I need not tell you the British economy is suffering; as I write this the fashion boutique I'm working in is hauntingly quiet and the road outside painstakingly empty. Infact I can count on one hand the number of customers I've had come through the door this morning- one being a former employee. We're based in an affluent town in Surrey and have, in the last few weeks, had a number of autumn winter deliveries arrive from brands sourced from all over the world. Not only have we bought in cheaper, more affordable pieces so satisfy today's struggling market, but we're also stocking styles appropriate for all ages, sourced from popular designers splattered across the media. So I ask myself - quite frankly- what the hell is going on?
It's exhausting trying to stimulate the current market, buy in the right pieces for today's market and find extra money to finance advertising for those who don't even know we exist! However, I know it's not just us as small, independent businesses are closing left, right and centre around us.
The answer is simple really. In the last few years the high street has seen an astronomical boom; cheap, fast fashion has flown off the shelves whilst more up market brands such as LK Bennett and Hobbs have found a reliable middle market. It's funny as we often get customers come into the boutique looking for something suitable for either a wedding or a christening. The first comment that comes out of their mouths is they don't want something 'high street' in fear they may wear the same as someone else. *Enter the independent fashion boutique*.
I have a great love for magazines and subscribe to a selection every month. As I flip through the pages, one thing becomes apparent to me: 'street style' is the new 'in-style'. The media have great fascination with finding individuals on the street wearing something 'quirky', something original and 'out there'. It is a great challenge to shop on today's high street and find something that none of your friends have either looked at or bought. Through whatever means, the British public have an unhealthy obsession with fast, generic fashion and as boutiques continue to diminish, I wonder where fashion will be in 10 years time?
I've pondered this question many a time when the shop's been quiet and I've come to hope fashion will swing around once again. Let's rewind only a few years and fashion boutiques were flourishing; the opportunity to buy one off pieces was exciting and there was guarantee a boutique purchase meant a unique purchase. Unfortunately, with the current economic slump, the high street has galloped ahead. However how long can it continue to satisfy the public's demand and approval? I'm almost certain the fashion boutique, within the next 10 years, will dust itself off and slip back into the limelight as the high street becomes monotonous and predictable. Let's just hope there are still some independent boutiques left with the originality and enthusiasm that got them there in the first place.