What’s going on with fashion today?
3 min read >>
It was one of those European budget airlines headed towards one of the fashion capitals of the world, Milan.
I didn’t realize it at the time, but the Milan Fashion Week was just around the corner. I noticed a few tall, slender girls whose appearance screamed ‘runway model.’ That wasn’t out of the ordinary, I’d seen girls like that on flights to Milan all the time.
What should have been the giveaway was the man seated next to me. He started talking almost soon as he sat down. His accent told me he was Dutch. He told me he worked for an Italian fashion company for most of his life. Before long, he was dropping names, talking about designers like Michael Kors and whatnot. Most of the designers he was referencing didn’t interest me. I’m not one for high fashion bag designers.
What I did find interesting was what he said about some of the most prominent luxury fashion brands in today’s market.
He told me they’d purposefully lowered the quality of their wares. You might not be surprised, but at that moment, I was. Yes, the big corporations don’t give a fuck about what we think. They’ll raise prices and lower quality as long as the outcome is income.
But these companies used to be known for their high-quality goods! A decade ago, I bought a t-shirt from one of these brands. What struck me was the absolute comfort and quality. It was the best t-shirt I’d worn to date.
As this Dutch fashion salesman was telling me, however, I’d never find a shirt that well made again. Not from that company, at least.
What really threw me off was the reason why they had lowered their quality. Actually, not why, who.
Russians.
In the last few years, more and more oil-rich Russians had been buying bucketloads of name brand clothing. It didn’t take long for those brands to find out that they never really cared about the quality. They cared about showing off their fancy logo.
So companies started raising prices and lowering quality, and that pissed me off.
I’ve never cared about big brands. I liked that the more luxurious brands often had better quality clothing. You’d pay more, but it would be worth it. The problem is every big company out there is trying to create the latest fad with oversized logos, pop culture references, psychedelic prints, more color changes, lines, and patterns that my brain wants to process.
Let me be clear. I don’t care about any of that.
What happened to comfortable, high-quality clothing that you can wear without making a political or fashion statement?
I’d rather be discussing the fit, the drape, the comfort, and the material. To me, it’s the simple things and the small details that stand out. I can spot a high-quality white tee from a mile away.
Leave out those weird cuts and big pop culture design prints.
Then denims; jeans that are as comfortable as they are rugged.
What happened to clothes that last beyond a few washes or the latest fad?
I’m tired of this ‘new’ fashion, colors, and prints every year. Give me timeless, minimalistic, high quality, comfortable, and durable.
If you agree, you’re not the only one. That’s why Huntly was born.
Comfortable and durable clothing made to last with high-quality material. We draw our inspiration for the Cafe Racer style. Huntly is for all those guys who want to look good while riding, grabbing dinner/cocktails, without needing a fancy stylist.
Minimalistic yet functional. Put on your jeans, throw a t-shirt on and go for a ride in the afternoon.
Invest in your wear as you do on your bike, that’s our philosophy. If you think like us, subscribe. We’re putting out content weekly. More to come on www.huntly.co
