The Slow movements began to emerge in the late 1980s and originated with Slow Food, a movement born in central Italy with the purpose of preserving the cultural and artisan attributes of food and wine in the local provinces. According to Slow Fashion Forward @SlowFashionFWD, the term ‘Slow Fashion’ was coined by Kate Fletcher in 2007 (Centre for Sustainable Fashion, UK) and shares many characteristics with the Slow Food movement.
Here in 2011, we are approaching a tipping point, where on the one hand, Eco Fashion is evolving to embrace best practices in sustainabiilty, zero waste, reliable sourcing for eco-organic materials, and revitalizing local factories to produce garments and accessories closer to market. On the other end of the spectrum, watch as the big Fast Fashion brands, with large volume, begin to innovate in their supply chains, and utilize materials which can be efficiently reclaimed, and recycled versus the current cheap "throw-away" reality. As the manufacturers of "Fast Fashion" evolve to embrace sustainability, Slow Fashion will establish itself as the couture end of the Eco Fashion market, where artisan craftsmanship is a core value to preserve, and the garment offers high investment appeal. Production is limited, there is a respect for time, and scarcity. For many, Slow Fashion is becoming the "leading edge" for building a sustainable future for the fashion industry.
Stay tuned for more on the trending events on the Eco Fashion and Slow Fashion Movement