An antiquity of austerity in fashion

This article has been written by keeping in mind the effects of the tumultuous economic downturn, social changes & technological advances on the fashion. It will scan how periods of austerity have impacted on the fashion industry from a historical perspective; analyze the situation on these sectors nowadays, particularly in relation to fashion. It will also examine the effects of new technologies, social & economic trends on fashion.

 

Fashion has always been greatly influenced by social standings and accessibility to money. In the 30s, there was a shift to purchasing more inexpensive items for the common people while if you could still afford it you would buy your clothing from abroad. During this time a lot of American designers emerged and with the help of movie stars helped to set trends without having to spend the money. Zippers were less expensive than buttons so they became very popular. As the effects of cinema became more evident, the hemlines altered from mid-calf during day time to full length in the evening. Mens fashions were more relaxed and the v neck sweater and wider pants replaced the 3 piece suit. A hat for a man was a social standing and was a sign of a well-dressed male.

 

 

Technology had many advances during the 20th century as well. This included the first glimpses of the TV set, as well as medical improvements.

 

Technology has proved to be a great drive in the vicissitudes and trends in fashion. Silk was produced years ago which helped in the new dress styles for evening wear that became very popular with time. Cotton increasingly got more popular and was manufactured more because of the great demand for an easy to care for fabric. Gradually people overcame the obstacles of the depression and were still able to see the positives and relay that into their fashion choices. If one looks good one feels good. During austerity period, when the money was scarce, one was able to get cheap fabrics and more women started sewing more themselves to save money as well which enabled them to set trends in their own social circles that were to stay around for decades.

 

The behavioral content of the core assumptions is too simplified. Who can reasonably deny that individual preferences to some extent depend directly or indirectly on what other individuals around are doing? People do care actually about what others think or say. Let us consider, as the simplest example, fashion, which has obvious implications in many economic sectors, from clothing to leisure and finance.

 

An antiquity of austerity in fashion

 

Throughout the Twentieth century the world has endured various periods of economic austerity triggered as a result of war, political upheavals, and market uncertainties. World War One, the Second World War, the Wall Street Crash, the Oil Crisis, Black Monday etc. have all had a negative impact on the lives of millions of people in their respective societies.

 

There was a move during the 2^nd world war to train women in mending classes, so they could use unwanted cloth for making new clothes and learn how to extend the life of their existing clothes by mending.

Counterfeiting of Brands in India Andyleung Fashion

Actually I am very glad that people can buy Armani – even if it’s a fake. I like the fact that I’m so popular around the world- Giorgio Armani.

Rapid advancement in technology and liberalization of the Indian economy have created an ideal market for people misusing existing brand values that have been cultivated and nurtured over a period of time. The mushrooming growth has also given rise to despicable marauding activity, which is nothing but piracy. But the question arises here is that is it the popularity factor which promotes counterfeiting among people or the need factor? I guess it is both.
Counterfeiting also referred as piracy in a common trade parlance mean the unlawful acquisition by a person of the property of another person without his consent. Ever since the evolution of brands, the business has marked a trend in the society where everyone wants to associate himself/herself with the latest quality fashion trends in different forms like branded clothes, institutes, branded products etc. After all, what matters at the end is to show off the branded You!!
The word ounterfeit describes the forgeries of currency and documents but these days the imitations of clothing, software, pharmaceuticals, jeans, watches, electronics, and company logos and brands have become common in the market. In the case of goods, it results in patent infringement or trademark infringement.Certain consumer goods, especially very expensive or desirable brands or those which are easy to reproduce at low rates have become quite frequent and common targets of counterfeiting. The counterfeiters either attempt to deceive the consumer into thinking they are purchasing a legitimate item, or convince the consumer that they could deceive others with the imitation. Some counterfeits are produced in the same factory that produces the original, authentic product, using the same materials.

Indian metros have become base for manufacturing counterfeit products and account for maximum Intellectual Property Rights violations. Delhi is the hub of counterfeit products in India as nearly 70 per cent counterfeit products originate here.
Again the question comes is what has evoked counterfeiting?
Brand business, its growth /competitions etc has led to availability of counterfeits because of the fact brand sells and makes you outstand and therefore the need to copy, pirate, counterfeit has emerged along with the growth of brands.In India, the direct loss to FMCG industry is also not less than ` 200 million. A survey was conducted to estimate the size of counterfeit of FMCG products and it revealed the stark reality of FMCG companies having maximum loss up to 40% and an average loss around 20% of their market share of their well known products.

The biggest concern is, however, the customers attraction towards these pirate products is directly proportional to price of these products which are sold at 40 to 45% lesser value than the original. A common man with limited knowledge falls for the counterfeit products due to its cheap or discounted prices. Enforcement of laws against counterfeiting is not so strict in India which is another big jolt for the brand industry.

As counterfeiting has become an economic problem of international importance and has been growing dramatically across the globe, manufacturers of the original products and government find themselves in a constant battle against counterfeiters. This has led to a variety of countermeasures based on lawful, political, administrative, or business techniques. The framework also considers the interplay of attitudes, purchase intentions, and dissonance that leads to coping processes and in turn influences attitudes and decisions. Counterfeiting appears in two different forms, as deceptive and non-deceptive counterfeiting. Under receptive counterfeiting, the consumer is not aware of the fact that he/she purchases a copy rather than the original product and cannot be held accountable for the behavior. Focus is on non-deceptive counterfeiting, where consumers intentionally purchase fake products.