Slowing Down in a Fast Industry

The culture of today’s society is rapidly changing into a civilization based on consumerism and instant gratification, but at what cost?

Our desire for instant gratification and the need to consume is shaping the values of our modern world. Now low product price has taken center stage, whereas quality and cultural value has taken a back seat. In our modern society, we are continually bombarded with advertisements from what we watch on our screens, what we read in our magazines and what we see in the shops. These messages, infiltrate our minds and are reflected in the ways we spend our money. Predominantly by supporting fast fashion, in an attempt to keep up with the latest trends.

Despite these mass marketing schemes, in the end, we have the power. Where we spend our money speaks to the industry as a whole. It is not whether we buy, but how we buy. While we find ourselves at the height of consumerism and industrialization, we see the fashion industry relying on outsourcing production, in order to pump out a cheaper product for mass sale. In doing so the industry has sacrificed quality and craftsmanship in exchange for cheaper price tags.

The Paul Ropp brand extends far beyond fashion and the garments it produces. It represents a desire for individuality, for making social statements and breaking boundaries. It speaks to the consumer need for an individual aesthetic, rather than being blanketed by the “same-ness” our society has been funneled into. The value of a Paul Ropp garment begins with the cultural philosophy behind each handmade thread, that creates a final product that is made with care, made to last and made to stand out.

Paul Ropp harnesses dying techniques developed by generational Indian communities of hand loomers. The Paul Ropp brand understands the necessity of sustaining these techniques and insists on them, rather than follow the masses down a more industrialized process.

Artisanal techniques fade and disappear through time, which is why each textile used in a Paul Ropp collection embodies and harnesses the essence of the craft, and of the individuals who tirelessly work on the creation of each fabric. In doing so, Paul Ropp strives to preserve these ancient crafts for future generations.This is a company that has decided to forgo the industry need to mass produce at cheaper prices. It has been steadfast in the philosophy that where the product comes from, the artistry behind the techniques and the cultural connections they provide surpass the importance of a cheaper price tag and mass sales.

The value of a Paul Ropp price tag encompasses not only the culture where it originated but the hands that created it and the desire of the people who wear it to be confident in their individuality.