Fashion has long been a way of expressing individuality, but nowadays it feels as though we spend so much time wanting what everyone else has. The same brands, the same pieces, the same silhouettes filling our Instagram feeds. Increasingly, however, the appeal of clothes seems to lie in something beyond their appearance: the knowledge that, despite their popularity, not everyone can get their hands on them.
Shopping has not been the same for some time now. Whilst e-commerce sales continue to thrive, brick-and-mortar stores struggle to keep pace. Yet, rather than abandoning physical retail altogether, fashion brands have tried rethinking ways to drive sales, such as pop-up shops. Temporary ‘pop-ups’ may not be a new concept, but they offer endless possibilities for brands to showcase fashion collections. More than simply being places to shop, they offer ludic experiences with curated selections of products. Most importantly, they trigger a sense of exclusivity, a desire to be a part of that special moment in time.
The Spanish streetwear brand Scuffers, as well as London-based Minka Dink and Toms Trunks, are amongst a growing number of fashion brands embracing the pop-up approach. Having built their identity massively through social media, they’re transforming their shopping experience to something on an event. Minka Dink’s Soho pop-up featured a branded café and a sweet shop. Suddenly, buying clothes is no longer simply about the clothes themselves, but the experience of being there.
Of course, the appeal of exclusivity is nothing new; it’s economics really. When something is short in supply, its value increases. Fashion brands have always capitalised on this relationship between scarcity and desirability, but social media has given it a whole new dimension. Now that everything is accessible at our fingertips, or at least it appears to be, we can see what everyone is wearing and where they got it. But seeing something you like and being able to get your hands on it are two very different things. And perhaps that’s exactly what makes it so desirable.
Yet these exclusive pop-ups raise questions about who actually gets to participate. With so many pop-ups happening only in London, access is ultimately determined by geography, disposable income, and the luxury of having the time to queue. For all of us outside London, participation means watching the experience unfold on somebody else’s Instagram story, or hoping to find something that has already sold out on a resale platform.
Perhaps more interestingly, what does all of this mean for personal style? Does personal style even exist anymore? When the desirability of something is increasingly tied to its exclusivity, it’s worth questioning whether we’re buying something because we genuinely like it, or because we like the idea of owning something that other people can’t.
That’s not to say that pop-ups or smaller independent brands are problematic. As well as being a more sustainable option than most high-street brands, they offer opportunities for customers to connect beyond a screen. But, there is certainly irony in an industry that celebrates and sells ‘individuality’ whilst increasingly using the exclusivity of their products as a marketing tactic. Perhaps true personal style should be knowing what you like regardless of how difficult it is to get your hands on it.
Photo by Kate Darmody on Unsplash
