My favourite fashion brand is Chanel as I love their collections. The founder of Chanel ‘Coco Chanel’ had an influential impact on women’s fashion and how we see bit today. Chanel was responsible for moving women out of corsets and lace to pants and shirts. This was liberating for women in that era as pants weren’t yet seen as fashionable clothing for women but just seen as workwear for them post World War 1.
One of my favourite designs curated by Chanel has to be the “Chanel suits”. This was a game changer for the women in. the 1920’s as it was introduced to the world as a modern piece of clothing for women with a masculine edge. Many influential women have worn these suits from Audrey Hepburn to Princess Diana.
Not only is Chanel a mogul within the clothing industry but they also dominate the fragrance industry with Chanel no.5. Chanel describes it as ‘A woman’s perfume, with the scent of a woman’.
I think fashion lovers all over the world can agree that without Chanel, the fashion industry wouldn’t be where we are today.
Founded by Shinsuke Takizawa, Neighborhood found notable success in the street fashion scenes of Ura-Harajuku. Spending time in “Urahara’s” second-hand, concession stores it was impossible to ignore the punk-inspired, high-quality jackets and denim produced by Neighborhood. Intrigued by the aesthetic of Americana, I would gradually seek them out on resale platforms and keep updated with their numerous sneaker collaborations. Despite not owning many of their pieces, Neighborhood embodies my favourite elements of fashion: streetwear, craftsmanship, and consistency.
PLANET
Sustainability, in recent years, has been at the forefront of nearly every critique of the fashion industry, rightfully so. Some brands have taken initiative to become more transparent with the public in the ways they approach sustainability. While other brands like Neighborhood provide limited information on their labour and environmental policies.
PEOPLE
As one of the pioneers of the Urahara wave, Neighborhood appealed to the market through their, at the time, radical designs. Their consumer demographic was and are mainly teenagers and young adults who were “[beginning to inherit] a passion for their origins and core beliefs while ditching the ‘value’ of luxury outside brands” (Eng). At the same time still seeking subtle elements of Western culture in order to challenge Japan’s conformist culture. Neighborhood being a Japanese brand while still sourcing some creativity from the US punk culture met this change in demand and mindset.
PROFIT
Neighborhood has undeniably reached international success with high-profile sneaker collaborations with brands such as Converse and Adidas to even a camping furniture line with Helinox. Their heavily sought-out sneaker collaborations are usually significantly marked up on reselling platforms indicating a dedicated consumer base. Their clothing pieces are priced in the hundreds which speak to their exclusivity and presumably, is only possible with adequate financial funds.
PURPOSE
Neighborhood’s pieces manifest themselves through creator Takizawa’s inspiration from the UK and American culture. However, they do not just “lift and plagiarise…; rather, they enhance them with their own unique sense of style” (Hellqvist). Since its opening, the brand has maintained its workwear or military style on which they graft elements of punk, rock fashion like distressing and bandana prints. This consistency helped establish Neighborhood as a timeless fashion house unwavered by the pressures of trends… among a host of other factors. The purpose of Neighborhood transcends beyond just fabric to be worn, rather it belongs in a community of individuals who prize craftsmanship, function, and style.
Eng, Eddie. “Pioneers of Urahara: The Past and Future of Japanese Streetwear.” HYPEBEAST, HYPEBEAST, 16 Oct. 2014, https://hypebeast.com/2014/10/pioneers-of-urahara-the-past-and-future-of-japanese-streetwear.
Hellqvist, David. “Love Thy Neighbor: Shinsuke Takizawa Dissects the Role of Gap in Japanese Americana.” HYPEBEAST, HYPEBEAST, 11 Oct. 2016, https://hypebeast.com/2016/10/shinsuke-takizawa-neighborhood-gap-interview.
Jacquemus, the luxurious French fashion label founded by Simon Porte Jacquemus, is well- established in the industry as being one of the more accessible luxury fashion brands due to its affordable price range. Despite this, the pieces are made to be tailored to the consumer’s body and are created for longevity; Jacquemus is more widely known for his Chiquito handbags that come in a range of small sizes, measuring from Le Grand Chiquito to Le Chiquito Mini (as pictured below). The bags are simple yet sleek, demonstrating how ‘everyday’ pieces can become elegant with every outfit. Jacquemus’ collections always seems very thought-out and well-put together, as every piece is incredibly versatile and relatively easy to wear; in his interview with 1Editorialist, he expresses that “I don’t just do clothes, I write a story and then come the clothes”. This really exemplifies how his clothes end up becoming such staple pieces in consumer’s wardrobes; it shows that he had a vision to bring to the table before designing the pieces, which gives the consumer peace of mind when purchasing from the brand. To further ease the mind of the consumer and the planet for that matter, as of 2020 he decided to just do collections for Summer and Winter compared to all four seasons to reduce the amount of fabric being used.
Le Chiquito Mini, as shown Le Grand Chiquito, as shown
ris van Herpen is one of those fashion designers who wants to disrupt the fashion industry through sustainable practices. She is collaborating with architects and scientists to develop new, more environmentally friendly fabrics. In her collection, innovative materials conform to craftsmanship and digital technology. van Herpen relies on 3D printing and nanobot technology to make her handmade garments a reality. Handmade from some of the finest, natural and organic materials, van Herpen catalogues what can be described as a high-end, sustainable fashion Maison. One of the founding facts about the Iris van Herpen Maison is that the designer has only ever produced one piece, refusing to release a full collection or capsule. This ethos has always been a part of fashion. The idea of building a circular concept arose among creatives in other industries.
Iris van Herpen’s innovative ‘Mimesis’ dress in an Evian recycled plastic bottle debuts at the Fashion Awards on 29 November 2021 with Maria Sharapova, Evian Global Brand Ambassador, which will bring functionality to a concept that is not far from our reality. “A complete revolution is underway when it comes to material innovation and sustainability. Evian took note of the execution of van Herpen and challenged the Maison to make a dress with a recycled plastic Evian water bottle in 2020. At the height of the epidemic, Evian contacted van Herpen online about the project. They sought additional solutions to keep plastic bottles out of the ocean, and Iris van Herpen often finds inspiration in the water, which she translates into her designs. The brand embodies its corporate responsibility, sustainability and diversity in practice and is a great fashion clothing brand
Marine Serre, a well-known French fashion designer, born in December 1991, sought out to become a tennis player but gained an interest in fashion, sparked by her appreciation and adoration for vintage. Serre studied in Marseille and after 2 years she moved to Belgium to attend La Cambre and graduated with high honours in 2016.
Marine Serre’s graduation show “Radical Call for Love” became a sensation, she sparked the interest of international stores such as The Broken Arm and Dover Street Market. Serre then lead on to work with Sarah Burton at Alexander McQueen as part of an internship. Moreover, she held further internship positions at Maison Margiela and Dior under Raf Simons. While developing her own label, Serre worked for a year as a junior designer at Balenciaga with creative director Demma Gvasalia. By Marine Serre being able to work with these top fashion designers, she was able to learn about the industry and it gave her exposure in the field.
Serre made her runway debut in February 2018 in Paris in which her work focused on innovation and sustainability, with a minimum of 50% of her collection consisting of upcycled material, such as old lace tablecloths and vintage silk scarves. In 2019, she become the first to collaborate with an air-filtration mask company to produce her branded air purifying masks.
Brand Image
If you are aware of Marine Serre then you would know that her brand is well known for the iconic crescent moon print, in which she utilises in her looks such as her couture shapes and sportswear fabrications.
Image taken from Vogue.com
“The moon for us is like an icon, an emblem, an image, a representation, a flag, a language, a metaphor, an object of what we believe in: crossing boundaries, hybridity and freedom”
Marine Serre
Serre reveals how the symbol speaks to the values of the brand she’s established, beyond just being a familiar logo. She’s drawn to the chimeric nature of the moon, and the way it’s represented different things culturally, from lunar phases to ancient goddesses, Islamic iconography and even iconic 90s anime Sailor Moon. “It is one of the oldest symbols that ever existed, present everywhere, and that keeps evolving with us… It is never stable and timeless at the same time” .
Marine Serre and Sustainability
Marine Serre’s focus on innovation and sustainability is what makes her brand one that is favoured by many. She places recycling and up-cycling at the forefront of the brand and designs and manufactures fashion-forward clothing from up-cycled and regenerated materials. Serre works with innovative and sustainable fibres, such as biodegradable yarns and recycled fibres.
Personal Favourite Looks by Marine Serre
Look 15: Marine Serre Spring 2023 READY-TO-WEAR (Vogue Runway)Look 45: Marine Serre FALL 2021 READY-TO-WEAR (Vogue Runway)Look 12: Marine Serre Spring 2020 READY-TO WEAR (Vogue Runway)
Sources
Asri Jasman 2020, Marine Serre: All you need to know about the designer and her now-iconic moon prints, viewed 28th September 2022, <https://www.esquiresg.com/marine-serre-beyonce-black-is-king-adele-crescent-moon-prints-fashion-designer-style-profile/>
Emma Hope Allwood 2020, Why Marine Serre’s moon prints are taking over the world, viewed 3rd October 2022, <https://www.dazeddigital.com/fashion/article/49581/1/marine-serre-moon-print-jersey-trend-style>
My favourite fashion brand is Asos because they have a big ethical stance and support suppliers to help meet their ethical standards. They set targets to reduce their impact on the planet and have strict sourcing guidelines for animal materials and producing animal free products.
Asos are aiming for net zero carbon emission by 2030 and aim to ensure that 100% of their own brand products and packaging are made from more sustainable or recyclable materials. They are also prioritising extending the life of garments by making better material choices. This means that Asos are trying to reduce their impact on the planet and aiming to be more sustainable in the production line which is why I like the brand.
They are also ‘expanding transparency and human rights progress across the supply chain and setting new diversity, equity and inclusion goals’, this means they are actively trying to improve the quality of life in the workers across the supply chain. By 2025 they want to ensure all third-party brands have signed a transparency pledge meaning supply chains will have basic human rights.
In 2021 Asos reported they ‘more than tripled first-half profits to a record of £106m’ as they still benefit from the pandemic as people shift to shopping online. Casual wear such as gym leggings and joggers had an 86% rise in sales and sales growth overall was 39%. As a result, the company expects to benefit from demand from new outfits as people have returned to ‘normal’ and started socialising more. This is all increasing profits which I would say is one measure of success however I would also argue that the huge sales growth shows more success.
Asos’s purpose is ‘We believe in a world where you have the freedom to explore and express yourself without judgement, no matter who you are or where you’re from. That is why our purpose is to give fashion-loving 20-somethings the confidence to be whoever they want to be.’ I like their values are about people expressing themselves through fashion which is inclusive for all.
Overall, I like the brand with their stand on the planet and people. The morals and values of the company make their success and their aims of sustainability within the next 8 years. This is why Asos is one of my favourite fashion brands.
Finding its origins in 1999, ASOS has grown to be one of the largest E-commerce/M-commerce brands on an international scale.
‘We exist to give you the confidence to be whoever you want to be’.
ASOS Values
ASOS is my favourite brand as their values align with my own, with an emphasis on individuality and freedom of expression. The brand demonstrates these values with their expansive variety of brands and products, ensuring there is always something for every consumer. Having such a substantial choice of product creates an enjoyable and exciting experience for browsing customers. The brand's values are further communicated with it's diverse range of models. Consumers are highly likely to feel represented by the brand, with hired models being of all body types and ethnicities. This inclusion is what really makes ASOS appeal to me, as I feel it is important for every individual to feel they re being represented, not excluded.
They makes a conscious effort to fulfil their social responsibilities including those concerning ethics and environment. They have ASOS Marketplace, which allows for vintage items to be resold and provides small upcoming businesses with a platform to sell. Their outlet section provides extremely affordable prices, with some items going straight into the outlet rather than an initial full price ticket. This outlet tab allows for price slashes and discounting to not dilute the experience of the normal shopper and allows for discounting on the main pages to be utilised as a promotional tool. There is always a student discount, demonstrating their target demographic and the care they hold for them and their priorities. ASOS have been leaders in the M-Commerce market and continue to be successful by catering towards their target audience, ensuring their views and values are prioritised and approached in the correct way (through social media, promotional deals etc).
I am an avid user of ASOS, drawn in by their ability to cater for all wants and needs as well as their warm and inclusive attitude.
My favourite fashion brand is Bosideng, a Chinese down jacket brand. Bosideng is a brand specializing in making down jackets, so he put all his experience into how to make good down jackets, focusing on making down jackets. I like this brand for a few reasons: The production process of Bosideng. First of all, Bosideng’s down jackets are very different from other brands of down jackets. His down jacket can be machine washed, which is very convenient to clean and will not damage the thermal medium of the down jacket. The Bosideng brand has a strong sewing process in production. The down filling can ensure that the down is fluffy and even, and the German anti-down needles with high hardness are used to avoid the needle holes becoming larger due to friction and heating during sewing. Moreover, Bosideng has strict and safe material processing, and the down used are all certified by the international RDS and the Swiss Blue Label environmental protection certification. The stuffed down passes through a very strict odour sterilization process so that customers can wear it with peace of mind.
Secondly, Bosideng’s expressiveness in design has also been greatly improved. Bosideng redefines down jackets. He innovatively integrates sweaters, knitting and other classic fashion items into down jackets, retaining the classic down jacket for warmth and adding fashionable beauty. This is an innovative development in the down jacket industry. Then, Bosideng broke through the common horizontal and vertical line design of down jackets and added quilting design in the form of abstract geometric art. Bosideng creates a 3D effect by interweaving down quilted threads, presenting a new type of down jacket that is light, thin, beautiful and warm. On September 12, Beijing time this year, Bosideng was officially invited to officially debut at New York Fashion Week. After that, Bosideng launched Marvel co-branded models, designer co-branded series and more. Bosideng follows international design trends and big-name design concepts. Bosideng successfully transformed into diversified styles and novel styles for the public to choose from.
Not only that, but the brand culture of Bosideng is also the reason why I like this brand. As a Chinese brand, Bosideng adopts the splicing method applied in the “Paddy Field Clothes” of the Tang Dynasty in China and integrates the fashion essence of Chinese culture into the down jacket. It can not only use the artistic design form of traditional Chinese culture to reuse the ancient Chinese clothing production methods, but also promote the traditional culture of the country. It is a brand company with very cultural feelings. What I admire most about the brand Bosideng is that he actively promotes craftsmanship, practices corporate social responsibility, and has donated more than 1.2 billion to society over the years. Whenever the country is in trouble and the society urgently needs help, Bosideng will always donate money or down jackets to the society and disaster areas. Bosideng’s price is reasonable, cost-effective, fashionable in various styles and of high quality, and there is a large space for the public to choose from. So I like Bosideng.
Xinhuanet fashion reference date.（2018）Focusing on down jackets for 42 years, Bosideng was selected for the national brand plan. [online] https://m.cqn.com.cn/zgzlb/content/2022-09/30/content_8866600.htm
Chanel a classic fashion brand that has been around for many years. The reason why Chanel is undoubtedly one of my favourite fashion brands is due to the timeless classic pieces they design and create. Chanel began in the capital of France – Paris, the founder ( Gabrielle Chanel) started off by owning her own hat boutique under the name ‘Chanel Modes’ these hats were worn by huge French actresses of her time. This gave Chanel a huge stepping stone at the young age of 21 which then gave her the resources to open up the very first Chanel store in Deauville. Gabrielle Chanel had a huge influence on revolutionising the fashion industry by using materials specifically used for men’s clothing with her very own sports line which hugely impacted how women’s clothing was made. One of the main reasons why Chanel is my favourite fashion brand is due to the history it holds. Chanel is a timeless brand and one of the most classic brands of all time. For as long as I can remember I have always dreamt of owning a classic flap 2.55 Chanel handbag as I believe it is such an iconic item of the fashion world and even an investment, this bag was created in 1955 the reasoning for the bag being named 2.55 is due to the date of the creation of the bag. Furthermore, Chanel has an incredible variety of iconic and significant items that they have designed and created for example their Chanel NO.5 perfume launched in 1921 and still till this day is a well-known and highly purchased perfume. Also soon after Chanel launched their makeup collection in 1924, I love the fact that Chanel not only designed beautiful high-quality pieces of clothing and accessories but also created spectacular fragrances and a stunning makeup collection. Chanel is also adored by incredible icons such as Marilyn Monroe who loved the Chanel NO.5 perfume and was quoted in Life magazine, this in itself shows how loved and known Chanel as a brand was by the world including huge Hollywood stars and celebrities of the world. I will always believe that Chanel will be one of the biggest most classic brands of all time and for this reason, it will always be a favourite brand of mine.
Co-founded by Emma Chopova and Laura Lowena During their MA Studies in Central Saint Martins in 2017, Chopove Lowena is a Brand focused on humorous, colorful clothes and clashing patterns by showcasing craftsmanship rooted in British and Hungarian sources. Currently based in South London, the English-Bulgarian label first broke into consciousness with its signature skirts and has grown ever since, collecting many loving fans across and outside the fashion industry.
(Emma Chopova and Laura Lowena, Vouge Business 2022)
Mainly mixing folklore and sportswear, the brand became known to me through different media platforms, particularly Instagram. When first exposed to these garments, I was captured by the bold looks on my glass screen. These unique pieces, which are also beautifully crafted and are pretty timeless, hold much history within and embody the essence of joy. This is why, to me, you cannot go wrong with loving this brand.
It is worth mentioning that this label has a strong vision and purpose, intensely focused on maintaining and preserving disappearing crafts while modernizing traditional textiles, with a significant concentration on sustainability, using recycled materials and deadstock textiles (mostly pillowcases and aprons).
(Looks From Chopova Lowena’s Spring 2020 Collection, Garage Magazine 2020)(Emma Chopova examines a multicolor skirt assembled from various repurposed fabrics and fastened to a leather waistband with rock-climbing carabiners, The New York Times, 2019)
Holding its first-ever runway show this London Fashion Week (Spring/Summer 2023) with the collection titled “Rose Is A Rose Is A Rose Is A Rose,” this label will hopefully continue to contribute to an upcoming era of grungy and edgy designs.
(Looks from Chopova Lowena’s debut at London Fashion Week, The Glass Magazine 2022)
