As a local fashion designer, I am often asked about competitiveness in the fashion industry.
“How do you compete with fast fashion?”
“How do you set yourself apart from your competitors?”
The truth is, I don’t believe that competition should exist in the fashion industry - before you call me crazy - here is why.
I believe there is room in this industry for everyone.
Are there best practices that may not be followed? Absolutely.
Does that mean that there isn’t room for smaller brands to emerge and become successful - absolutely, NOT.
It was reported by reviewmoose.ca that consumers spent $33.87 billion in Canada on clothing. On average a Canadian will spend approximately $286 monthly on clothing alone. With the increasing amount of retailers and designers, where does a local designer fall in the fashion industry food chain?
Chavah Lindsay is a brand born out of a passion for everything related to fashion. I love what I do, from creating staple wardrobe pieces to watching my runway-ready designs strutting the catwalk. I am building a brand based on love and support for all things local - from models and photographers to podcasts and client design.
From my experience in working with other designers, passion is the motivation. When someone is passionate about their work, it creates a butterfly effect that resonates from concept to fruition.
The fact of the matter is, personal style is ever-evolving. There is room for fast fashion purchases and for custom designs. So if we’re all creatively inclined to love what we do - let’s save the competition for Tim Gunn.
***IMAGES BY JENN JEVONS