FAST FASHION IS WEARING US OUT

We all like a good deal, but cheap clothes cost a lot of money. The Geneva Environment Network's research shows how fast fashion companies like Shein and Temu are making the world dirty, full of trash, and too much stuff. It's too much. Some countries are thankfully stepping up. For example, France plans to fine ultra-fast fashion brands, and the EU is pushing for stricter laws on sustainability. But we have to be the ones to make change happen. What we buy and how often we buy it are important. It might be time to take it easy, buy less, and make better choices. Fashion should feel good, not just look good at the expense of the Earth.

Haute couture, which is one of the most exclusive and expensive parts of the fashion world, can surprisingly offer a long-term answer. Even while not many people will ever buy a custom Chanel dress or go to a Dior fitting, the ideas underpinning haute couture might help make fashion better.

What we really need is the will to change how we think about haute couture. If we want to move beyond quick fashion, here's why haute couture can make sense for everyone.

It is possible to make custom couture that is economical, but only if you discover a balance between:

1. Quality above quantity

Fast fashion is all about making a lot of cheap clothing that break apart quickly. Haute couture, on the other hand, is all about high quality—clothes that are crafted by hand and are supposed to last for decades.

Why it matters:

A culture of "buy less, buy better" means that people have closets full with clothes that will last. People that care about quality buy fewer clothing, throw away less, and stop the cycle of always buying things.

2. A celebration of skilled work

People know that fast fashion pays garment workers too little and sends production to factories with bad working conditions. Haute couture gives craftspeople like tailors, embroiderers, and pattern-makers more important jobs and rewards them for their skills.

Why it matters:

A fashion sector that appreciates workmanship may make people want to buy clothes that are made in a way that is fair to workers, trains them, and pays them properly. This makes supply chains healthier and gives back respect to creating clothes.

3. Lastingness By being creative

Haute couture houses are generally the first to try out new ways to employ eco-friendly fabrics, slow procedures, and ways to cut down on waste. What starts on the runway gradually makes its way down to fashion that is easier to get.

Why it matters:

Couture's new ideas, such using natural colours and recycled materials, can encourage regular manufacturers to be more environmentally friendly. When done on a large scale, even tiny measures towards sustainability may have a tremendous effect.

4. Design that lasts instead of trends that come and go

Fast fashion makes money by selling clothes that are only in style for a short time. Haute couture creations, on the other hand, last for a long time. These garments are meant to be loved, not thrown away.

Why it matters:

People are more likely to establish wardrobes that are emotionally and visually meaningful when they change their way of thinking from following trends to developing their own style. Fewer things bought on a whim, more things that last.

5. Fashion as Art and Who You Are

Haute couture sees clothes as a way to express yourself and connect with your culture, not merely something to wear. Every piece of clothing has a narrative and was made with a purpose.

Why it matters: This way of thinking makes people value clothes. People take better care of their clothes when they perceive them as a means to be creative. This helps them get away from the wastefulness of throwaway society.

How to Make These Values Available

Most individuals will never buy high fashion. But the mentality behind it might affect the decisions we make every day:

• Buy fewer things, but make sure they are of good quality.

• Buy clothes from brands that are ethical, local, or independent.

• Learn how to fix, change, or take care of your clothes.

• Put imagination ahead of following the rules.

• Even capsule wardrobes, thrift shopping, and the slow fashion movement show these principles in a way that is easy to understand.

In conclusion, haute couture is a guide, not a product.

Haute couture isn't the answer to rapid fashion, but it does hint to the answer. Its principles of longevity, workmanship, sustainability, and purpose are very different from fast fashion's wasteful speed and disposability.

If we, as customers and citizens, start to accept the ideas underlying haute couture, even in little ways, we will be well on our way to a more ethical and long-lasting fashion future.