Recession Era: How We’re Changing the Way We Interact with Fashion
There’s no denying the recession’s impacts on the economy, but one vital indicator has been the resounding effects on the fashion sector and change in consumer behaviour.
With many forecasts in 2022 predicting the downturn in 2023, we here in Canada are definitely feeling it, especially in the rising costs of living from inflation. But is this merely the corresponding effect from an overactive market during the pandemic era of 2021 until 2022? With everyone at home and nothing else to do, there was an exponentially increased level of purchasing that was occuring, represented by the growth seen in 2021. Trends on social media applications such as TikTok were being created as quickly as five times a day, and many influencers arose from the masses during this time. Amazon in particular was able to recognize and capture this growing market by allowing users to create their own storefronts with everyday items that anyone could influence their communities to buy. This, however, created such an incredible surplus of product, a change in consumer behavior was simply inevitable.
In my opinion, this overabundance of stuff was able to completely satisfy, and thus desensitize, the general population’s desire for more goods. The first result of this change in my observation was the new trend of minimalist paparazzi photography being used for luxury fashion house marketing campaigns. People’s senses are no longer reacting to an overproduced marketing campaign made with a ridiculously high budget from overzealous trend followers.
Instead, this laidback, nonchalant look and feel heavily reminiscent of 90’s minimalism is beginning to make its comeback as the current reigning fashion influence. Yes, this is absolutely paired with the effects and timing of the global recession, however its arrival still includes this current cycle of beginning to resist our previous chapter of maximalism. Purchasing power was previously proudly displayed by presenting multiple articles of clothing sporting a logo on it (a nod to the atrocious yet nostalgic 2000’s era of fashion). This trend also seems to be the evolution from the recent trend of “quiet luxury”, with previously elusive brands such as The Row gaining widespread mainstream recognition.
To conclude, we are now present in the cycle of fashion that is beginning to outgrow its desire for quantity and returned once again to the desire for quality. This means fewer, more sustainable pieces, less fast fashion, and more capsule wardrobes. We will inevitably reach a cycle where we begin to gravitate towards the opposite once again, however, based on this timeline I would predict it will be closer to a decade until we begin to see these changes occur.
The more things change, the more they stay the same. — Winston Churchill
And those are my thoughts! Thank you for reading this far if you did, I truly do love ranting into the void about fashion. :) Follow me on my high fashion Twitter, @mimosa_prime
I also post TikTok reviews on @indirasherry if you want to hear me review more content.
Stay tuned for my blog on Christmas gift guides for the fashion girlies in your life!