Ethical and political – fashion gets real!
Fourth-wave feminism, sustainability and socially conscious consumers will all loom large in fashion in 2019, writes Anne Fullerton.
Fashions change – even the word itself implies a continual state of reinvention. But while hemlines and silhouettes alter with the seasons, there’s no denying that fashion as an industry is undergoing some far more permanent shifts.
From the influence of fourth-wave feminism to sustainability practices and socially conscious consumers who wear their ethics on their sleeves, these are some of the transformations you can expect to take hold this year.
Kinder kicks (and bags, belts, and . . . )
We’ve been told for what feels like decades that cruelty-free is the new cool, but this year the sentiment is more than tokenistic.
What was once a polarised market with niche Etsy stores at one end of the spectrum and Stella McCartney at the other is finally accessible to the average shopper – one who can’t wear hemp fisherman pants to work any more than they can fork out $1000 for a pair of sneakers.
With mainstream brands such as Dr Martens and Veja (Meghan Markle’s sneaker of choice) adding animal-friendly alternatives to their core collections, the vegan leather market is expected to be worth $85 billion by 2025.
Entirely leather-free labels are also on the rise, catering to discerning customers who want a replacement that looks as good as it feels.
Internationally, we’re talking about the likes of LA shoe designer Sydney Brown, whose heeled velvet mules and elegant boots are handcrafted in Portugal, Angela Roi whose handbags speak to a timeless elegance and other mid-priced accessories labels such as Matt & Nat, Sole Society and JW Pei. (Of course, you could embrace of-themoment woven shoppers, sidestepping the need for a leather dupe altogether.)
Need more proof that change is happening at every level of the industry?
Look no further than tastemaker Gucci. Despite the cult status of its fur-lined loafers, the company announced in 2017 that it was ditching fur as part of a wider sustainability plan.
Versace and Chanel quickly followed suit, with the latter planning to phase out exotic skins this year. London Fashion Week went entirely fur-free in 2018, while LA banned the sale of fur entirely and will host its first Vegan Fashion Week in February.
Alexi Lubomirski, the vegan photographer who shot the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s wedding and who counts Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar and Vanity Fair among his clients is also wielding his considerable clout, including a ‘‘no fur, feathers or exotic skins’’ clause in his rider.
As more people look to reduce their consumption of animal products for ethical, environmental and health reasons, you can expect to see a trickle-down effect in your wardrobe.
Redefining sexy
When Rihanna launched her lingerie line, Savage X Fenty, at a Brooklyn warehouse last year, a PR person at the event warned guests that the show wouldn’t be what they expected.
She wasn’t kidding.
A diverse procession of women representing different age groups, body types, ethnic backgrounds and personal styles walked the runway – including two pregnant models, one of whom gave birth 14 hours later.
The event immediately drew comparisons to the Victoria’s Secret show, with Savage X Fenty’s inclusive casting and size range serving as a foil to VS’ annual televised extravaganza of lithe, bronzed ‘‘angels’’.
(The issue was further compounded when Victoria’s Secret executive Ed Razek made disparaging comments about trans and plus-size models to Vogue.)
Though it can be hard to gauge whether column inches have realworld consequences, the numbers do indicate that Victoria’s Secret isn’t resonating with a new generation of shoppers.
The company’s stock was down 41 per cent last year and the show was watched by 3.3 million people, which sounds like a lot until you consider that 9.7 million viewers tuned in just five years earlier.
Of course, plenty of other brands have long championed a more inclusive vision of femininity, including homegrown intimates label Lonely.
Founded by Helene Morris, the company’s beautifully crafted underwear is noticeably devoid of underwire and push-up designs, and is presented on un-airbrushed women of many ages and body types.
While some ‘‘celebrations’’ of diversity can feel self-congratulatory or patronising, Lonely is unique precisely because it is quietly radical.
Stretch marks, body hair and other normal human attributes just happen to be visible in their campaigns and imagery – they aren’t the main point.
Combined with the democratising power of social media and body positivity advocates, these small changes become part of a wider kickback against the male gaze.
Rather than simply expanding the
definition of what straight men find sexy, female shoppers are rendering male approval irrelevant – as Rihanna eloquently put it, ‘‘women should be wearing lingerie for their damn selves’’.
Overtly sexualised brands such as Abercrombie & Fitch and American Apparel are among those floundering in a newly ‘‘woke’’ climate, while New York label Batsheva, inspired by conservative, Orthodox Jewish dress codes, has garnered a cult following among fashion elite.
Expect to see more brands helmed by women expanding notions of beauty and sexiness, while the old guard adapts or dies.
The latest beauty high
The beauty industry is not averse to a ‘‘super ingredient’’, whether it be Korean face masks made from snail slime or a $1400 moisturiser derived from one’s own plasma.
The next magic elixir is cannabidiol, aka CBD oil, a nonpsychoactive marijuana plant compound that is said to help with everything from anxiety to pain management.
While CBD is available in New Zealand only with a prescription, the legalisation of cannabis across many parts of the US and all of Canada has led to an explosion of CBD-infused products, from gummies to coffee and pet products.
The rebranding of cannabis as a wellness aid makes the beauty crossover a natural one and companies such as Lord Jones, Vertly and MGC Derma have been quick to parlay CBD’s supposed antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties into skincare lines with chic packaging and a pricetag to match.
To give an indication of just how mainstream CBD beauty has become, actors Mandy Moore and Olivia Wilde have both said that they use a CBD lotion to ease the pain of uncomfortable red carpet heels, while two former directors from Gwyneth Paltrow’s GOOP recently launched a platform entirely dedicated to CBD wellness products.
One analysis estimated that the hemp-CBD market alone could hit US$22 billion by 2022.
This is undoubtedly a byproduct of legalisation – a billion-dollar industry must find new and interesting ways to market its products.
From a more philosophical perspective, however, some have questioned whether CBD might be a balm for uncertain times.
New York Times journalist Alex Williams called it an ‘‘of the moment salve for a nation on edge’’ suggesting that in a climate of political discord and global environmental crisis, CBD’s multitude of promises represent ‘‘a cure for 21st century itself’’.
Fashion gets political
From the berets of the Black Panthers to the knitted pink Pussyhats of contemporary Trump protesters, fashion has always been a powerful political instrument.
That sentiment is intensifying, but this time it works the other way too, with fashion brands increasingly using money and resources to exert unprecedented influence.
The trend is especially evident in the US, where companies and retailers are wading into issues as diverse as reproductive rights, the Black Lives Matter movement and the environment.
When President Donald Trump announced that he would shrink two national monuments in the country’s largest reduction of protected land, outdoor clothing companies Patagonia, North Face and REI used their platform to tell Americans ‘‘the president stole your land’’.
Patagonia founder Yvon Chouinard went a step further by calling the government ‘‘evil’’ on national television and filing a joint lawsuit against Trump arguing that while presidents have the power to create national monuments, only Congress can reduce them.
Levi’s founded Everytown Business Leaders for Gun Control and pledged to donate $1 million to gun control activists, with the CEO writing that business ‘‘has a critical role to play in and a moral obligation to do something about the gun violence epidemic in this country’’.
This is likely just the start — Business of Fashion reports that nine out of 10 Generation Z consumers believe companies have a responsibility to address environmental and social issues, which is significant when you consider that Gen Z and millennial consumers represent around $350b of spending power in the US alone.
Whatever your political persuasion, the days of sending a slogan T-shirt down the runway and calling it a statement are over.
Access versus ownership
A Business of Fashion report with consulting firm McKinsey & Company predicts that the desire for sustainability, affordability and novelty could mean that the resale market is bigger than fast fashion in as few as 10 years.
In addition to luxury consignment retailers like The RealReal (valued at US$450m), fashion rental start-ups are slowly becoming a significant slice of the pie.
While it’s not yet de rigueur to rent your wardrobe, consider the way subscription services have transformed other areas of life: Netflix now represents the biggest competitor to traditional television stations, while music streaming services like Spotify have largely replaced CD sales and downloads.
Why shouldn’t a similar model work for fashion?
Local start-ups still have a way to go before they’re able to replicate the ease and convenience of popping into Zara, but as more people become aware of the enormous human and environmental costs of cheap clothing, a system that keeps textiles out of landfills for longer is starting to look a lot more attractive.