More Fashion Democracies

Following on last weeks post in The Shopping Forecast, a new fashion democracy, where you and help to decide what should be in the shops for the season ahead. I have come across lots of other initiatives where the fashion retailers are really listening to their customers in order to give them exactly what they want.

Another really exciting new website is Usabrand founded by Moritz Baier. The site allows users to upload their fashion sketches, which are then voted on by the public and the item with the most votes gets made and sold. If your item gets made, you get 5 Euros for each piece sold. There are some really amazing sketches and I am definitely going to be voting, I might even get out my colouring pencils and try one of my own.

Sense of Fashion is another great site that is a marketplace with a difference. It allows the Indie designers to openly communicate with their customers, fans and other designers allowing them to tailor their products to exactly what the customers want. Designers can poll customers about potential colours and style. It is also a place where fashionistas, photographers, fashion bloggers and stylists can exchange views and recommendations.

As if that isn't enough to keep me busy browsing and voting for hours on end, Beta Fashions is yet another fashion democracy where fashion created on an open platform in collaboration with designers from around the world.  The community can view, comment and help decide which designs will become reality. This is not only a way to discover emerging designers but also is also a step towards changing the way fashion change is created and consumed.

There are also lots of other sites like Teepay which allow you to upload your own t shirt designs. For those who prefer to do a little more than just having their say and want to put their money where their mouth is, there is also Catwalk Genius which I have posted about in the past in connection with the first ever fan funded collection by Kate Eary.

I love the idea of having more say in which clothes are available to buy and also having an input into the creative process of creating the clothes that I wear. I also think the idea of having clothes that are designed and manufactured according to what the customer wants could well be more sustainable because there is less waste and it also encourages individual style (which is timeless) instead of mass produced fast fashion which changes each season. Finally it gives customers the chance to show their preferences for clothes made with more sustainable materials (if that is what they want).

What do you think of these sites? will you be casting your vote?

Have a lovely weekend

Ceri X

Sketch by Mafiu