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Recession Woes Effect Fashion
By admins | February 10, 2009
Say goodbye to fashionistas and hello to recessionistas. When the economy is in crisis the fashion industry is hit hard. Fashion is considered a luxury item, which consumers can easily cut out of their budget, unlike staples of food and housing. (Although some of us would rather skip a meal to afford a fabulous new pair of Louboutins this season). Regardless of our income levels there is no denying, we are all feeling the pinch. In the March issue of Harper’s Bazaar, Sarah Jessica Parker discusses how Carrie Bradshaw would have handled a recession. “She would probably end up in a hospital, perhaps she would go back to her 80’s stuff and start bringing it back out.” Well, SJP has an excellent point; the tough economy should challenge us to look into our own closets and think more creatively. How can you rework existing pieces to make them relevant again? How about mixing and matching, old with new, to stretch a skimpy wardrobe this season?
The down economy has also inspired many entrepreneurs, for example, Californian Carrie Pollare has developed a recession themed jewelry line. Her bracelets, with sayings like, “I’m tired of the economy” are made of recycled material with a percentage of the proceeds going to charities. While many large retailers are struggling, small boutiques are thinking outside the box to keep their businesses a float. Small business owners are returning to more of a grassroots approach to their marketing and visual merchandising. Boutiques are taking a local angle in their advertising, by hosting more in-store events rather than spending on traditional advertising. All retailers have cut back on their buying and are being less risky in investing in new product. Additionally, they are asking manufactures for various discounts to help their bottom line. This, in turn, puts the burden on designers and manufactures to create more unique “must have” pieces at a recession friendly price-point. For those of us in the Garment Center, it is time to reevaluate our SKU plans and focus on quality not quantity in our line development!
For all you recessionistas who are watching your wallets this season, we have some great suggestions to help fill your wardrobe. Shopping sales, using discounts, trading outfits, reworking existing clothing, and DIY projects are great ways to use your creativity and stretch a dollar. For specifics, here are some of our favorite budget fashion bloggers to help you out:
The Budget Babe, The Budget Fashionista, The Recessionista, Style Bytes, Cheap Jap, Clutch 22, Swap Style
Here is more related scoop;
Topics: economy, fashion industry, garment center, shop | 2 Comments » 
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February 10th, 2009 at 3:00 pm
this is what i’m debating this week, do i buy anything new for fashion week? it seems as if i should really be recycling the closet.
February 12th, 2009 at 1:59 am
I love the idea of recycling from your own closet, it brings out the designer in me! Thanks for the links, I love the DIY concepts.