In Making The Cut, Amazon's first reality TV show, 10 entrepreneurial fashion designers from around the world compete for a million dollar prize pool and mentoring from Amazon to help them become the next global brand to become. Many of the designers have already seen successes in their careers. The design standard is therefore raised above that of the fashion reality show, which originally united the making-the-cut presenters Heidi Klum and Tim Gunn from Project Runway. In Making the Cut, there are no challenges in making garments from auto parts or liquorice or blinds; These are real clothes, not projects.
Each week one of the winning looks is sold on the Amazon website. Your formula "watch out. Wear it. "Repeats the now well-known fast-fashion model" See Now, Buy Now "and appeals to the impatience of the modern buyer who wants immediate satisfaction. It could also convey a fashion-hungry consumer to the online retailer, which Amazon has previously found difficult But, as I discovered myself after watching the first episode of Series 2, which is currently being streamed, this also poses a mystery to such a consumer.
My main reason for tuning in was nominee Gary Graham. I've followed Graham's career for years and coveted his clothes, which are made in small numbers and carefully processed in his Catskills studio, far from the fashion bubble he once occupied as a former Vogue / CFDA Fashion Fund finalist. The first iteration of his eponymous label was discontinued in 2018. He shifted his activities north and began a more intimate reinvention, GaryGraham422. His sleek aesthetic with antique floral prints, reused bedspreads, and handcrafted embroidery matches the spartan paneling, distressed door frames, and rural setting featured in his Instagram posts. His social media storytelling gave me a gentle boost during the dark days of the pandemic. I would stop scrolling to dwell on a brightly colored herringbone pattern woven on the loom of a state mill. I could imagine how special the Victorian blouse with a puffed shoulder made of pinned microfloral would look even with jeans. His clothes, when worn, would be conversation starters and arouse curiosity. His brand identity was clear: It spoke of nostalgia and historical awareness, the belief in slow fashion, the importance of natural materials and a well-thought-out perspective. It was in direct opposition to the online retail giant accused of abusive working conditions and hand-held destruction of mom and pop businesses across the country.
The first winning look of Gary Graham's Season Two Cut on Amazon.com
Making The Cut is a one-hour ad for Amazon, peppered with the interpersonal intrigue we expect from reality TV. While the alliance of Gary Graham and Jeff Bezos was confusing to me, a David and Goliath collaboration was the jury's unanimous decision to explain Graham's look, inspired by army blankets and a floral rug upholstered by one of his favorite weavers, the winner wasn't confusing at all. I couldn't have agreed more. I experienced this thrill that reality TV viewers feel when they endorse the winner. I listened as guest judge Jeremy Scott from Moschino praised the merits of Graham's design – "dynamic, new, modern, interesting, unique!" But I didn't need to hear his support. The garment was a shirt dress with handkerchief hems, the top of which was decorated with a navy blue and white floral motif that was overdyed in military olive and had one of Graham's signature sleeves. I checked the price they charged for it on amazon. Almost $ 80. Similar dresses on Graham's website cost ten times as much. And while moving the cursor over the Add to Cart button, I couldn't click Buy Now.
Customer reluctance to buy from Amazon
Like most of us who strive for ethical consumers, I avoid Amazon where possible. Sometimes it's tricky, especially when prices seem unmatched and next day delivery is so convenient. How could I consider wearing a head-to-toe look that was essentially the result of an hour-long advertisement for Amazon? I got in touch with the designer impulsively by direct message with the following question: Who will pocket the $ 80, you or Jeff Bezos? Soon after, Graham replied, "The designers get a percentage of sales! It's a big positive thing. "Then he thanked me for my interest in his dress.
It's shockingly difficult to establish a brand today, and I've seen many of my favorite little designers go out of business over the years. The reality is that an abundance of celebrities photographed in your creations or standing next to Anna Wintour at events means nothing if you can't afford next season's patterns because the stores will call you for deliveries of the last two Seasons not paid. Fashion professionals pay special attention to the damage Amazon has done to their industry. Each of the ten designers must have weighed the pros and cons before taking the if-you-can-not-beat-em-join-em approach by appearing on the show.
I referred to Graham's clothes as topics of conversation. His winning look, called the Amanda dress, not only initiated a dialogue between the designer and me, but also prompted me to write about my contradicting feelings when buying from Amazon and thus deepen the conversation. Graham's clothes always tell a story, and Amanda's clothes, as he explained to the Making The Cut judges, were based on redemption and were inspired by the tombstone of a woman who died in the 19th century. He also hopes for salvation professionally from his appearance at Making The Cut this season. I clicked Buy Now.
Fashion editor Jackie Mallon is also an educator and author of Silk for the Feed Dogs, a novel set in the international fashion industry
source https://seapointrealtors.com/2021/07/27/is-it-ethical-for-me-to-buy-a-garment-from-amazons-making-the-cut/
WordPress.com
No comments:
Post a Comment