I love discussing minimalism primarily because of the irony of the topic. By its very nature it is concerned with keeping things as subdued and reduced as possible. Emphasize quality over quantity. And yet, within it, there is so much to discuss.
Minimalism as an art movement first started appearing shortly after the Second World War. Inspired mostly by the American arts movements of the time. But minimalism as a philosophical concept has been around for far longer. The concept of reducing our material possessions down to the bare essentials in an effort to achieve inner peace is one that has a lot of merit to it.
Minimalist Fashion
It wasn’t long before the art movement of minimalism met the philosophy of minimalism. This led to a rather unique fashion trend that has endured to this day. Minimalist fashion does often prioritize quality over quantity. But this isn’t always true. Instead minimalist fashion is defined by more muted color tones and simple designs. Japanese minimalist fashion is a prime example of this.
It is a very understated look. One that compliments the wearer by drawing attention to their facial features and accessories. And, for the past decade, it has been one of the most popular fashion styles out there. But no style stays popular forever. And fashion minimalism is starting to slowly die out. But why is this happening?
An Age Of Expression
The advent of social media is one of the defining aspects of our current generation. The influencer age some are calling it. And this is a generation of self expression. And there is no greater tool of self expression than fashion. Minimalism can be an effective method of self expression. But, on the whole, there are far more grandiose ways to go about it.
And this is the primary driving force behind the slow death of minimalist fashion. People are moving towards fashion trends that are bold and loud. Bright colors. Vibrant looks. Outrageous outfits. A good example of this is the Drag community. Nowhere will you see more vibrancy and decadence than in this community.
The Rise Of DTF Transfers
Direct to fabric transfers have been an absolute game changer in the world of fashion. A DTF transfer essentially allows you to put any logo, design, or pattern onto an item of clothing. It is most commonly used to make novelty shirts or band merch. But, with the technology being so readily available now, anyone can buy stylish direct to film transfers and make their own unique clothing from the comfort of their home.
This has spurred a lot of people to move away from minimalism. Why wear something subtle when you can create an outfit that is completely unique and original without any hassle? The icing on the cake is that DTF transfers are relatively cheap. So making custom clothing with them is far less expensive than most minimalist fashion brands.
Barbie And Brat Summer
The summer of 2023 was defined by one of the most iconic events in cinema history. The joint release of Barbie and Oppenheimer. And the summer of 2024 was known as Brat summer, in honor of the new album released by Charli XCX.
The Barbie movie brought with it a wave of new fashion trends. Women were channeling their inner Barbie. While men were becoming Ken. And neither of these characters are minimal in their fashion sense.
The album ‘Brat’ was a huge hit because it was such an empowering one for women. Charli XCX was trying to send a message that women can, and should, be as free and hedonistic as they like. Open to express themselves however they please. And this, naturally, spurred on another shift in fashion trends. Women were wearing bolder and braver outfits than ever before.
Rising Costs
While there are hundreds of social reasons as to why fashion minimalism is dying off, we can’t ignore the main reason. And that is the cost. You might think that, by design, minimalism should be a cheap fashion choice. But this often isn’t true.
Many of the designer minimalist ranges are actually far more expensive than you would expect. And anyone who is doing minimalist fashion isn’t likely to opt for cheaper alternatives. But, in a cost of living crisis, people are having to cut back on their expenses. And high-cost fashion items that are going out of style just aren’t going to be on too many people’s shopping lists. And we don’t think the prices are going to be dropping anytime soon either.
