Is Pre-Order Fashion the New Key to Sustainability?
The Highsnobiety Better Earth Manual is a guide for style enthusiasts in the age of ecological crisis — a crisis caused in part by the fashion itself. Here, you’ll find a growing set of resources about conscious consumption and the pioneers who are making change in our industry.
The fashion cycle is ever-changing, having gone from strict seasonal collections and releases, to newer approaches such as the streetwear drops model, and See-Now-Buy-Now. As production and demand are at an all-time high, brands are looking for more sustainable options, and Farfetch has just announced it will begin a new Pre-Order system.
Teaming up with 10 brands to launch the new feature, Farfetch will have new pre-order styles available to shop monthly that will ship around four weeks after purchasing. The new feature aims to minimize fashion waste by only producing what has already been sold, and comes as part of the retailer's Positively Farfetch initiative.
The brands that are confirmed for launch are Balenciaga, Nanushka, Off-White™, Palm Angels, Oscar de la Renta, and more, and the new initiative will be online starting August 25.
Following the COVID-19 pandemic, most consumers have become more conscious of their buying habits, and spending over a year in various lockdowns has made us more concerned about the quality of garments and timeless pieces, rather than always buying into trends. Big retailers including Farfetch have always been the go-to for the new releases within luxury fashion, and with quick shipping available, it has become an easy way for customers to shop without thinking about the impact of their purchases.
As brands debut new initiatives to become more sustainable and responsible, it is also important to look at what the consumer is saying. We're now much more aware of what brands are doing, as well as the values they hold, and often choose to only buy into those that match our own. This means that brands are selling less, and are being forced to adapt their business models to more accurately reflect the consumer.
The Farfetch Pre-Order is currently available online, and will also give shoppers access to new season pieces before they release anywhere else as a result of the early orders. It remains to be seen whether other luxury retailers will follow suit, and how brands will respond to the change.
The Highsnobiety Better Earth Manual is a guide for style enthusiasts in the age of ecological crisis — a crisis caused in part by the fashion itself. Here, you’ll find a growing set of resources about conscious consumption and the pioneers who are making change in our industry.
