Continuing with my argument that South African politicians should be wearing designed and made in South Africa clothing (see link) I think it is vital that the fashion industry communicates this message to our government officials in a strong coordinated and synchronised voice. It is no good for both the fashion sector and out clothing and textile manufacturing sector to bemoan the current state of affairs this beleaguered industry is facing without those who make up the industry stand up and be heard. Where are the unions? Why such silence from them? Further job losses in South Africa's apparel sector are a certainty.
Instead of cheap rhetoric from South African president hopeful Jackob Zuma who said the ruling party "needed to become more involved in the economy … [and] look for ways of saving and growing jobs in the clothing and textile sector,[1]" he should be wearing local designed and made in South African clothing and using his presence on the political and social stage to demonstrate that he is Proudly South African and urge his followers, fellow politicians from every political party to proudly wear local designed and made clothing. Our politicians need to look at America's new first family as an exemplar of what can be done to create a surge in demand for local fashion designs.
President Obama's wife Michelle is supporting American fashion. Even though she has been unfairly criticised by "The Black Artists Association" for having yet to use a black designer and instead has worn clothing designed by Cuban and Asian-American designers is in my opinion just a pathetic grumble – of course she is going to wear at some time clothing designed by African-Americans. The point is she is supporting and promoting American designers and American retailers.
Obama's children Malia and Sasha wore on the day their father was sworn in as President of America dresses from American retailer J Crew a company that started in 1983. According to it promotional material the company "uses the finest fabrics, craftsmen and mills from Europe and the US." News reports said the company's website crashed due to high traffic when the American public discovered where the children's clothing had been purchased from.
Clothing researchers in America say that Mrs. Obama will have a positive impact on the American apparel sector. According to retail analysts companies such as Gap and its Banana republic chain, J.Crew, Club Monaco and Chico White House/Black Market will be some of the benefactors of her choice in clothing. Of course it will be dependant on these retailers to take advantage of this global opportunity to sustain the interest in their fashion lines.
The central point to Mrs. Obama's choice of clothing is that she is demonstrating that even the First Lady of America can look slick and elegant without having to wear Couture designs with hefty price tags[2].
In most cases in the world of fashion and glamour there is a Machiavellian side – SWEATSHOPS – and this most hated of words in the fashion industry can be linked to Mrs. Obama's choice of clothing. While I applaud her for using American designers, her choice of retail brands is questionable. In July 2008, New York State labour officials investigated an American clothing company in Queens, New York that employed Chinese immigrants.
Investigators said the company, Jin Shun, cheated its workers out of more than $5 million in pay, told its workers to lie to inspectors, did not pay overtime to their employees and kept two sets of timecards. Guess which company is linked to this inexcusable exploitation of labour-GAP one of the companies that may benefit from Mrs. Obama's choice of fashion. Another company supported by Mrs. Obama is Banana Republic. In March 2008, the company was linked to sweatshop labour in India where workers making clothing for this brand are forced to work up to 70 hours a week for under a dollar an hour. Club Monaco, apparently another favourite of the First Lady is affiliated to the Ralph Lauren's fashion empire which is known to source its manufacturing from dubious clothing companies that exploit workers.
Whilst I argue that South African politicians need to wear the talk and emulate America's new first family they should go further and demonstrate that they will only support local designers, retailers and manufacturers that have a transparent, ethical sourcing procedure and in the case of manufacturing support those companies that are registered with the South African Clothing Bargaining Council.
Instead of cheap rhetoric from South African president hopeful Jackob Zuma who said the ruling party "needed to become more involved in the economy … [and] look for ways of saving and growing jobs in the clothing and textile sector,[1]" he should be wearing local designed and made in South African clothing and using his presence on the political and social stage to demonstrate that he is Proudly South African and urge his followers, fellow politicians from every political party to proudly wear local designed and made clothing. Our politicians need to look at America's new first family as an exemplar of what can be done to create a surge in demand for local fashion designs.
President Obama's wife Michelle is supporting American fashion. Even though she has been unfairly criticised by "The Black Artists Association" for having yet to use a black designer and instead has worn clothing designed by Cuban and Asian-American designers is in my opinion just a pathetic grumble – of course she is going to wear at some time clothing designed by African-Americans. The point is she is supporting and promoting American designers and American retailers.
Obama's children Malia and Sasha wore on the day their father was sworn in as President of America dresses from American retailer J Crew a company that started in 1983. According to it promotional material the company "uses the finest fabrics, craftsmen and mills from Europe and the US." News reports said the company's website crashed due to high traffic when the American public discovered where the children's clothing had been purchased from.
Clothing researchers in America say that Mrs. Obama will have a positive impact on the American apparel sector. According to retail analysts companies such as Gap and its Banana republic chain, J.Crew, Club Monaco and Chico White House/Black Market will be some of the benefactors of her choice in clothing. Of course it will be dependant on these retailers to take advantage of this global opportunity to sustain the interest in their fashion lines.
The central point to Mrs. Obama's choice of clothing is that she is demonstrating that even the First Lady of America can look slick and elegant without having to wear Couture designs with hefty price tags[2].
In most cases in the world of fashion and glamour there is a Machiavellian side – SWEATSHOPS – and this most hated of words in the fashion industry can be linked to Mrs. Obama's choice of clothing. While I applaud her for using American designers, her choice of retail brands is questionable. In July 2008, New York State labour officials investigated an American clothing company in Queens, New York that employed Chinese immigrants.
Investigators said the company, Jin Shun, cheated its workers out of more than $5 million in pay, told its workers to lie to inspectors, did not pay overtime to their employees and kept two sets of timecards. Guess which company is linked to this inexcusable exploitation of labour-GAP one of the companies that may benefit from Mrs. Obama's choice of fashion. Another company supported by Mrs. Obama is Banana Republic. In March 2008, the company was linked to sweatshop labour in India where workers making clothing for this brand are forced to work up to 70 hours a week for under a dollar an hour. Club Monaco, apparently another favourite of the First Lady is affiliated to the Ralph Lauren's fashion empire which is known to source its manufacturing from dubious clothing companies that exploit workers.
Whilst I argue that South African politicians need to wear the talk and emulate America's new first family they should go further and demonstrate that they will only support local designers, retailers and manufacturers that have a transparent, ethical sourcing procedure and in the case of manufacturing support those companies that are registered with the South African Clothing Bargaining Council.
1 comments:
I am so pleased to finally read a blog that recognizes fashion as an opportunity for economic growth, instead of an economic problem. I agree with your view on the power that politicians hold in their choice of wardrobe—and further, I support your argument that by wearing South African designs, South African politicians could really help to save and create jobs in the local apparel sector. By using First Lady Michelle Obama as an example, you show the great potential success that can come of a political figure wearing domestic designs. Nobody can deny the success that she has brought to the American brand, J. Crew, however I believe that the case of Mrs. Obama showcases the best possible effect any figure could ever dream of having. I do not think that the clothing choices of all politicians would be quite as noticed as that of the United States’ current First Family, yet I agree that they should be the template that other countries (like South Africa) should attempt to emulate. Even if the success brought to the domestic fashion sector is small in comparison to the Obama-effect, any growth at all surely trumps recession.
Although you did an excellent job at supporting your argument, I felt your counter-argument was quite brief. I was very interested in a factor that you all too quickly mentioned—and that was the possibility of sweatshop involvement in the production of domestic designs, “In March 2008, [Banana Republic] was linked to sweatshop labour in India where workers making clothing for this brand are forced to work up to 70 hours a week for under a dollar an hour. Club Monaco, apparently another favourite of the First Lady is affiliated to the Ralph Lauren's fashion empire which is known to source its manufacturing from dubious clothing companies that exploit workers.” While you commend the First Lady’s choice of wearing American brands, her choice of supporting companies involved in such a terrible illegality, certainly does not boost her own image. I feel that your argument would have been made even stronger if you would have further explored the fact that the clothing companies and the political figures have a two-way relationship: the politician can bring great success to a clothing company, but, if negative, the image of a clothing company can reflect negatively back on the politician who chose to wear it. I do hope that the politicians of South Africa eventually make the choice to wear clothing made by South Africans, however if they could hear my advice, I would say, “if you are planning on making a political fashion statement, make sure you know absolutely everything about the brands you decide to wear.”
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