Globalization

Many indicators attest to the reality that fashion is by no means at an end, however, the fashion system—as it has been known—is certainly under a series of transformations and upheavals. The contemporary fashion system is characterised by the proliferation of large quantities of affordable fast fashion, on the one hand, and a growing number of exclusive luxury brands that target consumers who prioritise significant expenditure on expensive goods with limited product runs, on the other. Between these polarities are other fashion players vying for attention and customers: independent niche designers and brands, traditional iconic brands struggling to survive by re-inventing themselves in the current fashion context, and everyday brands, labels and garments that meet the clothing needs of large numbers of consumers who are largely ignored by the mainstream fashion system. Criss-crossing these genres of fashion are distinctive fashions and micro-fashion systems that are found in different national contexts and who increasingly sponsor events such as fashion weeks and brand their place as fashion cities. Using the term “national fashion,” this chapter argues that, rather than obliterating the importance and resonance of national fashion, the globalisation of fashion with its over-production, over-consumption and massive wastage, amid the clamour for adopting a rage of more sustainable and ethical practices, has benefitted national fashion cultures that celebrate a sense of distinctiveness, localisation and unique cultural identity