The main characteristic unique to the fashion industry is ‘fast fashion’. The speed at which clothing can be produced for sale is quite astounding. With fashion trends changing seasonally, as well as the introduction of half, and quarter seasons (seasons within seasons), the time that the entire production process has to be done in is getting ever faster.
The consumer demand for high street fashion means that clothing needs to be produced as quickly, and cheaply as possible to ensure sales are made, and profit is gained before the trends change again. It is also unique that in the fashion industry, clothing is usually designed in one country, and constructed in another. Construction overseas - which you would think would add extra time and money to the process (in terms of money needed to transport the merchandise and the time spent shipping between countries), is actually a cheaper option, as countries such as China can produce garments at very competitive prices due to their low labour costs.
I’m not sure if a reason for the increase in the speed of fashion can be pinpointed exactly. However, today our access to current fashion trends is immediate as fashion shows are streamed live on the Internet, and on sale / display online before the merchandise even reaches stores. This means that the trickle down effect of high-end fashion styles being imitated and reproduced for low-end stores needs to be done quickly and efficiently to keep up with trends; whereas before this technology, high end fashions (seen on runways or shoots) wouldn’t be seen by the general public until published in magazines etc, which would provide much more time to recreate the trends in garments for low end stores.
i love fashion so much its like breathing to me
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