Fast Fashion Central: Jobber Market, Downtown LA
Originally published March 20, 2014 here.
Fascinating story by Parson’s Assistant Professor Christina Moon about one of the key factors behind the rise of fast fashion. She explores the history and current state of LA’s Jobber Market in downtown LA where thousands of mainly Korean immigrant-owned fast fashion suppliers are based. These are the businesses that supply much of today’s major retailers. It’s also where F21 began.
I’d love to hear firsthand accounts from current fast fashion suppliers and the retail giants that purchase from them to understand their perspectives on the phenomenon. It’d be a great feature story or documentary to dive into the confluence of factors that led to the fast fashion movement, how they relate to one another, why some factors were more important than others, and why exactly this massive, rapid change came about when it did. In addition to the Korean immigration theme, some of the other factors that may have contributed to the birth and rise of fast fashion are the following:
- Opening up of Asian economies in the 90s due to political regime changes and/or economic policies that led to the rise of low-cost textile and manufacturing industries
- Globalization, trade agreements, changes in tariffs and taxes
- Legal implications, protection (or lack of) of design IP
- Technological advances in manufacturing (design software / tools, inventory systems, improved shipping logistics and distribution, etc.)
- Changes in large retailer business models and manufacturing practices
- Growth of fashion industry, more designers entering means more competition even as industry grows
- Increased consumer demand as lux fashion grows its media presence which leads to higher consumer aspirations
- Higher accessibility to fashion for manufacturers through increased tradeshow activity
We’ve heard plenty about how the old guard retailers like Gap, Urban Outfitters, etc. are responding to fast fashion. I’m more interested in comparing and contrasting the perspectives of H&M, Inditex, and F21 as the leaders in the fast fashion movement and where they think things will go next.
Originally published at https://www.tumblr.com.
