Heritage Clothing: Will it last?

[tylerjbritt]

**I originally posted this in Men's Clothing, but was recommended to post here for better response:

Heritage clothing. You know what I mean"”browsing the forums, it is omnipresent. Workwear (Japanese included), Americana, anything ACL champions, Levis, Filson, Alden, et cetera, et cetera, et cetera. Are these just part of a trend, or a change in the institution of fashion?

Biographic digression: I spent my late teens with a great interest in fashion. It was an escape from the singular ideology and dress code of my small hometown. With college came greater intellectual expansion and a growing distrust of the industry of fashion. I realized that fashion, like many other consumer products, was fueled by a need to promote seasonal trends, increase consumption, drive up profits, and in turn be more wasteful.

Over the past few years, I have been observing the rise of heritage clothing companies. Suddenly fashion had won me over again. I saw fashion companies that cared about what they were making (or in many cases"”have been caring for decades, some nearly centuries). They were making products that conformed only to standards of quality, not seasonal trends. Is heritage clothing going to be displaced by another trend approaching on the horizon, or will quality prevail?

Apologizes for coming in like and anthropologist and making this my first post. I am a frequent reader of the forum. Thoughtful responses would be appreciated!

 

[mikecch]

The Japanese have been making 'heritage/Americana' clothing for the past 4 decades - don't see them going away any time soon, there will always be hobbyists and stealthy nerds carrying the tradition onwards.

In the West - I'm not sure...it's certainly picked up on the Japanese trend these few years, but much of what I still see is hype being promoted to sell more clothing.
Certainly where I am (Australia), the "trend" hasn't even started yet.

 

[zissou]

^What he said about the Japanese. I'm sure us AMericans will find another trend very soon, because (1) we can't ever be satisfied with what we have, and (2) to not have a reason to 'keep on buying' means that we are letting the terrorists win.

 

[madstaxbro]

As long as people can appreciate vintage it will be around. People in the Northwest still wear flannels and Nirvana tees like it's 1992.
I can see it fading back out of the mainstream within the next 5 - 10 years though, with the lifespan of trends and all that nowadays. Sucks.

 

[joz411no]

Maybe it only seems trendy because young people are wearing these things. Keep in mind names like Alden, Levis and Filson were not around all these years just because young people were buying them. They've been around because they represent something to those who can identify quality and not just base that quality on cost of the item, workwear or otherwise. Gitman Brothers, Hickey Freeman and Allen Edmonds haven't necessarily been around for hundreds of years but all also play a very big part in refined classicwear. If the quality and ethics are maintained with companies like these I see no reason for them to not deliver on their promise to a conscious consumer. So, though you may see a fading of these trends in younger generations I believe these styles remain an integral part of what will be widely accepted as traditional clothing and styles for years to come.

 

[cb_32]

many of the companies you mentioned have been around for quite a while. levis has many many lines of stuff. they have the line that you can grab at the malla nd they also have the LVC stuff for the people who want vintage stuff.

Originally Posted by Brittney

im from the midwest and i hate boys in workwear! it's so boring.
girls post in this forum?

 

[mack11211]

Best way to imagine the future, in this case, is by looking at the past.

Look at pix from 10, 20, 30, 40 years ago. What do you want to wear of what they are wearing?

My guess is that with these makers, the styles and fabrics will last, because they generally have.

Fits and colorways will change, because they always do.

 

[jet]

hopefully not

 

[Superb0bo]

^^focus on fabrics and "classic" designs is offensive?

 

[baba booey]

Originally Posted by jet

hopefully not
My guess is heritage outlasts these looks.

 

[brad-t]

good job comparing runway shows to a general fashion trend that is at every pricepoint right now, very fitting

 

[baba booey]

Originally Posted by Uncontrol

good job comparing runway shows to a general fashion trend that is at every pricepoint right now, very fitting
About as fitting as saying heritage (which amounts to classic staples) will somehow go away.

 

[clarksdb]

Originally Posted by Brittney

im from the midwest and i hate boys in workwear! it's so boring.

You're HOT

.

 

[brad-t]

Originally Posted by baba booey

About has fitting as saying heritage (which amounts to classic staples) will somehow go away.
The OP obviously means it as "will it last [as a major aesthetic/trend] and the answer is no.

I saw fashion companies that cared about what they were making

This is a totally ridiculous statement. The implication that they did not care about what they were making simply because it was not conforming to your ideal of "classic, quality staples" or whatever ridiculous definition you've invented is totally heinous. There are loads of quality manufacturers and designers that wouldn't touch workwear with a ten foot pole. I can guarantee that brands like Julius "care" a lot more than Levi's. For ****'s sake.

 

[jet]

^don't argue, he's the resident dumbfuck