The world couldn’t respond to the growing demand anymore. Therefore, the importance of sustainability today has become more important, especially with the pandemic. The damage we cause to the environment is known. To minimize this, to minimize the carbon footprint, to turn to designs consisting of environmentally sensitive fabrics, many brands have started different strategies.
Can we get to know Hande Can, “Gardıropgurusu” and Hürriyet Kelebek fashion editor? How did your interest in fashion and your blogger adventure begin?
Hello, I have been interested in fashion since I was a kid. I was particularly interested in colors, patterns and different textures. And when I was little, I was a very obsessive kid. That made me clear over time. I have never had a blog, so I am not a blogger. I am a former user of Instagram. I worked in the production company for many years and worked as a creative director and style consultant for TV shows. In fact, I can tell you that I was the first style consultant on TV to do this job professionally. Then I started my own company. I still provide style counseling services to celebrities. In addition, As the founder of Gouroux Trend Ideas Company, Branding and Digital Consulting continue intensively in our service. I am starting to turn to the new home Styling. I am getting more pleasure from touching the living spaces of the people that I am touching their style right now.
We have seen and will continue to see a lot of reflections of the Covid19 pandemic, which has taken over the world, in the world of textile-ready clothing and fashion, as in almost every sector in the global economy. Can we take your assessments as one of the people in this world whose profession is to follow fashion, trends and designs?
The industry is evolving into really interesting ways. Recently, the fashion industry has been parallel to many aspects of technology as well as art, but no one had thought that everything, including fashion shows, would go digital in such a short time. Trends were starting to find it very difficult to keep up with the pace of the new generation. If we evaluate this difficulty in terms of production; With the sector brakes exploding, while the full speed was going downhill, with Pandemic it slowly returned to the original speed, even with small steps. In other words, we should not evaluate the pandemic as pessimistic and negative.
What are the effects of this process on our dressing style and fashion? What ideas do you have on the trends of the future, from needs to designs, from digitalisation to sustainability?
The world couldn’t respond to the growing demand anymore. Therefore, the importance of sustainability today has become more important, especially with the pandemic. The damage we cause to the environment is known. To minimize this, to minimize the carbon footprint, to turn to designs consisting of environmentally sensitive fabrics, many brands have started different strategies. In line with this framework, trends have started to be recreated. It is very clear that more minimal designs will come to the fore and fabrics compatible with nature will increase even more. But most importantly, it should not be overlooked that brands that do not take sustainability as a philosophy will not be hosted by the consumer regardless of who they are.
What did your favorite designers and giant brands do in this period, especially in Europe and around the world? Are there any interesting designs and jobs that raise awareness?
The first step came from Gucci. They explained what we have made the world we live in with reckless actions, as Gucci Fashion House, they will take many new steps to fix this and support sustainability to the fullest. After that, we listened to different explanations from world giant brands. Tommy Hillfiger talked about the “Make it Possible” program that they will implement their strategy of not wasting anything and embracing everyone, with 24 ambitious goals within the framework of cyclicality and comprehensiveness by 2030. Recently, I have been reading studies on the production of fabrics made of microorganisms that can breathe with the environment. If they can bring this to life, then we will see interesting designs.
The interest in shopping malls and popular shopping streets has decreased in this period and this is likely to continue for a while. What would you like to say about the digitalization efforts of brands and online shopping?
Online shopping had long been a rising trend. Big investments had always begun to be built on online and to minimize offline stores. Serious turnovers were made with the pandemic. It is very difficult for brands that do not have online sales sites to survive. Brands that provide user-friendliness, provide exclusive services and deliver fast will rise. Of course there will always be shopping malls, but I think there is no longer the need for so many shopping centers. I do not see their future very pleasant.
If we continue with digitalization: Do you think we will never see fairs, sumptuous fashion shows and fashion weeks again, or will they continue with different measures and studies with their share of the transformation?
The digital fashion show can never replace the podium, and it doesn’t. Not in the near future but I do not think the glamorous fashion weeks will come back until 2022 at the earliest. But I think we are going to have some breakthroughs at digital fashion shows so far. For example, I am waiting for the days when we are going to be in the fashion show production with All-IN-One VR glasses from where we are sitting, passing by the clothes and even touching the fabrics. We are definitely going to have a lot of different experiences, let’s see which fashion giant will be the first to pioneer this?
As Wardrobe Guru, what would you like to say about fabrics that are the most important element in designs? What kind of fabrics do you prefer clothes and can you tell us the reasons why Turkish fabrics and products are preferred in the world? What do you think this process will add to Turkish textiles?
We used to really be world leaders in fabric production. The fact that the whole world closed its doors together with the pandemic was a light for Turkey. It would be great if we could go back to production, even within us, because the costs of the dollar rate have come to terrible numbers. Designs consisting of 100% cotton, linen and viscose, which can be returned, where natural fabrics are weighted, should increase. I have no doubt that those who make original designs with these fabrics will be the preferred in the world. I focus on designs made of fabrics such as silk, cotton and linen in my wardrobe. I’m investing in small, concise and timeless pieces. I recommend it to everyone.