From playing Dress Up games as a kid to running blogs and reviewing products online, we have, with technology, come a long way with regards to fashion: what took hours a decade or two ago now can be done within minutes and unmatched ease. Historically, the boom of the fashion industry can be dated to the advent of mass communication that made possible the far and wide expansion of trends and modes for the common man to adopt and apply. Not only did the rise of scientific development help grow the fashion industry, but it also brought about a wave of new and innovative procedures that have only rapidly advanced over the years for the ease of the customer who now gets the worth for his penny. Services as simple as manicures and as complicated as embroidery has become less time-consuming due to the invention of faster equipment.
Products and materials started being mass-produced and advertised through different technological mediums and still do for the public to survey and choose from. Numerous avenues opened, especially with the onset of prevalent internet usage; trade and exchange became easier and little room is now left for inefficiency in business when it comes to fashion. But everything comes with a price, so what are we paying for the cutting-edge fashion uprising?
Small businesses and entrepreneurs find it harder now than ever to thrive in the industry due to not having the finances for the latest technology; this means lesser opportunities and little space to grow for talent. Secondly, and most commonly, the lack of requirement of manpower as replaced by machines means fewer jobs and higher unemployment rates; time is saved by bellies staying empty. Mobile commerce has made it easy to trick customers into buying unoriginal, duplicate versions of products and lack of guarantee to not be answerable to any authority.
Brands find it difficult to keep a stable and loyal target audience due to there now being numerous options to choose from; if you have access to unique marketing means, chances are that the competing brands will not them stay unique for a long time. While the element of personalization is made easy through online shopping, it has also become a risk since you are not physically trying out the outfit and images can only tell you so much. Besides individual disadvantages, our planet also suffers. Various environmental concerns are raised today as a result of harm done by synthetic fibers, toxic dyes, and factory fumes; cruel, inconsiderate and inhumane working conditions for the laborers are another health and human rights concern that comes with the rising fashion industry today.
In any industry, things improve and deteriorate at sometimes equal rates and that is something we need to combat as responsible citizens, workers, and businessmen: to not forget what we could potentially lose while we gain one thing so that the ease and comfort that technology brings could be enjoyed justly and in a better fashion by one and all!