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Aug. 12, 2008
Era of the "Big Brand" is ending, says Seattle fashion designer
Consumers seeking a more personal connection with what they buy and the people who produce it
When Su Job started business as an independent designer of high-end handmade scarves in 2004, buyers for major retailers were reluctant to buy from small producers like her.
"We were still in the era of the Big Brand introduced in the 80s," says Job, owner/designer of Seattle-based Fiber at Large. But now those buyers are knocking on her door and they're seeking out other independent designers like her across the country. Today, she believes, consumers want a more personal connection with what they buy and the people who produce it.
Consumers seeking more personal connection with producers
A greater value on the unique
Retailers are tapping into the trend
Greater awareness of fair trade practices
Sustainability and fashion
A trend that extends beyond fashion design
About Su Job
UW Certificate Program in Developing an Independent Fashion Line
About UW Educational Outreach
Consumers seeking more personal connection with producers
"Fashion has always been cyclical, influenced as it is by popular culture" says Job, who will teach marketing in the new UW Certificate Program in Developing an Independent Fashion Line beginning this fall. "For more than two decades, people wouldn't buy an item unless it had a big, nationally-known brand behind it. People wanted that defined status." But brands eventually went the course of outlet malls and knockoffs, she says; now the brand is losing cachet.
She believes this is why more people are shifting to buying from independent designers. "It's become important to buy from individuals who have a hand in each garment produced and with whom they might feel a more personal connection. We're still a nation of consumers. But due to the times in which we live, people have become more mindful about consumption and want a more authentic experience."
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A greater value on the unique
As the Big Brand declines in favor, consumers are placing greater value on the unique in fashion. That ties in with the much smaller quantities that independent designers produce. The Internet, too, has had an effect. On the Internet, we can find exactly what we want-a whole wardrobe in a dragonfly motif if we so desire. "We are Americans-we love our choices!" Job says. "The reality is, we can have that choice today. In a bygone era, you had a tailor or a dress maker if you were rich. Now we're back to the one of a kind, the one-off, the ability to get exactly what you want."
Retailers are tapping into the trend
And retailers are beginning to respond. Job notes that Nordstrom employs a specialty buyer who works with the head buyers across all departments to procure unique fashion items. But it goes further than that, says Job. People want the story behind the item and the designer. "Now stores are asking 'do you have information about you and your processes'; they're using those as a selling tool.
They're not just selling my scarves-they're selling a piece of me." That's historically been the case with a certain type of shop, but now some larger retailers are catching on. "With Eileen Fisher you've always gotten some of that; there's still an Eileen. You might get the story behind the sweater and where Eileen found it; it makes it more meaningful to have that story."
Greater awareness of fair trade practices
Another factor driving the shift toward independent designers: We're much more educated now about fair trade practices. Exploitive or unsafe working conditions in some garment factories, child labor, manufacturing practices harmful to the environment, chemicals that aren't good to wear: these didn't hit our social consciousness radar until the late 90s.
When people buy from independent designers, they know where their clothes came from. They feel confidence in that more personal connection to the producer and they get the story behind the garment. "We've been on mass consumption kick for 50 years, but now we're smarter about how our day to day purchases impact the larger society. We used to have implicit trust in big companies-not so now," says Job.
Job also believes the concept of sustainability comes into play. Since World War II the U.S. has been in expansion mode. Business has been all about growth, sometimes to disastrous consequence (such as the dotcom bust). In the fashion industry, buyers expected that if demand outstripped supply, a designer could just increase production. But Job sees the beginning of a shift in America; "people are beginning to realize that you can't just grow and grow, there has to be an end."
Independent designers personify the sustainable business model. Job has her hands on everything she's making; there's a limit to what her business can produce. "Sustainability for the people involved is responsible; when people start to understand that, they see if favorably," she says. Another benefit: many independent designers produce their goods close to home without the need to ship components around the globe numerous times.
A trend that extends beyond fashion design
The trend toward buying from independent fashion designers is mirrored by the return of farmer's markets in urban areas across the country, believes Job; consumers enjoy meeting the grower because it makes them feel the cycle is complete. The same aesthetic is at work in the housing market. Real estate agents are encouraging sellers to contribute vignettes about themselves and their experience of living in the house. Today, consumers want a more personal connection with what they buy and the people who produce it.
Sue Job, owner/designer of Fiber at Large, began her first business in the fashion industry more than 25 years ago. She successfully developed and then sold two fashion companies- the first company was a custom clothiers and the second was a nationwide accessories manufacturer. Job is currently producing a bridge to a better line of hand-painted silks and marketing her line under her company name, Fiber At Large. Her work is sold in over 60 stores and museum shops nationwide.
Job received her B.F.A. in fibers from the University of Tennessee and her M.F.A. in fibers from the University of Washington. She has taught art history and cultural theory at several Seattle area schools including Cornish College of the Arts, The Art Institute of Seattle, Bellevue Community College, and Gage Academy of Art. Fiberatlarge.com
UW Certificate Program in Developing an Independent Fashion Line
For more information: Developing an Independent Fashion Line.
UW Educational Outreach is the continuing and professional education division of the University of Washington, the nationally recognized public research institution based in Seattle. Helping the schools, colleges, and departments to administer evening degrees, certificate programs, distance learning, international outreach and English language programs, and more, UW Educational Outreach is one of the largest and most highly regarded continuing and professional education programs in the U.S.
All UW Educational Outreach programs are designed by UW faculty, industry experts, and community leaders. Every program must be approved by the corresponding University of Washington academic department. UW advisory boards-which include prominent industry leaders-continually review programs and update curriculums to meet the evolving demands of specific fields. For more information, see UWEO