A global economic collapse in World 14 led to collapse in high street fashion giants followed closed by the luxury behemoths. A government finally realised that the UK has a wealth in fashion graduates and skilled makers – who are often blocked from making micro business work because of accessing production.
A subsidised system is worked out so garment workers have a living wage and factory down periods are covered, allowing people to access the factories and have clothing made in small batches – this invigorates local economies, democratises style as people are freed to choose what suits them rather than it being an instructed top down ‘choice’ and regional fashions become a thing!
Images in history books of huge shops with racks and racks of the identical clothing are viewed with amused horror alongside weird folklore stories about devils wearing prada and dictators issuing diktats along the lines of ‘What not to Wear.’…
What if …
the government subsidised garment factories in the same way farming is subsidised, allowing anyone to produce very small clothing runs in localised hubs?
Issue targeted:
untraceable supply chains leading to unethical labour practices; graduates unable to get jobs; air miles in clothing; overproduction; multinational monopoly
Inspiration:
having worked in fashion production, and for large brands; Stitched Up by Tansy E. Hoskins; having four dresses made up to my designs by a local tailor when I stayed with friends in Pakistan
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This World was contributed by Louize Harries (located in London (Hackney) and the Norfolk Broads, UK) using a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International licence which allows others to share and adapt the work in any medium and for any purpose, providing that they credit the author and share their material using the same Creative Commons licence.
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