Detroit, The Motor City, is famous for cars and manufacturing. The once industrial hub of America home to once corporate automobile giants General Motors, Ford and Chrysler is reinventing itself with creative industries. Detroitissimi at Pitti Uomo showcased the cities top fashion heads. BM-AC, Bosweel Millinery, Detroit Denim, Deviate, High’s Adventure Gear, K. Walker Collective, Modern Athlete and Stormy Kromer represented a new style of design and production from The Great Lake State. The collective heads shared a passion for quality and a dedication to a less but better model of clothing.
2023 closes. Hello 2024. What do I see as fashion trends in this volatile world?
The influencer movement has come under more scrutiny. The Ferragani Scandal in Italy, a loss of trust by followers. Finally, the increasing AI models used by brands and companies mean a reckoning could be on the horizon for this outreach strategy.
As luxury labels struggle attracting stressed buyers, expect a retreat in many areas. The creative head musical chairs will continue as brands move from conspicuous to quiet style.
Fashion magazines, once trendsetting curators, will continue their free fall still unable to adjust in the digital platform age. Has anyone bought Vogue’s Christmas Issue? Certainly there will be layoffs at publishing houses.
The retail scene is not going to escape, expect less physical stores while the online sites recalibrate. Shoppers should expect return and restocking fees for items sent back as online shops are no longer able to absorb shipping costs.
The Chinese apps grabbed the fast fashion baton and are racing around the fashion track. Temu and Shein have adjusted business models for young buyers to lust for a 1.99 t-shirt.
Sustainability gets the feel good headlines, but has yet to make a real industry economic impact. Big companies will continue practicing greenwashing paying lip service with peppered eco-slogans here and there in ads, but I suspect cash strapped consumers are not in the mood for paying more for better or helping the planet.
Always remember this in 2024: Fashion is cheap. One cannot buy style.
Press days are always an interesting moment in the fashion business. These are times when professionals and non-professionals a like trek around the city to press agencies to go over represented clients and brands in more details. For me, I am either inspired or informed. For the upcoming season, inform sat in the driver’s seat.
Amazon Fashion, ?yes?, you read it right. When I got the invitation, my expectations were not high. When I entered the apartment, I asked ?What is Amazon Fashion, Help me understand!? The mega e-commerce site has moved into selling high-end fashion. The bigger surprise was why would desired brands sell on a site known for cut rate prices for everything from books to dog collars to grey brands. The Bellevue, Washington tech giant enlisted social media influencers to appeal to Generation Z’s as an aspiring shopping destination for HUGO and Armani Exchange pieces. Well, Jeff Bezo did not earn $200 billion by making the wrong bets. But then again, who remembers Fire? The Amazon smartphone that came and went.
ANNARR in Copenhagen
The second bit of information I was told, Danish corporation Bestseller is introducing a new menswear label aimed at affluent customers. Annarr means ?the next one? in the Norse language. A curious venture for Bestseller, whose subsidiaries include fast fashion staple Jack&;Jones, it means a gamble if clientele want a buying less but better quality. Four collections per year, carefully curated with looks influenced by Copenhagen casual style with a promise of layering abilities. Annarr arrives in stores in Spring 2024.
In the shock and surprise category, G-Star Raw has a 1,200 euro jacket. Normally, one does not associate a luxury price with a known streetwear brand, but as different segments of the fashion market converge in other categories such as trainers and t-shirts, the Dutch label has made a play in the luxury category.
