Will overloaded stores soon be something from the past? Is there a reality where we can take a step back into time before mass production became the standard in fashion? Read on to find out what made-to-order looks like in the 21st century, and discover a few made-to-order fashion brands that should be on your radar !
Social media platforms, especially Instagram, have provided designers who know how to sew with an exciting alternative to joining an established fashion house: launching a direct to consumer made-to-order brand. This simple and transparent business model attracts curious consumers by building on two trends that have been invigorated by COVID-19: local shopping and sustainable consumption. Because not only does the direct to consumer approach instantly create intimacy between the consumer and the designer, the made-to-order business model avoids the waste and overstock that comes with large-scale fashion operations.
This is the first time you hear of this trend? No stress - we have curated a set of amazing made-to-order fashion brands just for you, each with their own unique story!
Romantic big collars, puff sleeved blouses and cut-out dresses - and they all come with a matching scrunchie. Handmade to order in France, Maison Cléo is ran by Marie Dewet and her seamstress mother Cléo. The pieces are made from leftover materials from other designers (never synthetic!), so the number of items of each design depends purely on the amount of fabric available. Maison Cléo started as a page where Marie proudly showed the pieces her mother made for her, and has grown to a 90k followers community!
Set your clock, because their webshop opens only once a week, Wednesday evening at 6:30 pm CET. And be quick - they open their store for a limited amount of orders only, and the store tends to be sold out in MINUTES. Also don't forget to take your measurements - if you want, you can have the pieces tailor-made to your body!
Check it out:
The trademark of this Brussels brand are vintage T-shirts with power sleeves. The shirts are always 100% cotton, and the sleeves are made of recycled fabrics from designers, unwanted productions from fabrics mills or left-overs, that Élise sources from people she worked with when she was in London. Only a few tops are made of the same fabrics, so you can be sure that your piece is not only eco-friendly but also exclusive! In addition, Maison Élise frequently does cool collaborations with other artists, including a blazer collection with Jill Antwerp (more below!) and a collection where the sleeves were designed by Oleemehden, a colorist from Belgium/Luxembourg.
Shopping is easy and personal: Élise frequently posts new pieces on her Instagram and sales are done over DM. A few pieces can be found on Vinted but don't limit yourself - following this account on the gram is the way to go.
Check it out:
"The day I sewed my first piece, I decided to never buy fast-fashion again. The time spent on creating my first dress could never offset the cost of a mass-produced dress from a fast-fashion brand." Using only remnant or deadstock fabrics, Belgian-Danish designer Gabrielle runs the one-woman powered brand: she imagines and designs the pieces, sources the fabrics, and sews, packs and ships the orders.
Keep an eye on her Instagram, as she releases new collections in drops and - you can guess it - they come in small quantities and tend to sell out quickly!
Check it out:
Unique oversized blazers with breathtaking (and surprising) backs - that is how a Jill Antwerp masterpiece can be described in a few words. Jill Antwerp is a Belgian-based brand created by Jill van der Heijden, and targets the modern strong independent woman. The blazers are handmade in Antwerp from high quality and exclusive materials, and come in limited editions.
Jill markets and sells the blazers over DM on Instagram or e-mail!
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Olivia Rose Havelock describes her brand as the "home of shirred goodness & dreamy puffed sleeves". And indeed, her collection is filled with dreamy, gorgeous blouses and dresses with matching headscarves. Founded in 2017, the British brand is a one-woman-show and all items are handmade from fabrics sourced in the UK and made in very limited quantities.
Custom sizing for all is offered – that means Olivia will make the pieces for any shape / size / height at no extra cost!
Check it out:
Other made-to-order brands we should know about?
We hope this was an inspiration! Are there other made-to-order fashion brands we should earmark? Let us know in the comments!
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