Month: August 2015

It might be surprising that Italy, a country that is world-known for its major fashion brands such as Gucci, Prada, Fendi, and Dolce& Gabbana to name some, may begin to see the decrease in these trend-setters and have a higher level of popularity and sales for more modest, casual brands such as H&M, Brandy Melville and Zara. Maybe due to the recent economic troubles found in the European states or just because their products are super (super) cute, stores like H&M, Zara and Brandy  have reached a way broader market of sales and are slowly but surely starting to replace high-end brands  for Italians. So what do all these brands have in common?  What market experts call “fast fashion.” This is a term that is used to describe “clothing collections which are based on the most recent fashion trends on the catwalk but which are designed and manufactured quickly, are affordable, and are aimed at mainstream consumers.” (“Profile of H&M: A Pioneer of Fast Fashion.” – Research and Markets. Web.)

Due to each store’s fast-adaptability to consumer desires, Italian consumers of all ages are attracted to these styles; Antonella, 53, says that she, like many of her friends, enjoys the styles provided by stores such as H&M because “they have affordable clothes, and always have new styles that have not been seen before. They have trends that are adaptable even to middle-aged women and don’t make us look like we are trying too hard.” Moreover, younger populations also love these brands! On a personal level, I love the style provided by Brandy Melville as I find it is affordable (money is tight for us students, am I right?) and has an L.A. vibe (even though it was born in Italy) that I absolutely adore! On the company’s about section they proudly state “Women of every age can find something at Brandy Melville to fit their style, closet and budget. Whenever entering the store, every customer feels at ease and always leaves with a warm feeling. Brandy Melville represents classic Italian fashion elements, combined with vintage details. The typical ‘Brandy Girl’ is feminine with an urban twist, young at heart, active, tough stylish and chic in an effortless way.”  (“Brandy & Melville.” – About. Web.) Desirée, 15, states “I love Brandy because they have stuff that has the Hollywood style but is made in Italy, so we know we are buying items with both quality and style.” To add to this, Loretta, 28, adds “people in Italy now don’t wear high-level brands as much as they used to because stores like Zara have similar younger looking styles but that fit our budgets.” Other beginner companies such as Offjuta in Formentera have begun to adapt the principal of “fast fashion” by using jute, an ancient material, that is fiber recyclable and 100% biodegradable to create trendy items.  Federico Giuliani, co-founder of the brand personally states that “the purpose of the brand is to use a material that was previously only used for transport services and turn it into something new and trendy that strikes customers.”  While, yes I will personally be stepping in to take a look (with awe) in Gucci and Prada, I think at the end of the day I will most likely, end up spending my money in Brandy so as the company says “From Italy with love.”