Why The Fashion World Still Matters And Always Will

In the wake of something as monumentally world-altering as the Covid-19 pandemic, there’s a temptation to view certain industries as either obsolete or drastically reduced in importance. One of these industries is fashion; after all, when we’re all stuck at home, how can looking great carry the same level of significance? The truth, of course, is that the fashion industry is just as important as it’s ever been. Even though trends are changing to reflect different social attitudes - and the industry is changing around them too - the fashion world will always be an important source of many different comforts. Here’s why the fashion world still matters, and why that’ll never change.

It’s hugely profitable

The fashion industry is, and always has been, hugely profitable. Between them, the biggest four Fashion Weeks - London, Milan, Paris, and New York - bring in almost £800 million, with New York being by far the most profitable. Check out this excellent Betway infographic to see exactly how the four Fashion Weeks stack up against one another!

As you can see, that kind of profit isn’t something the major economies to which those four Fashion Weeks belong would want to squander. Although Fashion Week profits don’t directly line government or council coffers, they bring in much-needed tourism and hype for those cities, which is a net benefit for everyone.

Fashion helps us express ourselves

Never has self-expression been more important than in the middle of a pandemic. After all, when our sense of identity - which is often tied to the way we socialise with others - has been shattered, we need some way to retain an impression of ourselves. Fashion can be a fantastic way into that sense of self-actualisation.

By wearing clothes that express your personality, and assembling ensemble outfits that feel coordinated to who you are, you can make a bold statement without needing to meet others. Even though the pandemic has confined many of us to our homes, we’re still socialising in the same ways - it’s just remote socialising now, which makes our appearance more important than ever!

It doesn’t have to be “high fashion”

When you say “fashion”, many people have set ideas in their minds about what that might look like. Fashion can sometimes be pretentious, exclusive, or both; it’s not for “regular people”. Well, that couldn’t be further from the truth, especially at a time when the pandemic is making many people rethink their outfit choices.

“Functional fashion” is very much in at the moment, and if your clothing choices lean more towards utilitarian than dazzling, you’re far from alone. Whatever you’re wearing - however you coordinate an outfit - if you give even a cursory amount of thought to it, then you’re essentially engaging in fashion. Aesthetics are important, no matter how “expensive” they look.

Fashion continues, even in a pandemic

Many fashion designers and businesses continued to operate throughout the pandemic, albeit on a limited or altered schedule. The aforementioned Fashion Weeks - Paris, London, Milan, and New York - have, to varying degrees, all gone digital.

Instead of crowded halls full of designers and their pieces, you’ll get live talks, virtual tours, and webinars with some of the most iconic designers around. That’s because fashion is resilient; it won’t let something like the pandemic stop it from being a relevant force in people’s lives. Even something as earth-shattering as what’s happening right now can’t dissuade fashionistas from plying their trade, which is why fashion will remain relevant forever.

Trends inform fashion

No matter what’s happening in the world around you, you can be absolutely sure it will feed into the fashion world. Fashion responds to trends around it; it incorporates things that are happening, current events, and trends, and assimilates them into constant innovation when it comes to new pieces.

If you need evidence of this, look no further than the “skirt length” phenomenon, whereby skirt length grows or shrinks depending on the economic situation at the time. Fashion designers can only respond to trends, for it is how they stay relevant and engage with the times. What is fashion if not art, and what is art if not constantly relevant?

Fashion is more than just retail

Although the retail industry is struggling, the fashion industry - despite being inextricably linked with retail - isn’t limited to the same fate. Retail may falter, but fashion can easily move online, and pieces can be displayed and purchased without the need for large-scale retail operations. It’s perhaps helpful to think of fashion as an art form rather than a commercial endeavor; despite the fact that it is, as we’ve established, massively profitable, it’s more of a method of artistic expression. That’s one of the major reasons it will easily survive Covid; humans will always need to express themselves artistically, and for some, that means designing new fashions.

Fashion is getting more ethical

Gen Z holds ethics at the core of its values, perhaps even more than other generations did. As brands become more and more ethically aware, it’s up to the fashion world to keep up, and that’s one of the reasons the fashion world will always matter; the industry can be a leader on the ethical front. If fashion makes moves towards becoming more sustainable and more moral, then it can survive well into the future.

As we’ve established, people will always want to buy clothes, so the fashion world will always matter to new generations; however, if fashion wants to appeal to successive generations, it will need to update its ethics. Thankfully, moves are already underway to do just that.

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