Slow Fashion

 

So what is slow fashion about?

Do you remember the day when you went to your grandma’s house and she showed you pieces of clothes that are decades old but still looking nice and neat, quite wearable. Showing you the dress she has met her husband in, or a pair of shoes that she wear for graduation or prom night. I can even recall that my mum has some dresses from 25 years ago that i can still wear today.

 

But what can I say about myself? I think I only have some pieces from my baby ages, the rest is maximum 2 years old. Where are they now? Probably in waste-disposal facilities or given away for charity. The question naturally arises, what am I going to show to my grandchildren? Well, presumably digital photos...

The concept of slow fashion has emerged about four years from now developing from the Slow Movement that has found its roots in society around the Millenium. The Slow Movement means a shift from the fast-paced world toward a slower one. It has all begun in Italy in 1986, when Carlo Petrini started to organize a protest against an opening of a new McDonald’s restaurant in Rome, and later created the Slow Food organization. Over time, the Slow Food movement has spilled over onto other areas of life as well, such as Slow Cities, Slow Living, Slow Design and Slow Fashion.The main philosophy of the Slow Movement is to oppose and resist our accelerated world; appreciate the time of eating, loving, wearing, working and living.

Probably you also have the experience when you tell your grandma that your socks or your sweater has a hole on it. She would probably bring needle and thread to sew it right away, but I would tell her not to bother with it, cuz its just easier to buy a new one...

In 2012, in our highly accelerated world when trends follow each other, changing with every season we need things that are long-lasting and have a good quality. Things as such, need time, caring, the power of individuality, creativity and work invested in it. But in the end and during the process, it will bring happier and more satisfied consumers, as well as more interesting and creative time for people working on it.

What I have found the most valuable about this concept is that despite the need for variety, the basic needs of humans are not changing with seasons. We might need warmer or lighter fabrics, but clothes will always serve their role despite their design and style. Slow movement spur people to have better instead of more, to choose more thoughtful and not to be led or even misled by the current taste of stylists or leading clothing brands that are only interested in changing their collection by every season to induce society to consume more and more and as fast as possible.

What is true for the human nature and to our world is that there are certain things that will always be there, and we are going to need them no matter of what kind of world, or where we live in. Things like love, family, friends, food, a place to live in, compassion, condolence, empathy, grace and forgiveness are also among them.

At the moment what we need is making more thoughtful choices day by day and making every aspect of life sustainable and more accessible for everybody.

Slow does not mean the lack of variety, one-sidedness or resisting to change, it rather means being more detail-oriented, caring and sustainable.

Less is more. Caring is good.

Dorina Gyurkócza

photosources:

Henrietta Ludgate: http://www.henriettaludgate.com/HENRIETTA_LUDGATE.html

Luan by Lucia: http://www.vanity.hu/blog/luan-by-lucia