Ecard

Fluid Fashion Consumption

Fluid fashion consumption promotes reimagining ownership and embracing innovative models like renting, borrowing, swapping, and sharing items.

VET: How can you share clothing with others in a way you are comfortable with?

HEI: How can your business model incorporate building community, extending garment life and/or facilitate user interaction?


Fluid Fashion Consumption refers to a flexible and adaptable approach to acquiring and utilizing fashion items within the fashion domain. It emphasizes a shift away from traditional, rigid consumption patterns towards more dynamic and versatile ways of engaging with fashion. This concept recognizes the evolving nature of personal style, changing fashion trends, and the desire for increased variety and experimentation.

In fluid fashion consumption, individuals have the freedom to explore diverse styles, mix and match different pieces, and constantly evolve their wardrobe according to their preferences and the occasion. It promotes a mindset that values versatility, creativity, and personal expression. This can be achieved through various practices such as renting, borrowing, swapping, and sharing fashion items.

One aspect of fluid fashion consumption is the adoption of rental platforms or services that allow individuals to access a wide range of garments and accessories for a limited period. These platforms enable users to experiment with different styles, wear high-end designer pieces for special events, or simply enjoy the novelty of constantly refreshing their wardrobe without the long-term commitment of owning items.

Another approach to fluid fashion consumption is participating in clothing swaps or borrowing initiatives, where individuals can exchange garments with others or borrow items for a specific period. This encourages a more sustainable and collaborative mindset, reducing the need for constant purchasing and promoting the circulation of fashion items within a community.

Furthermore, embracing fluid fashion consumption can also involve curating a capsule wardrobe or investing in timeless, versatile pieces that can be mixed and matched in various ways. This promotes conscious decision-making in selecting garments that have enduring style and can be worn across different seasons and occasions, reducing the reliance on fast fashion and disposable trends.

Overall, fluid fashion consumption represents a departure from the traditional linear model of fashion consumption, where items are purchased, worn a few times, and eventually discarded. It encourages a more dynamic and adaptable approach to fashion, where individuals can explore their style, minimize waste, and make more conscious choices about their fashion consumption habits.

Case studies

Nuuly

Nuuly is a clothing rental subscription service launched by URBN, the parent company of brands like Urban Outfitters and Anthropologie. Subscribers can rent up to six items per month from a curated selection of clothing, including trendy and vintage pieces.

HURR Collective

HURR Collective is a UK-based peer-to-peer fashion rental platform. It enables individuals to rent out their own clothing and accessories to others, fostering a sense of community and sustainable fashion sharing.

The RealReal

The RealReal is a luxury consignment and resale platform. It allows individuals to sell and buy pre-owned designer clothing, shoes, and accessories, giving these items a second life and reducing the environmental impact of fashion consumption.

Swapping events and platforms

Various organizations and communities host clothing swap events where individuals can exchange their garments with others. Examples include Swap.com, Swap Society, and local community-based swap events.

Gwynnie Bee

Gwynnie Bee is a clothing rental subscription service focused on plus-size fashion. It offers a rotating selection of trendy and stylish clothing options, allowing subscribers to constantly update their wardrobe with new looks.

Le Tote

Le Tote is a fashion rental service that offers monthly subscriptions. Customers can rent and wear a selection of clothing and accessories, with the option to purchase items they love.

By Rotation

By Rotation is a peer-to-peer fashion rental app based in the UK. It connects fashion enthusiasts, allowing them to lend and borrow clothing from each other’s closets, fostering a sense of sustainability and community.

Reference

Team, B., & Company, M. &. (2022, December 16). The year ahead: Gender-fluid fashion hits the high street. The Business of Fashion. https://www.businessoffashion.com/articles/retail/the-state-of-fashion-2023-report-gender-neutral-fluid-fashion-gen-z-consumers/

Cavusoglu, Lena, and Deniz Atik. “Extending the diversity conversation: Fashion consumption experiences of underrepresented and underserved women.” Journal of Consumer Affairs 57.1 (2023): 387-417.

Liu, Younan, and Ye Hei. “Exploring Generation Z Consumers’ Attitudes towards Sustainable Fashion and Marketing Activities regarding Sustainable Fashion.” (2021).

Kim, Hyojung, Inho Cho, and Minjung Park. “Analyzing genderless fashion trends of consumers’ perceptions on social media: using unstructured big data analysis through Latent Dirichlet Allocation-based topic modeling.” Fashion and Textiles 9.1 (2022): 1-21.

Gazzola, Patrizia, et al. “Trends in the fashion industry. The perception of sustainability and circular economy: A gender/generation quantitative approach.” Sustainability 12.7 (2020): 2809.

Hickman, Mary-Kate, Wilson Ozuem, and Jummy Okoya. “Gender fluidity in the age of technologically mediated environments: implications for fashion industry.” Gender Economics: Breakthroughs in Research and Practice. IGI Global, 2019. 135-174.