MILAN — When the TikTok account @trendswithtate posted a video commenting on a Massimo Dutti shearling coat that was selling for $2,000 on the brand’s website, comments and likes skyrocketed, reaching nearly 50,000 interactions.
“Honestly, I never would have expected my video to blow up,” Tate Morrison, the creator behind the account, told WWD. Commenters on the video pointed out that they would never buy a coat that costs that much from a fast fashion brand or praised Massimo Dutti for his bold move.
Massimo Dutti’s coat: screenshot taken from its official website.
courtesy image
The gap between ultra-fast fashion and fast fashion has become more apparent than ever, and as brands like Zara, Mango, Massimo Dutti and &Other Stories try to elevate their image, they also elevate their prices.
The term “ultrafast fashion” was first used during the pandemic and describes brands such as Chinese online retailer Shein, which churns out huge quantities of clothing in a short period. Every day, Shein features nearly 6,000 designs on the website, and it can take the company as little as three days to plan, produce and market a garment, according to a report by McKinsey & Co.
But while ultra-fast fashion retailers sell items as low as $10, some more “traditional” fast-fashion brands are trying to move up the market, repositioning themselves as more expensive.
Andrea Batilla, author of the books “Instant Fashion” and “The Fashion Alphabet”, and former director of the Istituto Europeo di Design and brand consultant, he said “they are like the most beautiful girl with the worst reputation. Everyone loves them but we know they can be toxic, so they are trying to clean up their image.”
Zara recently unveiled an Atelier Collection shot by famed fashion photographer Paolo Roversi with the aim of celebrating “high-end design and exquisite craftsmanship.” The items, mainly coats and dresses, were priced at around $400.
“These fast fashion companies can position themselves above ultra-fast fashion brands,” Batilla said.
According to Cécilia Moussy, a Paris-based fashion trend forecaster and luxury brand consultant who previously worked at Tagwalk, the fashion search engine that compiles information on fashion shows, designers, trends and new talent, “the price per alone can no longer justify the high-end character of a clothing brand, and it is not the only indicator to define what a premium product should be”.
In fact, customers, especially Gen Z, are acutely aware of the harms of fast fashion and have high expectations around transparency.
“The more these brands achieve the prices of premium brands, the more consumers will expect transparency around materials and fabrics, real craftsmanship, and added value that will allow those brands to stand out from other competitors,” Moussy said.
Case in point: Morrison noted that while she succumbs to fast-fashion convenience from time to time, she prefers to spend more money on items that have “some sense of exclusivity, plus guaranteed high-quality craftsmanship.”
In September, Swedish clothing label COS presented its first New York Fashion Week runway collection to see now, buy now to an audience that included Anderson .Paak, Angus Cloud and Emily Ratajkowski with a cast of supermodels. which included Paloma Elsesser. During the show, the retailer launched eveningwear, with dresses and accessories priced at around £200.
Showing up during fashion week is one way fast fashion brands “build brand identity,” Batilla said. “Unlike other players, COS has a strong brand identity.”
A look from Cos’ fall 2022 collection.
George Chinsee / World Water Day
Today, high street retailers seek relevance and closeness to customers that high-end brands enjoy. To get there, brands are not only raising prices, but also working towards more sustainable practices.
Zara last month said it was entering the resale market with the goal of helping customers repair, resell or recycle their clothes. During the pandemic, the secondhand market reached its peak, as people began to buy more consciously and appreciate what they already had. According to Boston Consulting Group, in 2022 the estimated market value is between $100 billion and $120 billion worldwide.
Zara’s “Semester” Program.
Courtesy Zara
Morrison said he has recently “spent more time and energy trying to find second-hand pieces at thrift or vintage stores.”
These kinds of new services could help fast-fashion brands “acquire a more prestigious image,” Moussy said. And in the future, companies could “eventually split their offerings into two ranges: a first mass-market range, accessible due to its reasonable prices, and a second, higher-end range with the promise of higher-value clothing,” Moussy noted.
The line is fine between a strategic marketing move and a shift to really elevate the brand as one more aware of social and sustainable practices. But some fast-fashion brands are moving forward with greener production, eco-friendly lines, and supply chain transparency.
Zara, for example, said that by 2025 all its linen and polyester fabrics will be sustainable, and by 2030 H&M said it will recycle all its products. Mango has set itself the goal of using 100% sustainable cotton and 50% recycled polyester in its collections by 2025.
“The example of the Massimo Dutti coat is perfect to understand how it doesn’t matter if it’s good or bad,” said Batilla. “At the end of the day, we’re talking about it.”
Source: news.google.com