When you want your sense of fashion to catch someone's attention, think Italian apparel. Some of the world's most exclusive, famous, and sought-after fashion brands are Italian, and Italy is a leader in the design and production of apparel. In 2018 alone, the fashion industry produced over USD 5 billion (roughly $5,025,000,000) worth of revenue in Italy. Economic experts predict that revenue in the Italian fashion and apparel sectors will continue to increase by more than 8% each year until 2023.
Stand Out from All the Fast-Fashion Victims
Why is Italian fashion such a booming industry? The answer is complicated, but it has to do with Italy's complex, rich history of fashion culture and bounty of talented designers, couturiers, and fashion houses turning out wearable works of art. Those who want to dress to impress would do well to make Italian style and apparel the cornerstone of their wardrobe.
Do you ever go to a restaurant or a business meeting and realize that two people are wearing the same tie or carrying identical handbags? Not only is duplicating someone else's outfit a fashion faux pas, but it also reveals that you likely purchase your apparel and accessories from fast fashion companies.
For those unfamiliar with the term fast fashion, it references the modern clothing industry associated with large retailers and cheap international labor. Products get made by the thousands in environmentally damaging factories across lower-income countries.
Workers are paid a paltry sum (as low as $1-3 per day) and often provided with inadequate supplies or equipment.
The items that they turn out may look shiny and new in a store, but they generally have low-quality materials and may feature errors in craftsmanship as well. Since 2000, the quality of garments (and reduction in costs for apparel items made by fast fashion companies) has led to consumers retaining purchased items of clothing for half as long as they used to, while also buying 60% more apparel pieces overall.
As if the questionable quality of fast fashion apparel and accessories wasn't enough of a reason to avoid it, there is the fact that hundreds or thousands of people have already purchased the same item. Those who buy into fast fashion products not only wind up disappointed with the quality of their products, but they also run the risk of having the same items as other people in their social circles.
Designer and small batch production clothing and accessories, by contrast, typically feature much higher quality materials, impeccable stitching, and unique designs not likely to be owned by many. Standing out means not blending in. Wearing something actually unique and well-made can be eye-catching in a sea of bland uniformity.
Let the Quality Speak for Itself
Poorly made, cheap clothing shows wear quickly. It may start pilling, especially in areas that see frequent movement, such as the underarms and between the legs. In more fitted articles of apparel, the seams may start to pull apart after a few uses or rounds of laundering, exposing stitching and changing the fit. Is also common for colors to quickly begin fading. Low-quality fabrics will soon weaken and tear, including in areas not along the seam, which can be particularly difficult to mend.
Couture and designer fashion, on the other hand, have a much higher standard of quality. When you purchase a piece of Italian apparel, it will likely be made from the best quality materials, which helps ensure that it will last longer.
Retaining an accessory or piece of clothing for a long time doesn't have to make you look poor or poorly dressed. A high-quality, well-maintained piece of fashion can become part of your statement to the world. Whether it is a power tie or a handbag you carry seasonally, these items can be used year after year with the same dramatic effect because of the inherent longevity that comes with high-quality pieces.
When people look closely at your outfit, designer pieces will also withstand intense scrutiny. Well placed, neat stitching and quality materials are visibly apparent, especially when compared to cheap polyester or cotton knock-offs all too common to fast fashion brands
When you invest in designer Italian accessories and clothing, the people you interact with will note the quality of your apparel, and it will speak highly of your decision-making ability, as well as your financial status.
Details Are Everything When You Want to Stand Out
Details matter, especially when it comes to fashion and how you present yourself to the world. Something as simple as the quality of the fabric in a scarf could make the difference between an outfit coming across as bohemian or a frumpy throwback.
Mass-produced products are all about consistency and efficiency. The companies produce designs that they can turn out at a rapid pace. This allows them to make a profit despite charging ridiculously low prices for their clothing and accessories. These brands don't have the time or the desire to pay attention to the little details that can make or break an outfit.
Overlooking those details usually impacts the overall appearance of fast fashion items, as well as how long they last and how well they hold up to wear. Italian fashion items, on the other hand, come from clothing companies and designers whose reputation is deeply tied to the quality of the products they produce. These companies may charge significantly higher prices when compared with their mass-produced counterparts, but the value of their items is unquestionably higher.
Italian designer brands, like Elizabetta, take care to address every potential detail in the design and production phases of their unique and small batch clothing and accessories. Overall, when you consider the social value of fashion apparel and accessories, as well as their longevity and quality, the difference in price more than compensates for the difference in the end product.
You Don't Have to Break the Bank To Make a Statement
Looking put together and sporting the designs of Italian fashion brands is not the realm of only the most affluent. Even those with modest incomes can't afford to integrate Italian fashion into their wardrobe in a way that will truly strike other people. These individuals simply have to be more careful and judicious about which items they choose to purchase from designer brands
Carefully selecting designed items as features for your wardrobe, rather than as your daily wear staples, is an ideal way to make the most of your budget. Accessories, ranging from ties and cufflinks to briefcases and wallets, can serve as the detail that brings a look together and helps make your entire ensemble eye-catching and memorable.
Italian designer accessories offer you the luxury of Italian fashion without the expense of a full designer wardrobe. Properly chosen, the right accessories can help you catch people's eyes every time you integrate them into a new outfit. Investing in classic, staple pieces is the perfect way to make the most of the money you have to spend on a fashion upgrade.
The Importance of Accessories for the Fashionable Male
For the fashion-forward male professional, a suit is the standard attire expected at most jobs. However, purchasing an Italian designer suit can be comparable to purchasing a lower market price car. Not everyone can invest in a full designer suit. However, the tie often is the focal point of the suit. It rests directly below the face, and it draws the eye in and upward.
Those with a need to be somewhat frugal in their fashion choices can purchase a mid-grade suit brand with quality fabrics that don't come with a designer name tag or price tag and pair that suit with a stunning, designer tie. Ties, after all, tend to resist the fading of trends and can make a major impact on how people perceive you.
