Luxury Sustainability | The Importance of Buying Clothes That Last
Whilst shopping second hand and buying clothing from sustainable brands is highly important to sustainable fashion, the key to sustainability is to buy less. Buying less means what we spend our money on needs to be high quality and made to last. By investing in properly made garments, we are more likely to add pieces to our wardrobe that have long term potential wear, reducing our overall consumption.
WHY IS BUYING QUALITY PIECES IMPORTANT?
Buying clothes that last is the best way to shop sustainably. As Vivienne Westwood once said: Buy less, buy better, make it last. When we buy sustainable luxury clothing items we know they will last a long time. Supporting luxury designers helps preserve craftsmanship and support small artisans who would have disappeared over time if it were not for luxury brands.
Fast fashion brands encourage people to buy multiple items at frequent intervals, enticing shoppers with discounts and new collections. By enforcing frequent purchasing of new items, customers are less likely to notice the poor quality of the garments, as they have already replaced them with new ones. Naturally, when people spend more money on clothing pieces they tend to take more care of them. In light of these two factors, spending more money on items that will last you a long time motivates you to take proper care of your clothes and think carefully about whether the item has long term potential in your wardrobe.
Luxury brands such as Celiné, Valentino, Prada or Louis Vuitton have intricate production methods, curating quality items made to last. Their creations are works of art that buyers want to care for and wear with pride, rather than something to wear once and leave at the back of their closet. Part of what makes their designs so luxury is the materials they are made from. The type of material something is made from directly links to how long it will last you.
SUSTAINABLE MATERIALS
There are many fabrics that should be avoided when purchasing high quality clothing, such as polyester and nylon. Both these fabrics are made up of plastic compounds from petroleum, making them extremely hard to biodegrade. Whilst vegan leather is often seen as an ethical alternative to real leather, a lot of vegan leathers are made up of similarly harmful and unnatural materials. Consequently, they also take a long time to biodegrade – and they require a lot of energy to manufacture.
Real leather can be a sustainable choice, as the fabric lasts a very long time and can undergo a lot of wear – it is virtually indestructible. When you buy from quality suppliers, leather is a sustainable alternative as you are guaranteed to be able to wear that item for years to come, and limit the need to replace the item with a low quality alternative later down the line.
Researching the right materials is key to ensuring you buy something that can last a lifetime and reduce the impact of fashion production on the environment by lowering your consumption.
MADE TO LAST FOREVER
Often buying from suppliers who intend for their clothes to be worn for a long time, enables you to support a well meaning, ethical business. Everything from bags, jewellery, clothing, and shoes, is more sustainable when it has been made to last a long time. The craftsmanship that goes into making something high quality is unmatched by fast fashion brands. When you buy clothes with the intention of long term wear, not only are you lowering your consumption but you are supporting craftsmanship. Fashion lovers will understand how important it is to preserve genuine craftsmanship in the industry. So what brands are prioritising craftsmanship?
HOW ARE LUXURY BRANDS SUPPORTING CRAFTSMANSHIP
LOUIS VUITTON
Louis Vuitton have made it clear they are committed to sustainability. In 2019, Louis Vuitton released ‘The Art of Craftsmanship’, a short documentary series showing the Maison’s incredible craftsmanship that has been passed down from generation to generation. The series examined how their leather goods are made, visiting production locations ‘from the historic atelier in Asnières to the ultramodern workshop in Sainte-Florence’. The series allowed viewers to see how these iconic luxury bags are made from high quality materials by talented craftsmen, following an intricate process. The price is justified when you consider the effort and time that had gone into making the products – not to mention the durability of the bags allowing them to be used for decades after purchasing.
CHANEL
One of the most well known luxury brands, it is no secret Chanel honours craftsmanship in everything they do. In December 2021, Chanel celebrated craftsmanship at the Métiers d’Art show, hosting a series of workshops at Le19M. Virginie Viard, creative director of Chanel, showcased her collection near Porte d’Aubervilliers, close to where the workshops were taking place. Porte d’Aubervilliers has recently seen an increase in homeless migrants, which is why Chanel is recruiting young people from the same area to learn craftsmanship skills in her fashion house.
Whilst the fashion industry is becoming increasingly obsessed with online garments existing in the metaverse, Chanel focuses on traditional craftsmanship with Viard’s new collection paying homage to this artistry.
PALM ANGELS
Palm Angels was founded by Francesco Ragazzi in 2015. He has since expanded the possibilities of luxury streetwear, setting up a strip club style pop-up store in Tokyo and dropping his debut unisex collection fetauring 70s skate wear with preppy chic undertones. In 2017 they Palm Angels released a capsule collection in collaboration with Playboi Carti, showcasing staple pieces designed to last a lifetime.
Luxury brands recognise the importance of high quality fabrics and craftsmanship in relation to our climate crisis. It is vital we continue to prioritise purchasing quality clothing (when we can afford to), purchasing with the intention of long term wear.
+ Words: Florenne Earle Ledger, Luxiders Magazine
