Fashion can be somewhat of a mystery in the modern world. While it makes a lot of sense that people would want to look good and conform to what others choose to wear, the idea of focusing on labels and brands can be a little confusing to some. Despite this, the labels that people look for are very important to fashion.
To give you an idea of why this is, this article will be exploring some of the key traits that make fashion brands so popular. Of course, though, you should always choose what you wear based on what you like, whether or not it has a label inside.
The History Of Fashion Labels
Up until around 200 years ago, fashion designers were quite limited in the number of garments they could produce throughout their lifetimes. Rather than simply designing the clothing they made, people in this sort of role would also make each individual garment by themselves. This meant that only the richest in the world would be able to afford the very latest trends. Of course, though, this has certainly changed in the modern world.
In the 1800s, a former draper called Charles Frederick Worth started to produce his own clothing designs using teams of tailors and seamstresses. This enabled him to grow his output to the point that his clothing was essentially mass-produced, lower the price and giving those with lower incomes the chance to wear his designs. This very much reflects the modern fashion industry, with designers working to create clothing concepts, and skilled craftspeople doing the manufacturing.
Why Do People Care About Labels?
It’s no secret that a lot of people care about fashion labels. Some take this to the extreme, spending just about all of their spare income on clothing that comes from specific companies. By why do people care about this sort of thing?
Let’s take a look at some of the main reasons that people want to wear branded clothing.
Conformity: People often use conformity to describe something bad, though this often isn’t the case with fashion. While it is nice when people are able to be individuals, being able to join a group by simply wearing clothing you like can also be very liberating. Labels make this even easier, with many conveying a social status or lifestyle.
Quality: While it isn’t always the case nowadays, fashion brands tend to be known for creating quality garments. Companies like Ralph Lauren are a great example of this, with their clothing often outlasting garments that have come from non-brands. It’s always worth reading about the labels you like to figure out which are known for producing the best garments.
Unique Design: Finding unique clothing has been becoming increasingly difficult in the modern world, with many companies focusing on producing as many pieces as possible rather than limiting their output. The best labels don’t do this, and this means that many of their designs will be hard to find once they’ve all sold.
Fashion: Of course, it would be impossible to talk about labels without thinking about the fashion element. Major clothing designers tend to dictate the fashions that are seen in the world, giving those that buy their clothing the chance to get their hands on styles before anyone else.
The Positive Side of Labels
People often focus solely on the negative side of fashion labels when they are discussing this sort of subject, but it is also worth considering the positives that come with them. The fact that so many people find joy in their clothing should be a big enough reason to see that labels don’t have to be bad. Of course, though, there’s more to it than this.
Community: Fashion brands can help to build and solidify social groups, forming communities based on what is essentially an appreciation of art. This is particularly important to younger people.
Collectables: Old clothing with the right fashion labels can be worth a small fortune, giving those who like clothing the chance to build collections of garments that they love. This doesn’t just have to benefit collectors; charities are often able to make money when they have valuable clothing donated to them.
Business Opportunities: Thanks to the digital world, more and more fashion labels have been able to take their place on the market in recent years. This enables small companies to start making clothing that people love, while also giving customers the chance to experience a wider variety of clothing.
The Negative Side of Labels
Of course, while there are certainly positives to the labels that people wear, there are also some negatives that need to be considered. These don’t always apply to all fashion labels, but the issues can be very widespread.
An example of this comes in the form of unethical labour. Many fashion companies outsource their production to countries with poor employee rights, and this can leave people having to work extremely hard to make the garments that people wear. This isn’t always the case, and many modern fashion brands have been deliberately moving away from this type of manufacturing in recent years.
Alongside poor working standards, it’s also worth thinking about the environmental impact of fashion brands. Creating materials like denim can cause huge amounts of pollution, and this will often affect those making the clothing the most. Again, this is something that some labels are working to solve, but this area doesn’t get as much attention as labour laws, and this makes it hard for progress to come quickly.
Labels have long been important to the world of fashion, with many people finding it hard to avoid buying clothing that has the right logo. Of course, though, this can be quite positive when the right approach is taken. You should always look for clothing that you like, rather than trying to simply find items that have the right brand. Though there isn’t anything wrong with choosing a garment because you want to wear a particular label.
What are your thoughts on fashion labels? Do you feel they have a positive or negative impact on society?
* | This is a collaborative post
