Rising Hemlines in the Bull Market, Logos in the Bear: Fashion as Economic Barometer

Given that everyone can now buy designer handbags and new cars, the rich have taken to using much more tacit signifiers of their social position.

This started with the Seventh Avenue, shop-and-copy approach that has defined the industry, but no longer works with consumers on a global scale. America created the concept of lifestyle brands—it drove the rise of casualization as early as the 1950s, first through denim, then khakis, and now leggings. But the fashion itself has long been predicate... See more

After all, degrowth isn’t just about the economy. It’s about culture. For example, you might try swapping or trading your future fashion rather than focusing on its currency cost. You’ll notice how such small shifts can change your own experiences with clothes.

“In times of recession, skirts get longer.”