Craftsmanship

Reinstating purpose in modern fashion

Since the beginning of time itself, humans have been living, working, making and producing. The only thing that has changed is the tools we use to do so.

Craftsmen recognize this. They understand the history of their products and the intent behind them. They understand how they were made and how they evolved over time. However, in today’s fast-paced and technology driven world, they are a rare breed— especially in fashion.

Their scarcity seems counter-intuitive, considering that fashion is a respected visual art form. It is intimately intertwined with the fabric of our culture. However, where do we draw the line? Can you really consider the $6 T-shirt you bought at H&M art? Perhaps the overexposed nature of the industry has drowned out the traditional marks of craftsmanship: attention to detail, expertise and passion. This is evident in the rise of “fast fashion,” which is mass-produced and a far cry from fashion’s artful origins. Granted, the logic behind fast fashion’s success is clear. Why pay a premium for a unique piece when you can get one that looks enough like it for a fraction of the price? Contemporary craftsmanship has taken a backseat to convenience, and quality has suffered at the hands of quantity. While it’s easy to recognize the worth of something that has been expertly constructed, we often find ourselves choosing the cheap and easy option.

This current phenomenon can be juxtaposed against tailoring. Dating back to the early middle ages, tailoring is the art of designing, fitting and finishing garments. Today’s tailors typically create bespoke, or custom, men’s suiting and are considered to be among the most respected in the garment industry. However, modern garment construction often neglects precise tailoring, leaving this storied craft in the dust.

According to Jana Scholze, co-curator of the exhibition “What is Luxury” at the Victoria & Albert Museum in London, “Craft … is about making something that is so unique that it can only be made one time, and ... appreciating the passion and endless obsession of these makers.” It seems that such artisanship is increasingly hard to come by, given that we live in a world where efficiency of production is valued and things are made to be disposable. Fashion designer Amy Kuschel described this dilemma perfectly.

“More than ever, you’re inundated with opportunities to buy clothes, from poorly made fast fashion, to frivolous, high-end couture,” she said. “You end up overwhelmed by a closet full of pretty things, and nothing to wear.”

Ironically enough, the suit has long been a symbolic garment of counter-creativity. Some blame Wall Street for the decline of tailoring—in particular, Domenico Dolce, who was a tailor long before he was a fashion designer, points a finger at Wall Street. Following J.P. Morgan Chase & Co.’s announcement that their employees would no longer be required to wear suits, Dolce responded, “People think tailoring is boring. The companies and the press have killed the tailoring dream. Because tailoring as they see it is pinstripe, gray, old, boring, and sad ... The big companies and Wall Street killed the tailor. Because when you talk about tailoring you think of bourgeois in the worst way… But real tailoring is a different thing.”

Perhaps society’s general apathy toward craftsmanship should be viewed as both a challenge and an opportunity. Following the release of Giorgio Armani’s Spring 2017 menswear line, Mr. Armani commented, “… Tailoring has never been out of style … In my opinion, it can be perfect … even for today’s fast, athletic, and on-the-go generations. All you have to do is skillfully interpret it according to the times.”

Former bond trader Rob McMillan seems to be doing just that. After leaving his job at the Chicago Stock Market two years ago, McMillan launched Dearborn Denim, a made-to-measure denim company. He took note of how difficult it was to find a wellfitting pair of jeans at a decent price, and as a result, Dearborn Denim was born. McMillan has hired local seamstresses and tailors, allowing each pair of jeans to be custom-made to customers’ measurements.

Of Dearborn Denim’s mainstream accessibility, McMillan said, “I’m not about exclusivity and I want our product to be as affordable as possible, to be as inclusive as possible.” He adds, “Don’t confuse price with quality. Our fabric is the best of the best in terms of stretch denims, and our construction is strong.”

McMillan proves that we don’t need to forgo craftsmanship for affordability and that tailoring isn’t just for bureaucrats, even if at one point he was one.

Craftsmanship, although increasingly elusive, will never be obsolete. It remains at the core of our fashion, our art—even in this modern era. Without it, what we wear will lose its integrity. When paired with today’s techniques, it has even greater potential.

Jiang Qiong’er, the creative director and chief executive of Chinese luxury fashion brand Shang Xia, said it best, “The first step is learning. When we have some experience, then we can go further… I think the best protection for the preservation of craftsmanship is innovation.”

Craft is about making something that is so unique that it can only be made one time, appreciating the passion and endless obsession of these makers

written by Bella Douglas

styled by Brad Biskaduros

model: Matt Lee

photographed by Christina Vitellas