry is currently experiencing an episn’t criticism or judgement, but merely a ochal period of change. This process of change conclusion of fact. Every current debate, every will continue, mainly driven by - yes, I know challenge, and every change - be it large or I am repeating myself - digitalisation and small - can be traced back to these two key globalisation. Much of this process is indeed factors. Rapid scientific progress, the VW uncharted territory! scandal, Netflix, TTIP, the financial crisis, This forces us to check positions and to, ul

Snowden, the German export successes, changing timately, question absolutely everything. As consumer behaviour, and even the extremely stu I said, this is challenging and potentially pid discussion why war refugees own - and use scary, but always highly exciting. To quote - smart phones are but a few examples. All of Angela Merkel, there is, above all, no alterit can be traced back to globalisation and dignative. Maybe this is where we should remember italisation. The fashion world is particularly the whole chorus of the aforementioned R.E.M. affected by these acceleration forces. This is song: “It’s the end of the world as we know it… challenging and potentially scary, but always and I feel fine…” causal train of thought, the Bread & Butter is