HASSTREETWEAR KILLEDTAILORING?

For a few seasons, luxury designers and brands have been focusing on sportswear, even streetwear, which used to be characterised by misshapen clothing and mass-produced accessories. These same houses took their lead from the social networks and squandered the images of their latest collections in an instant.

That adds up to a bad time for tailoring and, by extension, to the philosophy of me- ticulous know-how that goes into its production. Fortunately, the millennials – those under-40 consumers who are currently obsessing the big brands – are not the only people on earth who wear clothes. There are also their elders, starting with the equally numerous baby boomers. Members of this cohort do not necessarily want to wear the same outfit (and shoes) in town as at the stadium. In addition, they have greater means to afford clothes that are perfectly cut to their size.

With tastes passing as fashions, we may also imagine that digital natives will eventually tire of labels that are just a click away. Inaccessibility and rarity are eternal wellsprings of desire. Conversely, a man who dreams of driving a Ferrari or a Porsche when he is 20 will not be dreaming of driving the same type of car at 40. Thus, the current lack of tailoring spirit on the catwalks may be beneficial in the medium term. Provided, however, that the image is dusted off and no longer dwells on centuries-old traditions but instead emphasises quality, proximity and durability. These are eco-responsible criteria (hitherto unexploited) that count for more and more in the eyes of all.