What Do You Have Time For?

A question posed to make you consider the importance of your time and how you spend it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"This campaign has developed from the craft of hand written correspondence in to a metaphorical representation of how one chooses to spend their time. The letter represents artisanship, identity and slow consumerism. The time spent writing a letter is thoughtful and personal, important qualities of the slow fashion movement.  Modern advances in technology have made methods of communication more convenient, for example emails. The campaign uses emails as a representation of fast fashion and mass consumption that has led to a ‘throwaway’ culture crisis in Britain.

 

The campaign aims to inspire the British public to consider the origin of their clothes and the welfare of the people who produce it, whether it be a fast or slow fashion purchase.  Similar to the appreciation of a hand written letter, it aims to encourage consumers to reflect on other aspects of their life and related industries that may consume time. This includes extensions of the fashion industry such as the print industry. Technology has enabled material that would usually be printed to become more accessible online for less money therefore reducing the market for printed artifacts such as newspapers and magazines.

 

The ‘What Do You Have Time For?’ campaign is also related to consumer purchasing power. Point of purchase sale is often impulsive. If a little more time was taken to consider the industry you are buying in to, consumers are more likely to make an educated purchase and utilize their money as an extension of their beliefs and style. Using the magazine industry as an example, do you buy an online subscription or a physical subscription of your favourite magazine and why?

 

Here are a few quotes from British fashion industry professionals who were asked to share their thoughts and experiences about the decline of print and hand written correspondence:

 

“There’s something quite romantic / nostalgic about paper and I think this applies to magazines vs online print. It also makes the work seem more like art and something worthy of collecting.”- Mandy Pang, Shortlist Media.

 

“In our fundamentally impatient society, in order to write a letter, one must really make time... as many fashion lovers know, it is the personal touches that count along with evidence of detail and craftsmanship”- Harry Smart, Supa Model Management.

 

“The up rise of technology has made images and writing so accessible it’s becoming somewhat obsolete.”- Khaitee Mills, Textiles Artist.

 

“Nothing electronic could live up to how it feels to hold a copy of your favourite magazine and keep it on your shelf to look back on and be inspired by.”- Fiona Moores, Marks & Spencer.

 

The increased accessibility and convenience of technology has led to an impatient, disposable culture. This is especially apparent in Gen Y, which is why the content of this campaign is aimed at the hasty lifestyles of the millennial generation. The question is posed with the metaphysical intention of encouraging the reader to evaluate their lifestyle and consider the people, activities and possessions they make time for or would like to make time for in their lives.

 

A balance needs to be drawn between tradition and convenience to ensure we are able to move forward without disregard for British heritage and craftsmanship. This campaign hopes to inspire consumers of fashion to treat the industry as part of their holistic self and make time for purchases that not only reflect their personal identity but also the unique identity of the British fashion industry."