Paul Foulkes-Arellano’s Post

Is the Fashion Business Disappearing? Reflections from Paris Fashion Week “Year by year, my creations are becoming more expensive because manufacturing is becoming more expensive. But people don’t want to spend on well-designed and well-made clothes. The industry is doing things more quickly, so when you visit fashion stores, everything looks the same.” — Yohji Yamamoto (Japanese fashion designer) These words have been echoing in my mind all week. In many ways, Yohji was sounding an alarm: the language of fashion is changing, and we’re standing at a crossroads. This past week, I had the pleasure of attending some shows and exhibiting my brand Kanyo M at Paris Fashion Week. It was my first time in Paris (the home of haute couture) and a dream come true. But beyond the glamour and inspiration, the experience brought with it a sobering clarity about the direction our industry is taking. A conversation with a fellow designer reminded me how much has changed in the last decade. We once imagined a world where craft, vision, and creativity sat at fashion’s core. Where collections were cultural events and designers were storytellers but that world has shifted. Technological advances like social media, the rise of AI, and the relentless churn of fast fashion have rewritten the rules. The pace, priorities, and platforms of fashion are unrecognisable from those that inspired us as Millennial and Gen X designers. Even in Paris, this was impossible to ignore. The shows are faster, collections more frequent, and conversations now happen as much on digital platforms as in ateliers. Algorithms shape visibility. Virality often trumps craft. Global markets blur the lines between couture and commercial. Its safe to say we are living in a new age of fashion — one whose language we’re still learning in real time. I honestly feel as designers, this moment demands honest reflection: 1. What forces are truly driving this change... and is it a passing phase or a permanent shift? 2. Should we resist to protect artisanship, or should artisanship find new ways to adapt? 3. What becomes of “fashion authority” when algorithms decide what the world sees? 4. How do we preserve cultural storytelling in a landscape of speed and sameness? 5. Most importantly: what does it mean to create with integrity in this new world? It's a lot of questions all which I don’t have the answers. In fact, none of us do globally. But standing in Paris, surrounded by centuries of fashion history and innovation, it has become clear that the conversations we are all having now are building up to some sort of revolution in fashion... a crossroads if you will. So I pose these questions to you fellow designers, stylists, creatives, industry players, etc...I’d love to hear your perspectives.

The Illusion of Inclusivity in Fashion Fashion keeps talking about “accessibility.” Runways are livestreamed, public screenings are hosted, and brands call it fashion for everyone. But the truth is — it’s still not. Even when shows happen in the streets or open spaces, access is curated. The front rows belong to editors, influencers, and brand partners — not the public. At Dior’s Spring/Summer show, for example, 95 million people watched online, but only around 350 guests experienced it in person. Millions see fashion, but very few feel it. Streaming gives you a view, not a presence. You can’t hear the fabrics move, feel the tension before the finale, or sense the emotion in the room. It turns fashion into a spectacle — a distant one. And let’s not pretend inclusivity has arrived: • Out of 8,763 runway looks, only 0.8 % were plus-size. • 40 % of UK consumers say they can’t find clothes in their size. • Adaptive fashion remains largely invisible. Meanwhile, the system feeds another paradox: The same people watching Chanel or Dior — often with admiration and hope — are the ones who can only afford the “Made in China” versions of those dreams. Then they post them online, tag the brands, and momentarily feel part of that world. It’s not vanity — it’s human. The desire to belong. But it shows how fashion has turned aspiration into a product. More than 70 % of global luxury sales now come from entry-level goods like perfumes and accessories, not couture (BoF x McKinsey, 2024). And much of that production still happens in low-cost manufacturing hubs like China, Vietnam, and Turkey (OECD, 2023). So the same global supply chain produces both the “luxury” and the imitation — one sells a fantasy, the other sells access to it. And it’s not only the public who feel shut out — even designers are. The same few names rotate from one fashion house to another, creating an internal elite. How many graduates and skilled designers are struggling to find work, while creative direction becomes a game of branding and celebrity? Many of today’s “head designers” rely more on stylists and image advisors than on craft. It’s a monopoly of fantasy — where art, talent, and education often lose to marketing power. Social media blurs the line further: over 60 % of Gen Z follow luxury brands online, yet only 18 % have ever bought a single luxury fashion item (Harvard Business Review, 2022). Digital proximity replaces real inclusion. Fashion looks more open than ever — but the gap between seeing and experiencing it keeps growing. If we want true inclusion, it starts with open casting, open attendance, open design — and open opportunities for designers, not just hashtags and livestreams. Fashion should make people dream — not feel excluded from the dream. #FashionIndustry #LuxuryFashion #CulturalCritique #Inclusion #Accessibility #FashionWeek #FashionJobs #CreativeThinking #DesignForAll #FutureOfFashion

Just a Fashion Minute Peak Ordinary: Has Fashion Lost Its Beauty? Have we reached peak "Ordinary” in fashion? It’s a troubling question, but one worth asking. Designers today are caught in an impossible cycle, collections expected every 3- 4 weeks, an industry addicted to speed over substance. No creative mind can thrive at that pace without burning out, and we’ve already witnessed the fallout. When creativity is suffocated, ordinariness rushes in to fill the space. Andre Leon Talley the late legendary Editor-At-Large of American VOGUE once said, “There is a famine of beauty, we need to see beauty.” That famine is palpable now. Hoodies, sneakers, tracksuits, once symbols of subculture have been absorbed into the mainstream, until they represent nothing but fatigue. Fashion, at its best, is spectacle and seduction; today it too often feels homogenised, dumbed down, stripped of poetry and dare I say, beauty. This isn’t just about clothes, it’s also about culture. Europe still treasures fashion as heritage and economy. Italy reveres textiles. France enshrines couture. But America has long treated fashion as functional, disposable, and ultimately utilitarian. That mindset has bled into the UK, where I’ve worked most of my career, and you see it in the dominance of “athleisure” (a word I detest) and the consumer’s waning appetite for the extraordinary. Having just finished London Fashion Week, where innovation and creativity charges ahead, it was also obvious just how far London has to go to reclaim its position in the rankings of Global Fashion. As someone who has and still does support and mentor upstarts and emerging fashion brands, London Fashion Week also had a lot of "not so great creativity" - just because you have a show doesn't mean you are that talented. The British Fashion Council are great with the PR needs to understand the businesses at the heart of fashion not just the creativity. ORDINARY is not just the expensive designer fashion now, as it seems to be affecting the High street too. Even ZARA, where fashion forward was always relied upon have started to play it so safe - the menswear in particular has fallen off a cliff. Zara claim they react to customer data from sales, which also reflects how the customer has been dumbed-down by the selections from risk-averse Buyers. Dare I say it -a vicious circle of mediocrity. So the real question is: can fashion recover its power to provoke, to inspire, to make us dream? Or are we resigned to living through peak Ordinary? Goodness me I really hope there's some glimmer of hope. David M. Watts ~ Outlier

Peak Ordinary: Has Fashion Lost Its Beauty? Have we reached peak "Ordinary” in fashion? It’s a troubling question, but one worth asking. Designers today are caught in an impossible cycle, collections expected every 3- 4 weeks, an industry addicted to speed over substance. No creative mind can thrive at that pace without burning out, and we’ve already witnessed the fallout. When creativity is suffocated, ordinariness rushes in to fill the space. Andre Leon Talley the late legendary Editor-At-Large of American VOGUE once said, “There is a famine of beauty, we need to see beauty.” That famine is palpable now. Hoodies, sneakers, tracksuits, once symbols of subculture have been absorbed into the mainstream, until they represent nothing but fatigue. Fashion, at its best, is spectacle and seduction; today it too often feels homogenised, dumbed down, stripped of poetry and dare I say, beauty. This isn’t just about clothes, it’s also about culture. Europe still treasures fashion as heritage and economy. Italy reveres textiles. France enshrines couture. But America has long treated fashion as functional, disposable, and ultimately utilitarian. That mindset has bled into the UK, where I’ve worked most of my career, and you see it in the dominance of “athleisure” (a word I detest) and the consumer’s waning appetite for the extraordinary. Having just finished London Fashion Week, where innovation and creativity charges ahead, it was also obvious just how far London has to go to reclaim its position in the rankings of Global Fashion. As someone who has and still does support and mentor upstarts and emerging fashion brands, London Fashion Week also had a lot of "not so great creativity" - just because you have a show doesn't mean you are that talented. The British Fashion Council are great with the PR needs to understand the businesses at the heart of fashion not just the creativity. ORDINARY is not just the expensive designer fashion now, as it seems to be affecting the High street too. Even ZARA, where fashion forward was always relied upon have started to play it so safe - the menswear in particular has fallen off a cliff. Zara claim they react to customer data from sales, which also reflects how the customer has been dumbed-down by the selections from risk-averse Buyers. So the real question is: can fashion recover its power to provoke, to inspire, to make us dream? Or are we resigned to living through peak Ordinary? Goodness me I really hope there's some glimmer of hope. David M. Watts ~ Host

Peak Ordinary: Has Fashion Lost Its Beauty? Have we reached peak "Ordinary” in fashion? It’s a troubling question, but one worth asking. Designers today are caught in an impossible cycle, collections expected every 3- 4 weeks, an industry addicted to speed over substance. No creative mind can thrive at that pace without burning out, and we’ve already witnessed the fallout. When creativity is suffocated, ordinariness rushes in to fill the space. Andre Leon Talley the late legendary Editor-At-Large of American VOGUE once said, “There is a famine of beauty, we need to see beauty.” That famine is palpable now. Hoodies, sneakers, tracksuits, once symbols of subculture have been absorbed into the mainstream, until they represent nothing but fatigue. Fashion, at its best, is spectacle and seduction; today it too often feels homogenised, dumbed down, stripped of poetry and dare I say, beauty. This isn’t just about clothes, it’s also about culture. Europe still treasures fashion as heritage and economy. Italy reveres textiles. France enshrines couture. But America has long treated fashion as functional, disposable, and ultimately utilitarian. That mindset has bled into the UK, where I’ve worked most of my career, and you see it in the dominance of “athleisure” (a word I detest) and the consumer’s waning appetite for the extraordinary. Having just finished London Fashion Week, where innovation and creativity charges ahead, it was also obvious just how far London has to go to reclaim its position in the rankings of Global Fashion. As someone who has and still does support and mentor upstarts and emerging fashion brands, London Fashion Week also had a lot of "not so great creativity" - just because you have a show doesn't mean you are that talented. The British Fashion Council are great with the PR needs to understand the businesses at the heart of fashion not just the creativity. ORDINARY is not just the expensive designer fashion now, as it seems to be affecting the High street too. Even ZARA, where fashion forward was always relied upon have started to play it so safe - the menswear in particular has fallen off a cliff. Zara claim they react to customer data from sales, which also reflects how the customer has been dumbed-down by the selections from risk-averse Buyers. Dare I say it -a vicious circle of mediocrity. So the real question is: can fashion recover its power to provoke, to inspire, to make us dream? Or are we resigned to living through peak Ordinary? Goodness me I really hope there's some glimmer of hope. David M. Watts ~ Outlier

𝐊𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐰𝐞𝐚𝐫 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐭 – 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐭, 𝐒𝐭𝐲𝐥𝐞, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐒𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝑫𝒐𝒘𝒏𝒍𝒐𝒂𝒅 𝑭𝒓𝒆𝒆 𝑷𝑫𝑭 𝑩𝒓𝒐𝒄𝒉𝒖𝒓𝒆: https://lnkd.in/d6x2-pvs The Knitwear Market is weaving together fashion, comfort, and sustainability as consumers increasingly demand stylish, versatile, and eco-friendly clothing. From cozy sweaters to fashion-forward knitted ensembles, knitwear continues to evolve as a wardrobe essential across seasons. 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐭 𝐎𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰: Rising disposable incomes, seasonal fashion trends, and the influence of sustainable fashion are driving market growth. Brands are now focusing on organic fibers, innovative designs, and smart knitting technologies to meet the demands of conscious and style-savvy consumers. 𝐊𝐞𝐲 𝐓𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐬 𝐃𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐆𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐭𝐡: Growing demand for sustainable and organic materials like organic cotton, wool, and bamboo. Adoption of innovative knitting techniques and technology-driven production. Rise of fashion-conscious consumers seeking versatile and seasonal apparel. Expansion of online retail platforms and personalized knitwear collections. 𝐅𝐮𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐎𝐮𝐭𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐤: The knitwear market is poised for steady growth, blending comfort, style, and sustainability, making it a cornerstone of modern fashion wardrobes. #KnitwearMarket #FashionTrends #SustainableFashion #OrganicApparel #ConsumerTrends #TextileInnovation #WardrobeEssentials #EcoFriendlyFashion #MarketInsights #ModernStyle

Meet the 2025 Evo Fashion Cohort: The Fashion Innovators (Part 2/2). These brands are redefining what it means to create with intention, championing craftsmanship, community and conscious design. Together, they are showing that slowing down processes can lead to lasting progress across the industry. House of Kind – A London-based womenswear brand founded in 2024 with a mission to unite women through fashion. Blending sculpted tailoring, feminine design and high-quality fabrics, the brand champions safety, solidarity and sisterhood through inclusive sizing and charitable partnerships. Intotum – A multi award-winning adaptive fashion brand designed with and for the disabled community. Creating comfortable, functional and stylish ready-to-wear garments, including its kids’ line Intots, Intotum empowers independence through sensory-friendly clothing that reduces the need for alteration or customisation. Khanum's – A British Bangladeshi fashion brand founded by Rokeya Khanum, specialising in timeless occasionwear and contemporary design. Known for its pearl trims, draping and signature co-ords, KHANUM’S blends cultural storytelling with modern elegance. The Array – A contemporary luxury womenswear brand consciously designed and crafted in London. Reimagining tailoring through a feminine lens, The Array creates timeless dresses and shirts with refined silhouettes that blend old-world craftsmanship with contemporary tailoring. The Purse Parlour – A luxury handbag restoration company advancing circular fashion through technology, craftsmanship and education. The Purse Parlour specialises in high-end restoration and aftercare, extending the life of leather goods while training artisans to build sustainable businesses in the growing luxury repair sector. VYN Sneakers – A conscious footwear brand built on the belief that luxury should last. VYN sneakers feature renewable and replaceable components, evolving with their wearer and redefining sustainable design through a movement to “wear in, not out” and leave legacy over waste. YIBRI – A London-based womenswear brand creating modern wardrobe essentials with quiet, enduring elegance. Founded by Yvonne Lin in 2023, YIBRI blends refined tailoring and tactile fabrics to design timeless pieces that transcend seasons while prioritising quality and thoughtful craftsmanship. Want to stay up to date with our latest initiatives and events? Subscribe to our newsletter: http://eepurl.com/gFXHQH

Here’s the last part of the series on business models in circular fashion. We have discussed, resale, upcycle, recycling, and repair models. Today, we look at the rental model. This is a business model that gives consumers the opportunity to rent clothes they need rather than buy them. This is especially lucrative for occasion dresses such as wedding dresses, runway, and couture pieces. This works for everyday wear as well. What this does is, it reduces the need to buy new items that may not be worn more than once. It also keeps these fashion items in circulation because when someone rents and returns, the next person can rent, wear, and return. Is renting a fashion item something you can do? . . #sustainablefashion #circularfashion