Sustainability is one of the greatest challenges the fashion industry faces as does our world as a whole. This past year left many of us with ample time alone with our own thoughts and I personally have made a lot of changes, albeit small ones, in the last year. While change can be daunting, I’ve committed to making changes like shopping more mindfully and thoughtfully, buying more vintage and no longer shopping fast-fashion brands. These changes have led me to think about the industry as a whole and what can be done to curb waste.
It was once said that fashion is the second-largest polluting industry in the world, and though that’s since been debated, it’s impossible to ignore that fashion has a pollution problem. Manufacturing and production technologies are ever-evolving and in the last ten years more companies have been forced to become transparent as media outlets and publications have exposed a slew of environmentally harmful practices and not just from fast fashion retailers.
One of the most appalling exposés on the luxury goods industry was the shockingly standard practice that designer brands have of burning off their unsold goods. While mass-market apparel brands are able to sell off most of their goods by offering customers deep discounts on out of season products, luxury brands have steered clear of discounting as a way to maintain brand integrity. As a result they’re often left with a surplus of unsold goods.
While the UK and France have taken strides to prevent the practice by banning it all together, the laws neglected to offer any real solutions, forcing brands to have to get creative with how they get rid of out dated or unsold merchandise. But what if brands were left with little or no excess goods at the end of a season? What if more brands operated on a pre-order model, allowing its manufacturing sites to produce small quantities of bags in order to cut waste?
The task, no doubt, is daunting and a pre-order business model would be incredibly hard to switch over to, but there are some brands that successfully operate using a small-batch or pre-order business model. Telfar is brand that follows this model, and while there are some cons, leftover product and waste isn’t one of them. According to Vogue Business Khaite and New York Based designer Misha Nonoo also operate via a similar business model. Today, Mischa Nonoo produces all pieces to order and delivers to the customer within 10 days. The approach not only helps to minimize waste, but it also helps a brand become more in touch with its consumers versus blindly assuming that an item will sell.
This approach doesn’t come without its challenges though, as consumers have become accustomed to a ‘see now, buy now, get now’ approach when it comes to fashion, but times are changing. Steve Dennis, a former strategy director at Neiman Marcus told Vogue Business, “Big fashion houses are continuing to invest in expanding their direct-to-consumer capabilities, and [smaller brands] are being way more selective about who they distribute with.” Ultimately, it starts with talking to the consumer about waiting in this fast-fashion world we’ve become so acquainted with.
While made to order is incredibly challenging for RTW companies where fit comes into play, with handbags that concern isn’t an issue, but dropping upwards of $2,000 on a bag months in advance may be be. How do you feel about pre-ordering bags? What would it take for this model to feel approachable for you? Sample showrooms to feel, see and touch a bag before placing an order? Something else?
As the industry shifts and continues to focus on sustainability and waste, it will be interesting to watch how the handbag world responds to these changes and how consumers react to them as well.
I preorder from an independent Australian designer (Wicker Darling). The bags are handmade in the Philippines and only a few extras are made each time in case any are damaged in shipping. Those extras usually sell out in a few minutes. It took about 8 months from the time I ordered to the time it reached me but it was nice to know there was as little waste as possible. It also gave me something to look forward to!
What I like the most about preorders is that I’m guaranteed a bag. There was no setting of alarms or crying because something sold out immediately. I understand it’s hard for trendy items to be produced this way but for high-quality basics and timeless pieces I 100% think preorders are the way to go.
Depends on the price if we’re going to to upper hundreds and thousands, I’d have to see it in person, too many variables to consider. Stores should probably have a sample at least so people could see it and then order if they like.
Yes I agree with you. I just can’t make any pre order without seeing a real piece. I prefer to feel with my hands and try them on.
Stores should have a sample piece for upcoming new design. Visual image simply doesn’t help me at all.
Personally I am trying to ask myself “ Do I really need? and why? “before any purchase. It’s kinda silly if I end up keep following the fashion trend all the time.
Also there’s so much more to sustainability in regards for fashion. Yes fast fashion is to blame but let’s analyze this closer. Who’s more wasteful? A poor person that buys all their clothes/accessories from h&m and holds onto it for years, or the person who get a new wardrobe every season and tosses their stuff as soon as it’s not trending anymore. Handbags in general shouldn’t have a huge impact. Leather goods are supposed to least lifetimes if made well and cared for properly.
Very well said. I think fast fashion gets a lot of troll but a lot of these luxury brands get their products manufactured from the same factories. Also to be honest who has all that money lying to spend $200 on a shirt? Sustainability has to do more with mindful and less buying and not give into the consume and dump mindset. Same theory apply to handbags as well. I see luxury designers churn new designs every season and the old one gets obsolete and the hunt to buy the new IT bag never ends.
No.
I really don’t mind ordering something I haven’t seen IRL since it’s easy to return or exchange any luxury item. The only real issue I have is ordering Hermès shoes. I find that the sizing is inconsistent.
What frustrates me is that I’m a size 10, but in European sizes I’m a 42 which is an American size 12? For me, Hermes sizing is consistent, but they have very limited styles in my size. Other design houses are better, with the exception of Gucci, which can run from a 40-42. In a sense I feel that design houses “foot shame” people with larger feet because the styles that I really covet are rarely in my size.
Interesting. I have never had that issue with Gucci. I’m a consistent Gucci 9 for the past 20 years!
There is a website that I follow called MIRTA. They represent a number of Italian leather artisans that makes beautiful bags to order. There are a couple of bags that I am considering. They ship free to the US and their lead time is usually just a couple of weeks.
The only one that I ever pre-ordered was the Telfar Ugg tote. I love shearling bags, but don’t want to spend up to $4-5K for them. So, I ordered Telfar and worried because I’ve never seen their products in person, but the price was too good to pass up. After waiting months it arrived and it’s better than I imagined.
The other issue about pre-orders is that if I’m pressured into making an immediate decision I may have buyers remorse. I need to think about it, for a few days, and if I still like it I’ll buy it. Rarely do stores give you the opportunity to decide, in 2-3 days time, because there are too many other people eager and willing to buy. In the end I feel that pre-ordering is a good idea to cut back on waste, pollution, etc.
I’m a visual person so this doesn’t appeal to me. I don’t like buying things sight unseen. It’s just really difficult for me visualize a computer image. I’m also one of those people that actually enjoys trying on clothes. I can’t imagine buying something, not liking the way it looks on me, and then having to return it. I HATE returning.
I can’t fathom buying jeans without trying them on. NIGHTMARE.
Only if it’s a brand I trust (based on personal experience with them) and one that has very strict quality standards. I would be pretty annoyed to put in an order, pay a significant amount up front, and then wait for months, only to have the bag arrive with quality problems — even minor ones.
Why doesn’t the luxury market learn to do what other markets have had to do, like, forever? It’s supply and demand, if you’re left with excess supply then there are strategies to deal with it. They just don’t ever want to lower prices, well good for them.. nobody *wants* to. I’m cool with helping the environment but this really just helps these luxury companies maximize their profits 😛