With all the changes happening in society people are increasingly bending the rules to make these changes work for their benefit. Linear, more traditional approaches to doing life and expressing oneself are becoming less popular as society is changing. Through all these changes there is a stronger sense of freedom and it’s showing itself in the clothing people are wearing. More recently it has been seen in majority of designers’ creations at SAFW AW 18.
Photography by Eunice Driver
A loose clothing fit has been growing in popularity this year and will continue to do so in 2018. From bell sleeves, loose, flowy dresses, pants and boyfriend jeans to oversized jackets and tops, the most coveted pieces of clothing have done little to hold consumers in. Underneath the fabric they are able to move around – feeling unrestricted. The same goes for the attitude of consumers attending festivals which have grown greatly in popularity this year. A feeling of being unrestricted has them exploring new territory in terms of travel, experiences, hair colour and clothing of the opposite sex.
While the consumer may still feel restricted in their personal lives, the area of fashion, personal-expression, travel and experiences is where they are letting loose in order to obtain a stronger state of freedom again.
If these are the areas in which consumers are liberating themselves then as a fashion brand it is possible to cross-sell, collaborate and be associated with these other areas that go beyond fashion to really connect with the unrestricted mind frame of the consumer right now.
H&M in America has done it by collaborating with Coachella. Locally, Superbalist did it with In the City. Fashion brands in South Africa should be playing and stretching executions more in these ‘unrestricted’ areas because consumers are diving right into them at the moment. Brands need to find more ways to liberate consumers in terms of fashion, hair, experiences, travel and closing in on the gender gap.
