Fast fashion enters into the slow crossover period

Breaking, renunciation, and separation seem to have once again been integrated into part of today’s life. After experiencing various turbulent situations, facing the still unstable future, people are constantly making choices to clarify the most precious and important things to them.

"The complex to the simple" in fashion industry is a response to this consumer behavior trends. Among them, cheap fast fashion brands in particular should be aware of the changes, otherwise, they are very likely to become the first batch of stragglers and be eliminated out of the market. Uniqlo and H&M are the first brands to take action.

After nearly a decade, minimalist fashion designer Jil Sander once again cooperates with Uniqlo to launch the +J series in this fall. It is revealed by the Officials that this cooperation will continue the low-key and simple style, and focus on high-end uniform design. In 2009, the two reached their first cooperation, and then ended the cooperation in 2011. In the FW 2014 and SS 2015, Uniqlo re-enacted the classic items in the +J series, which receive a positive response from the market.

During its selection on new partners, H&M also made a similar choice. Its collaboration series with Italian fashion brand Giuliva Heritage will be officially launched on September 3rd. The latter was founded by Margherita Cardelli and Gerardo Cavaliere in 2017. It is known for its traditional hand-cut formal wear and classic design aesthetics. As part of the H&M Conscious series, its related cooperative products will be manufactured with recyclable materials and recycled fibers.

Fast fashion brands used to have been favored by young consumer groups with relatively low purchasing ability as affordable replacements to catwalks styles. These consumers often want to keep in line with the ever-changing trends at lower prices, and put the requirements for product quality in the second place. Fast-fashion brands based on this audience usually tend to team up with trendy brands or hot IPs, pursuing the HIT effect, and the frequency of product series update is also high.

Now, everything is rewritten. When people is experiencing economy depression and looking around at a loss, the "lipstick effect" is also hardly working. More people starts to pursue durable every day wear. Although price is still important, they are no longer willing to exchange low prices for the easily outdated "trend". "In my opinion, matching items have become an important part of current fashion," said Yumi Shin, chief buyer of department store Bergdorf Goodman, “and jackets and blazers are coming back.”

This is why Uniqlo chose to restart the cooperation with Jil Sander at this moment. A series of measures such as social distancing, working from home and employment layback have made the usual business workplaces rare and special. After increasing investment in sportswear and homewear, people don't have much room for work clothes in the closet. They need more high-quality, classic-designed and affordable suits and uniforms.

Giuliva Heritage, which was established later and is relatively less well-known, has clearly respected the traditional Italian tailoring craftsmanship from the beginning. Therefore, the two founders were first surprised when they received the invitation to cooperate with H&M. "We are the opposite of the fast fashion industry," Cardelli told the British version of Vogue. "But in the final analysis, we are still working towards the same goal."

The price of Giuliva Heritage's products is not cheap, a dress is priced at 1,500 euros, and the price of a windbreaker jacket is close to 3,000 euros. However, the brand provides consumers with a "lifetime warranty" service, no matter how long it is bought, people can repair clothing in the brand's studio in Rome. When designing the collaborative series for H&M, the couple always used recycled materials and fibers to achieve their commitment to sustainable development.

As the severe epidemic in March this year, the global economic recession approaches, the fashion industry is experiencing a minimalist recovery, and consumers are increasingly concerned about sustainable development issues. "Open the Future"-the core concept proposed by Jil Sander and Uniqlo for the first time after the financial crisis in 2008 is also applicable today.

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