Premium
“Made in Canada”: Local production networks in the Canadian fashion industry
Author(s) -
Brydges Taylor
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
the canadian geographer / le géographe canadien
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.35
H-Index - 46
eISSN - 1541-0064
pISSN - 0008-3658
DOI - 10.1111/cag.12400
Subject(s) - clothing , production (economics) , context (archaeology) , marketing , order (exchange) , business , fashion industry , creativity , work (physics) , quality (philosophy) , space (punctuation) , key (lock) , consumption (sociology) , industrial organization , fashion design , economics , sociology , computer science , engineering , microeconomics , political science , paleontology , biology , mechanical engineering , philosophy , social science , computer security , finance , epistemology , law , operating system
The fashion industry is a highly globalized industry increasingly dominated by international firms that favour flexible, efficient supply chains in order to produce trendy clothing at the lowest price. While much of the fashion industry follows the logics of global production networks, this paper presents a case where small, independent firms have chosen instead to engage with local production networks. Drawing on interviews with 87 independent fashion designers and key informants, this paper examines the following question: In the context of global production, why do independent fashion designers choose to work locally? In answering this question, three key findings are presented: the motivations of designers who emphasize timeless design and high‐quality local manufacturing; the strategies employed by designers to cultivate exclusivity and loyalty through the distribution of their collections; and the ways in which unique consumption experiences are utilized to articulate the values of their brand to consumers. While operating outside of the traditional fashion system provides independent fashion designers with the space for creativity, innovation, and control over their brand, it will be argued it also creates challenges with respect to growth beyond their niche market.