Why sales are none of my business.
We all love a bargain right? But do we, do we really actually LOVE them?
Fashion and trends change continually to keep us spending, updating and buying in excess. If it’s not Black Friday, its Easter Monday or January sales, it’s never ending pressure to purchase in case you ‘miss out’
I have done it many times in the past, bought a bargain on impulse only to realise that its not actually right for me. When take my time and really think about my purchases I tend to keep things for year after year because I do absolutely love them!
We nearly always buy second hand furniture as it’s better made. I also wear things until they literally fall apart, my Levi jacket felt like a huge splurge 30 years ago, I think it was abut £60 but I still wear it so often! I do really love it! When it starts to wear thin I’ll have fun patching it and keep on wearing it.
If you have had a much loved item for ages I’d love to hear about it!
I believe in purchasing less but purchasing better, the same goes for production, it’s better for our homes, our purses and the environment. Fast fashion is a huge problem and over production uses and wastes a vast amount of resources.
Why am I telling you this? Because it effects how I run my business.
Creatives are constantly advised to sell via retail outlets, I often feel like I haven’t ‘made it’ as a maker as my items are not to be found in any shops. I don’t create the tempting ranges of clothes that I could. To do this I would need to produce so much ‘stuff’ then each time the season changed the seasonal sales would kick in…leaving me pressured to come up with the next seasons range and so on ….it’s not for me.
It’s the same with my fabrics, some have been in my studio for several years, I have resisted the urge to have a sale. I have instead opted for loyalty cards for my visiting customers. I would rather have a slower turnover but more choice on offer for visiting customers, also I just know if I sold off that retro style moped fabric, my next customer would ask for mopeds!
I will stick to making mainly to order, limited or one off items made especially for you, items that you will hopefully love and cherish for years or pass on for others to wear.
There are still many improvements I can make in my business to become more eco friendly and I will be working on these all the time.
In the meantime let’s be more discerning about how and where we spend our hard earned pennies, it makes a difference, here’s to being a more conscientious maker and shopper!
