Do You Love Discounts And Sales?

People love a bargain.  We really feel good about shopping in Sales and how much money we save.  We love the “End of Season Sales”, “Black Friday”, “Singles Day”, and “Cyber Monday”.  We love them all.  Why is that?

A simple Google search states the following:

“Discounts make customers feel smart and confident in their shopping. There is no guilt or shame in buying a product when 50% off.  This also validates their urge to buy the product at a discounted price so that when people ask how much they got the product for, they will proudly say how much they spent.”

We are now living in a “Discount Culture” — where sales and price reductions are constant.  Another indication is the incredible rise of outlet shopping, which has made formerly aspirational Brands more accessible and affordable.  Woodbury Common, Dubai Outlet Mall, and Cheshire Oaks, to name a few, are incredibly popular.  Luxury Brands, including Bottega Verneta, Gucci, Prada, Fendi, and Moncler, are all a part of this discount Business strategy where they sell their products at lower or discounted prices.  We have all had the opportunity to buy Brands here that we would not normally consider we could “afford”.  These places have made luxury fashion more accessible and available to more people.

However, there is another angle to this.  When is a “Sale” really a sale?  The economics do not change; Brands still need to make a margin.  With heavy and frequent discounting, how is this possible?  Outlet stores are not only selling “aged” stock (from previous Seasons), they have products that are designed specifically for those stores.  They are made to meet the discounted selling price, with the margin built in.  While the selling price is lower, this is not really a bargain; it is not actually discounted.  The products are leaving the manufacturer with the discounted price on the price tag.  Why would Brands do this?  

There is an obvious Business case.  Brands have grown tremendous sales from Outlet shopping.  They have increased their global Brand awareness and garnered a source of new customers.  Discount culture is good for Business.  Is it really good for us as consumers?  We think we are benefiting from sales and discounts, but we are really just buying more.

Sales are fun and exciting; they have us consider new brands and products.  They can make us more adventurous, try new things and increase business for our favourite brands and designers.  However, as I always encourage in these musings — be aware of what is really happening when we shop.

While reminding us all to be conscious consumers and enjoy sales and discounts, they are now a key part of consumer life.  However, please consider they are trying to make us believe we are saving money when, in fact, these events encourage us to buy things we probably don’t really need.\

In my usual fashion, I will provide a checklist of what to do.
When shopping in sales or attracted to discounts, consider the following:

  • If this item was full price, would I buy it?

  • Do I really need this?

  • Is the quality good? 

  • Is it part of my long-term wardrobe strategy?

  • How long will I wear this?

  • How will I dispose of this when I don’t want it anymore?

  • What is the impact of buying this item; will it soon be in a landfill?

  • Is it worth it?

With love

Kate

Kate Padget-Koh

FASHIONABLE FUTURES

Why Is Luxury No Longer Luxury?

After the last blog on how we interact with and consume clothing, I have been actively aware of different experiences with clothes and fashion.  

There are so many YouTube videos on Luxury Bag Collections; people with vast collections of bags and other items from Hermes, Chanel, and Louis Vuitton (among other brands).  I had not been aware of this, and once I watched one, the algorithm fed me lots more.  What an interesting and, personally, baffling phenomenon.  Why does one need so many bags?  

As someone who has spent her career in Fashion, I have had a good number of bags.  I have lived through the Prada, Gucci, and Chloe “it-bag” eras.  I have bought and used many bags.  Yet this “Luxury Bag” obsession has surprised me.  The content creators are ordinary people; they do not appear extensively affluent.  A similar group to this I experienced in Paris stores when I went to Chanel, Celine, and Loewe recently.   People were buying extensive amounts of luxury rather than one or two beloved bags, which they use frequently.  What is going on here?  

I felt this unease last year after visiting YSL in Paris.  Something felt different.  I thought it was me and was truly “over” excessive spending.  However, I had the same feeling this year in Paris.  After a lot of reflection, I have identified a few possible reasons for this.

  • INFLUENCER CULTURE: These beautiful people, with their gorgeous lives on a constant trip to somewhere fabulous and in new outfits constantly.  New bags, like many Hermes.  

  • SOCIAL MEDIA: Being constantly fed these images of people with the aforementioned “gorgeous lives”.  Our human sense of inadequacy or desire has us wanting that.  

  • FAST FASHION: During the extraordinary era of Alessandro Michele at Gucci, the brand was very vocal in stating it wanted to be like a fast fashion company in its embracing trends and newness.  Clearly, it worked, and others followed.

There is nothing wrong with any of this.  We can all freely buy and consume what we want - right?  Absolutely, we can.  However, everything comes with a cost.  In this situation, the cost affects us financially, our mental health, and, inevitably, the environment.

For years, Fast Fashion Companies have been called out for their irresponsible and unethical behaviours.  Yet, here are people consuming high price items as though they were the price of Zara.  Are the Luxury goods companies doing the same as fast fashion companies in their own ways?

None of us want to be victims of consumer culture.  

What can we learn from this, and how can we take our power back?  

  • Consumer culture is relentless. It is designed to make us feel inadequate and that we need more.  Remember this!

  • Buying beautiful things is totally fine; just be aware of the reasons you are buying them.

  • To be a more aware consumer, only buy what you need.

  • There will always be something newer, the latest version or a limited edition.

  • Remember - influencers receive some of these items.  They are a business, too.  It is their job.  

  • Be an individual, know what you like, shop ethically and educate others to make good choices.

Best regards
Kate Padget-Koh

Back To Basics

After a lot of recent travel and experiencing different cultures and ways of being in life, I am reflecting.  Reflecting on how there are so many ways of engaging in life and (as this is me) engaging with clothes.  Dressing, wearing, shopping, consuming clothes.  

I have been from Hong Kong to Dubai, Paris and Northern France, and back through Dubai to Hong Kong.  How differently clothes are utilised in each place I visited!  These are only a few places, clearly with diverse lifestyles, but there are many more diverse places around the world.  I am working with what I have, so here are some observations and reflections from this time. 

Depending upon location, clothing is engaged with in dramatically different ways.  

Dubai, from the airport alone, is a place for luxury goods.  People show their wealth and express themselves through what they wear.  People are dressed in designer and luxury brands, alternatively wearing something impressive regardless of authenticity.  It is a place to look amazing and be “on” constantly.  People are branded in their experiences of life: restaurants, hotels, residences and clothing.  It is luxury all the way, regardless of how real and genuine it is.

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Hong Kong is a different animal from Dubai.  Not drastically, just further along the evolution of new and upcoming places.  Hong Kong was just like Dubai two decades ago.  Now, Hong Kong has a quieter sense of luxury, discreet but no less expensive.  It does have a “high-low” option, as well as fast fashion.  However, the fashion has much less visibility; it is less flashy and more chic or low-key.

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France, Paris included, is such a different vibe.  Big western cities are always fascinating.  We expect them to be glamorous and on the leading edge of fashion, but they are quite different.  People living there have to deal with the realities of urban life.  Its people deal with life in a more practical way through clothing.  They wear sneakers, flats and “easy” clothes.  None of the glamorous, luxe (uncomfortable) looks of the other places.

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So what do we learn from this?  

  • Slower fashion places have less consideration for fashion trends; it is more lifestyle-focused.

  • Luxury fashion is fun.  All Fashion can be fun.

  • We all consume; fashion just varies.

  • We consume anyway

You are reading this (presumably) because you are interested in a more Sustainable Fashion future, being more conscious in your consumption of fashion and clothing.  It is very difficult to escape the consumer cycle. Everyday life is full of ways to shop and buy and messages to make us feel we “need” something.  Fashion is to be loved and enjoyed, and being conscious around it provides options.  Being mindful has us become influential in our choices.

What to do next:

  • Consider where you are on your fashion journey 

  • Why are you interested in Sustainable Fashion?

  • What are you committed to in the future of fashion

  • We all make an impact; what can we do to lessen our impact?

Best regards

Kate Padget-Koh

How To Be A Conscious Dresser

Here I am, back with musings and considerations on how to dress more consciously and sustainably.  After spending time in Dubai and seeing so many branded clothes and accessories, experiencing people “living their best life”, I am more committed to creating a simple and effective way to manage my wardrobe and purchasing methodology.  

Following my recent blog on “dressing in accordance with your personality”, it is evident that people dress in ways that express who they are.  However, with so much trend-driven clothing and the huge wave of luxury goods consumption, is a conscious choice really possible?  How can we make decisions without them being based on external influences?  After all, we are social beings; we need to fit in with the pack.  Social acceptance is a huge part of life; our appearance is paramount in this equation.

During my Dubai trip, I saw a proliferation of Hermes Oran sandals.  Are they all genuine?  I don’t think there are that many in circulation.  I found myself looking for some on Vestiare Collective.  I caught myself being influenced by my surroundings.  At an entry point of 800 USD (and up), this is not a throw-away purchase.  As someone who considers herself a ‘conscious, individual dresser’, I was shocked by my reaction.  (No, I haven’t bought any Orans).  

Back to the fundamental question - how can we be “conscious” dressers and shoppers?  The commercial world - social media, retail environment, press and entertainment - are all unapologetically making us want more.  Our social constructs have us feel the way to fix our inadequacies is through acquisition.  

We do know better.  How do we act better?  

We will not stop shopping; we will continue to acquire and aspire.

How can we do this in a more conscious and sustainable way?

  • Purchase from and align with brands that have a culture and create products for a better world.

  • Work on who you really are.  You are not someone you looked at on the beach during vacation, wearing something you were momentarily impressed by.

  • Develop your wardrobe as an expression of your personality and the impact you want to make.

  • Make it yours.

  • Be an inspiring leader in how you present yourself.  Fast Fashion might be tempting and convenient, but does it align with your values?

  • Have fun and love life.

Best regards

Kate Padget-Koh

Do Our Personalities Dictate How We Dress?

Recently, I have been thinking a lot about the “future of the wardrobe”.

How we will shop and dress in the future.  I constantly think about clothes, how to dress, and how to look more beautiful and stylish.  This is my admission to all of you.  I feel I should be more highbrow, less affected by looks, and more concerned with no more new clothes and sustainable ways to approach Fashion.  I wonder why…?

I recently watched two videos from THE CHIC LEAGUE on YouTube.  The channel focused on the connection between personality types (stated as Myers-Briggs) and the way characters in “Sex and the City” dressed; how the needs or confidence of each character was expressed in their ways of dressing.  For example, Carrie constantly needs to be the centre of attention with her witty, fashionable, quirky looks.  While Charlotte is quietly confident and traditional in her classic, preppy (quiet luxury) looks.  Is this something you see for yourself? 

Do you dress to align with your personality, or are you covering up what you consider are your weaknesses?  These theories had me reflect on my ways of dressing over the years and how they have evolved due to where I am personally, professionally and locationally.  I am not totally trend-driven, but I am very aware of the trends.  I will always “feel” a style or movement without knowing why, only to find it is an upcoming trend.  We could call it “peripheral awareness”. 

There is a constant pull between loving Fashion and being Sustainably responsible. For example, a recent trip to Dubai shocked me with the amount of Hermes Orans and Birkins everywhere. The Fashion there is visible and very branded. Yet clearly, the need for Sustainable responsibility is increasingly important. Many of us face the steady pull between these two polarities, and I am constantly looking at how to balance this. However, as a Fashion and Sustainability Industry Expert, it is my responsibility to go beyond my musings and create a set of possible solutions or methodologies.

As always, we learn from solving our own challenges; here are what I see as solutions:

  • Consider why you are buying something.  

  • Is it a real need; are you filling a void or feeling you need to keep up with others?

  • Will you want to wear this for a long time to come?

  • Can you repurpose or resell it after you have finished with it?

  • Are you at ease with where this came from; is the Brand Sustainable, Compliant and Responsible?

  • Is this aligned with who you are or want to be?

  • Does it make you smile?

A lot of questions to consider here.  After all, we are all committed to creating a better world for all, and Fashion is an excellent place to start.

Best regards
Kate Padget-Koh