This article has been written by keeping in mind the effects of the tumultuous economic downturn, social changes & technological advances on the fashion. It will scan how periods of austerity have impacted on the fashion industry from a historical perspective; analyze the situation on these sectors nowadays, particularly in relation to fashion. It will also examine the effects of new technologies, social & economic trends on fashion.

Fashion has always been greatly influenced by social standings and accessibility to money. In the 30s, there was a shift to purchasing more inexpensive items for the common people while if you could still afford it you would buy your clothing from abroad. During this time a lot of American designers emerged and with the help of movie stars helped to set trends without having to spend the money. Zippers were less expensive than buttons so they became very popular. As the effects of cinema became more evident, the hemlines altered from mid-calf during day time to full length in the evening. Men's fashions were more relaxed and the v-neck sweater and wider pants replaced the 3-piece suit. A hat for a man was a social standing and was a sign of a well-dressed male.

Technology had many advances during the 20th century as well. This included the first glimpses of the TV set, as well as medical improvements.

Technology has proved to be a great drive in the vicissitudes and trends in fashion. Silk was produced years ago which helped in the new dress styles for evening wear that became very popular with time. Cotton increasingly got more popular and was manufactured more because of the great demand for an easy-to-care-for fabric. Gradually people overcame the obstacles of the depression and were still able to see the positives and relay that into their fashion choices. If one looks good one feels good. During austerity period, when the money was scarce, one was able to get cheap fabrics and more women started sewing more themselves to save money as well which enabled them to set trends in their own social circles that were to stay around for decades.

The behavioral content of the core assumptions is too simplified. Who can reasonably deny that individual preferences to some extent depend directly or indirectly on what other individuals around are doing? People do care actually about what others think or say. Let us consider, as the simplest example, fashion, which has obvious implications in many economic sectors, from clothing to leisure and finance.
An antiquity of austerity in fashion
Throughout the Twentieth century the world has endured various periods of economic austerity triggered as a result of war, political upheavals, and market uncertainties. World War One, the Second World War, the Wall Street Crash, the Oil Crisis, Black Monday etc. have all had a negative impact on the lives of millions of people in their respective societies.

There was a move during the 2nd world war to train women in mending classes, so they could use unwanted cloth for making new clothes and learn how to extend the life of their existing clothes by mending.

Many prominent fashion trends develop in response tocontemporary global social, political, and economic events. Perhaps the mostcelebrated reactionary fashion statement followed the austerity of World WarTwo when Christian Dior showcased the celebrated New Look collection in thepost-war era.

In Britain, the 1970s and 1980s brought social upheaval inthe form of trade union strikes, rising inflation and unemployment, and theseuncertain times also impacted on the futures of fashion .Most significant inretrospect was the sheer determination on the part of the young women who foundways of being economically sufficient. Similar to the earlier development ofthe New Look, the Punk ideology and ensuing individual approach to dressdeveloped as a response to the social, political, and economic upheaval duringthis period.

Throughout the Twentieth century, many trends have adoptedvarious cost-effective approaches to dress. There was an explosion in homedress-making due to the growth in user-friendly sewing patterns, readilyavailable, and easy to construct from companies such as Butterick or Vogue.Both the hippy movement and later the grunge movement adopted a penchant forhand-made, charity shop and flea-market fashions, in a move away from corporateexcess.

Speculation in the markets culminated in a series ofcrashes, with the burst of the Harshad Mehta scam in 1990s ,crashing thefinancial markets and sending the country into a global recession .Thisinsecurity combined with the rise in unemployment has had a radical effect onthe general spending habits. Empty premises, closing down sales and an influxof discount retailers are increasingly common place in the market. Thedifficulty of trading in a recession combined with the ready availability ofcheaper fast fashion alternatives from the realms of the mass manufactured highstreet retailers make trading conditions for independent boutiques additionallydifficult.

The credit crunch has undoubtedly impacted consumer habitswith a knock-on effect for many retailers. In the words of John Galliano, thisis a credit crunch, not a creative crunch (Socha, 2009).

Fashion Graduates in an age of austerity

As Lakme India Fashion Week closes, Indias buddingdesigners must tackle the challenge of finding employment in an economy wheremost recent fashion graduates are struggling for work and in an industry thatis notoriously competitive.

Mumbai & Delhi have the reputation as a cradle of newfashion talent, with National Institute of Fashion Technology boasting anillustrious list of alumni including Ritu Beri, Sabyasachi, Manish Malhotra etc.The fashion institute showcases its graduate talent every year, luringheadhunters looking for up-and-coming talent to offer their labels.

 

A lucky few will be tapped on the shoulder for positionsat top brands. But most will have to settle for employment that doesnt advancetheir dreams beyond internships and jobs on the bottom of the career ladder.

Technological Advances

For any new fashion entrepreneur, the internet has provedindispensable to the growth of her/his business .The website facilitatesordering for commercial and private customers alike, showcasing the fullcollection alongside color variations and prices. Working with a website notonly provides a more direct route to the final customer, but also helps to gainexposure and portray a more professional brand. Private consultations with thedesigner offer a unique shopping experience, and a participatory role in thedesign process as the consumer becomes a co-designer in the final product.

Social networking, such as Facebook, also play animportant role in this type of business model; prospective customers are ableto interact with established customers, initiate debates, view collections,follow promotions, and identify up-coming events (Burns, C., 2011).

In a period of economic austerity, this competitionbecomes all the more apparent as consumers become more prudent. In recentyears, the growth of fast fashion has made clothes much cheaper relative toincome in comparison to a few decades ago (Black, 2008, p.14). It is thereforeunfeasible for the fashion entrepreneur to compete with these price scales andfor that reason that their product ranges have the added value worth that merittheir higher prices.

Conclusion

Despite the climate of austerity, the growing numbers ofcraft and fashion events indicate a market for fashion products, although adefinite change in consumer attitudes is perceptible.

In addition, a greater level of customer serviceestablishes a strong reputation and ensures that customers will return orrecommend the brand to others. Identifying and understanding the needs of theconsumer is critical, finding an appropriate sales location, or targeting the rightcraft fair is essential.

In addition, the ability to quickly embrace newtechnologies to advance their business allows Fashion businesses to compete inthe market place against stiff competition from all sectors of the globalfashion and textile industry. More importantly, this new media has becomeinstrumental as a way of moving product to the market place, cutting out themiddle man, and providing an easier and more profitable alternative tosupplying retailers. Even from a remote location, it is an excellent tool fornetworking with customers & retailers.

 

These new consumer trends are apparent in many instances .Consumersare beginning to question the origin of their purchases, and are keen to avoidbrands seen to be supporting unethical production in developing countries.Concurrent with this new trend, the designer has the distinct advantage ofbeing able to guarantee the customer a locally fairly produced product, andshould utilize this positively as a philosophy on which to move their businessforward.

Aboutthe Author:

VasundharaC. Bhagat is the Associate Professor and Centre Coordinator for Bachelor ofFashion Technology at the National Institute of Fashion Technology,Gandhinagar, Gujarat.

 

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