Back in the Saddle Again

January 3, 2025

This is a pun of sorts.  I'm comfortably ensconced for a few weeks before traveling again, and I saw this fascinating post on Gorgeous Fabric's Instagram timeline.  This has concerned me since the Gwyneth Paltrow craze of March 2023, when she was being sued and wanted to come to court in respectful outfits, but it was so fashion-forward that it caused a considerable fashion craze.  I'm not much on fads and crazes, but I absolutely loved this one and wrote about it several times.

The fad was all about the quality of clothing that she was wearing and how expensive it was because it was fine quality.    

Personally, I didn't think the sweater for $579 was such a bad deal.  Here's the reasoning for that.  A great quality sweater should last 20 years minimum (at least the good ones that I've known have outlived that length of time).  So, doing the math, say round it up to $600; for 20 years, that's $30/year, or $2.50/month.  Think about the fast/cheap fashion stuff.  Yeah, this is a downright bargain.
And this has been my speech all along.

But how does that fash/cheap stuff get sold anyway?  Primarily because people don't know what they are buying.  Consumers know more about the printers they buy than the clothes they buy.  So, the retailer will certainly not be the one to tell the consumer that their products are inferior.

This article from the New York Times, was really eye-opening and even hopeful.  
 

NOTE:  This link requires a subscription to the New York Times, and I really wanted you to read it, so I've included it here with some highlighted points that are worth ready.  I don't like to go behind paywalls, but this is a private email (you have to sign up for it) and the author made some very astute observations.  

But there are several great points to make here:

• Most luxury items aren't worth 10% of what you pay for them.  They are junk.
• Most consumers are discovering that and are not only pissed about it, but aren't going to trust a lot of these luxury retailers.  IOW, once you lie to the consumer, it takes decades to bring that back.
• It's also important to note that the Hermes Birken Bag has risen in price 15% in the last 5 years.  That can only be because of the natural or reasonable rise in cost of living.
• The losses reported in the luxury brands seem only normal after an unnatural raise in prices without any jump in quality, and even a lesser quality.
• And as if the raise in price wasn't bad enough, some marketing departments in luxury brands are selling their items in discount stores.  So what does that do for the customer who purchased at the full price?  Honestly if I were that customer I would be livid and never buy that product name again.

The big message of this article is that if you fool with the consumer, the consumer won't like it and your sales will be lost.  IOW, the relationship between the retailer/marketer and the consumer is very tenuous, and if the retailer/marketer messes with it, it will take decades, if ever, to heal.  And the retailer and marketers have so revealed themselves as charlatans that the consumer can't forget that.  

The effects on sewists is as interesting as this truth in clothing.  The clothing that has been available for most people to purchase has been so deplorable, that is there anything good to compare it to.  I shared with you all that have a very wealthy doyenne in my metro died, and her "fitting room" over her three-car garage was revealed, it finally occurred to me that never once did I see her in ripped jeans, ballooning top or skin tight pants.  She was always dressed impeccably, maturly, responsibly and professionally.  She was also dressed modern, but never look faddish, up to date, but not weird or tricky.  Reason?... she had all her clothes made.  They not only looked responsible and fit well, but they also gave her a sense of the responsible person in the room without being haughty or over-bearing.  
 

Back in the (Hermes) Saddle Again

As is that weren't enough, this show on 60 Minutes makes the point very well.

This is a fluff piece on Maison Hermes in Paris.  But this house is one of the only ones that has maintained the quality and the craftsmanship that the houses of Dior, Chanel, Balenciaga, and others once maintained.   Hermes was known as an exclusive saddlery shop, and had the fine craftmanship to go with it.  This was the artistry that was instrumental in bringing the fashion capital back to Paris after World War II.  Dior knew that the war had raped the country, and all they had left was their knowledge.  The caliber of craftsmanship was exactly what made this happen.  Most Europeans are lamenting the loss of that craftsmanship as much as ten years ago.  The loss is felt even more today.  

At this point (this is M. Dumas, current artistic director and direct descendant of the founder Hermes, lamenting the loss of these artisans so much so that he's started a school to train artisans.  For we sewists this is a treat to watch.  The trademark saddle stitch of the Hermes bag is a fabulous technique to watch.  It's not that hard, and my bet is that anyone of us could do this, but it is exacting work.  That sort of craftsmanship is appreciated by the maker, the seller, the buyer and anyone else who has a chance to see it.  Understand that there is more to this than simply sewing with two needles.  The holes have been meticulously cut so that needle can go through with relative ease.  The other thing to notice is that there is not a machine that can do this technique, therefore it's clearly done by hand, enhancing the quality even more.  We all know about the value and increased workmanship in something that we know requires handwork.

I personally love the way M. Dumas talks about his craftsmanship in his product.  There is immense pride and fulfillment in presenting a product with so much talent and excellent quality in it.  

Hopefully all this attention paid to fine workmanship will bring more interest and emphasis on this kind of work.  This is the kind of work that we sewist use in everyone of our garments and makes our works just as fine as the finest craftspeople in the world.  

This level of craftmanship is what puts our clothes far and above the clothes that are available to everyone else in the world. 

The thing about turning out high quality garments is that it becomes addictive.   When you know the difference and become accustomed to only doing that kind of high quality work, it's hard to do something either wrong or sloppy.  You know it's wrong or sloppy and even if you think you've finished, you really haven't till you cure that sloppy or wrong part.  

That in itself is very rare to find in the regular world.  Your clothes will become like the doyenne's wardrobe in my city.  No one will really notice, but when they think back on your wardrobe they will remember it as being as unique as you, but not weird; and responsible but not boring.  These are the clothes that we all seek, but only a few can have.  Those people who can afford quality dressmakers and those who are sewists.  

The SewingArtistry Resource Library is designed to contain information to not only make your sewing better, but to aid in you fitting and flattering your shape, size and style.  Check it out. 

Look for future classes coming in 2024
The Core Pattern Shirt, (one of my favorites for woven core pattern that you can make into a myriad of different garments), 
Basic Knit Top (core pattern class for knit basic tops, shells, tees, dresses, and tunics)
 

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