
Reflections on fashion, consumption and a utopian future.
The other evening, I found myself on one of those aimless walks around the neighborhood. You know the type: you leave your wallet and phone at home, braving the New York winter with just your keys in your pocket and your puffer coat on.
As I strolled down the street, with the fading dusk coloring the sky, I passed the many clothing shops and boutiques lining the streets of Brooklyn. There was a second-hand store, a jeans repair shop, and a Japanese-owned clothing store. Each one was a treasure chest, filled with clothes—racks of potential selves gleaming back at their shoppers. I dipped in and out of a few stores, without much intention to buy, and allowed my mind to wander.
So many darn clothes—racks and racks. And it got me thinking about the oddity of fashion in Western culture. We buy and collect textile pieces that fit our bodies, pieces that manifest in different colors, textures, styles, and silhouettes. We wear them day in and day out, swapping them out for newer trends as our tastes evolve.
It’s uniquely human, and, dare I say, uniquely of the times. Just a few decades ago, owning such a vast array of clothes was nearly non-existent. We owned only a few garments, and clothing was made to last. What started as a fully fledged fashion industry now seems to have reached a tipping point. More fashion, more consumption, more production. And it’s getting worse—worsening the state of our planet, and, to some extent, flattening our ability to truly appreciate what we already own.
As I continued my walk, I observed the customers sizing up clothes on the racks. I couldn’t help but ponder our future. Perhaps it’s a utopian future, being the optimist that I am. With the rise of AI and the potential solutions it promises, what might a sustainable paradigm of dress and bodily adornment look like?
What, if anything, would we choose to preserve in the world of fashion?
"HAS THE DESIRE TO SELF-EXPRESS THROUGH CLOTHING BECOME A MANUFACTURED NEED, CREATED BY THE INDUSTRY ITSELF? OR IS THIS INSTINCTUAL, A DESIRE BORN FROM JOY AND FULLNESS?"
If it is, how can we strike a balance between self-expression, intentionality, and responsibility in what we wear?
What would one wear in said utopian future? What materials would their clothing be made of? Would they be crafted by AI machines? And what value does handcraft hold in a future like that?
When we allow ourselves to think beyond our current circumstances, it can open up innovative ways to approach the challenges and opportunities of today. Food for thought on this winter evening.
𓇼𓇼𓇼
Written by Daniela Yakuel
Daniela is a researcher and facilitator focused on the intersection of slow fashion and mindfulness. Currently pursuing thesis research in the MA Fashion Studies program at Parsons School of Design, her writing invites readers to rethink their relationship with clothing as a living, evolving narrative, encouraging a more conscious, interconnected approach to slow fashion.
@danielaykl