Fewer, Slower, Better
We are living in times of rapid change. Some traditional crafts have been already lost to history or are dying out along with the elderly craftsmen. Gone are the days when it was more convenient to repair an item than to buy a new one yet I still deeply believe in the benefits of handcrafted timeless pieces and the return of meaningful fashion.
Today, there is too much of everything. Before mass-production, in times of craftsmen waiting to fulfill orders, goods were usually made-to-order for a specific customer. Luxury used to be rare, personal and lasting, strictly reserved exclusivity of the few. Over the years, however, it has become a relative and overly used term as it doesn't always guarantee quality and the coveted exclusivity. The guarantee of a brand doesn't come from its logo but from the selection of materials, the level of craftsmanship quality and especially from its meaningfulness. Luxury never was and is not intended for everyone yet some luxury brands have succumbed to the purchasing power of the masses by trading their exclusivity for their availability. Produced en masse and for the masses, these exclusive-less luxury goods have become the expensive alternative of fast fashion - fast fashion with a luxury image.
What we wear matters more today than ever before. The world population is rapidly growing, overconsuming and discarding at a shocking pace. We used to hold onto our clothes, shoes and other (not only fashion) items for a long time but nowadays we see them as disposable, easily replaceable everyday objects. If our clothing and accessories had their own compelling story to tell, there could be a chance we would re-develop an emotional attachment to them. These fashion items would then become valuable epitomes of our individual style; an extension of our personalities rather than anonymous uniforms and I believe that's something worth holding onto.
We need to abandon the idea of buy-today-discard-tomorrow and return to everything that has a meaning and is made with integrity. Goods that are truly made to last a lifetime, true luxury products with sustainable values handcrafted by people who value their time and skills and who keep the crafts alive. I don't think that anything good and well-made should come really cheap and easy. If only we looked beyond the price and saw the real value of things I believe we would be much happier with our purchase in the end. Besides, waiting for a few months to own a well-crafted, quality item is actually quite a pleasant experience. Buy less, buy better. We really only need a few things. A few quality things designed and made to stand the test of time.
