The Battle of Quality Over Quantity...

There’s no doubt that social trends dictate fashion. We’ve already spoken about Paris’ launch into Haute Couture after the incredibly exuberant styles of Louis XIV.  Back then it was all about custom-made, custom-designed, quality clothes. The process of dressmaking was seen as an art, and each garment produced was made by hand, carefully and methodically.

A 'sewing circle'...no Primark in those days!

But unfortunately this trend was not to last, and after the onslaught of World War II, fashion changed forever. But why?

It all comes down to two aspects of our society: economy and the media. The impact WW2 had on the economy was devastating; you just need to dig out your Grandma’s ration book to know that. Just as fresh meat was replaced by processed foods such as SPAM, high-end, ‘slow’ fashion was pushed aside to make way for mass-produced, off-the-rack clothing.

By making everything disposable, the economy was kept above water. But it wasn’t just fashion and food; look in your kitchen cupboard and you’re likely to find not one, but several frying pans. Your Grandma would have had just the one, and it would have been made with materials that lasted forever.

Similarly, look in your wardrobe and you’ll probably find a rack full of dresses. Your Grandma, again, would have had one, maybe two, both of which would have been custom-made using durable, high-quality fabric. This post-war move to mass-produced markets kept the economy rolling, and still does, but it was a sad day for traditional Haute Couture.  

And the media? It is, if you like, the voice of the economy. It persuades us to buy certain things, and live a certain way, all the while cleverly boosting the wealth of the country. Nowadays trends come and go like the wind; the dress you bought on the high street last week won’t be on the catwalk in a few months’ time, and the iphone you thought was the ‘latest’ thing will most certainly be supplanted by something bigger and better.

What it all comes down to is that generally quantity is valued above quality. But we at Achillea Marini want to point out that despite current social behaviour, we should still appreciate high-quality, personalised services. Of course we don’t expect everything in your wardrobe to be custom-made, but surely there’s room for one very special, made-just-for-you garment that you’ll keep forever?

I recently dug out a beautiful emerald green dress that had been hand-made by my Great Grandma back in the 1920’s…after over ninety years it still looked and felt exquisite, each stitch holding fast. Here was a garment of the upmost quality; the art of dressmaking at its finest…

Need I say more?