Looks from Ingrid Starnes’ Collection 01. Images supplied.
This year has certainly been one of great change but also innovation, and while they may have closed the doors of their retail stores a few months ago, beloved label Ingrid Starnes has launched a new business model this week and a new collection. It’s also an attempt to offer a smart alternative to overproduction which is a real problem in the fashion industry, while also offering more accessible prices for locally made clothing.
Essentially, Ingrid Starnes wants to make fewer clothes and sell them for less which is an interesting concept in our current market but makes a lot of sense. By launching an online-only pre-purchase model the brand will only be making the clothes people want and have paid for, meaning Ingrid Starnes can cut down on waste and lower the price of the garments by 30%, which is a pretty great saving for beautifully made clothes that are designed to last.
“We believe too much is being made and too little being valued, so we are trying to make only the pieces people want, and by doing so we can help bring down the cost of locally made fashion,” says designer Ingrid Starnes.
The brand has always championed slow fashion and conscious production from their inception in 2010, so this latest move is in line with their ethos and an excellent way to make the best of the challenging situation they found themselves in a few months ago thanks to the impact of Covid-19. Ingrid Starnes have described this new model as an experiment which offers a sensible alternative to the traditional retail model, meaning they won’t be creating stock based on speculation which makes for high production numbers and too high full retail prices, not to mention too cheap sale prices. The fashion industry has long been in crisis over the old retail model which is too high waste and not really good for anyone, so it will be interesting to see how this alternative works out for Ingrid Starnes.
Instead of offering big collections, they have culled their latest range named Collection 01 down to 15 pieces, whereas previously they would have done 50, which is standard for many fashion brands. Ingrid Starnes will only be putting into production the styles that receive enough pre-purchases to meet their minimum number to be cost effective for small scale local production. The brand have carefully calculated which that number is and it varies for different styles, for some intricate pieces, this might be as few as five whereas for some pieces where cutting and making more units would mean a lower price for the customer, this might be 20.
Looks from Ingrid Starnes’ Collection 01.
When they released their Autumn/Winter 2020 collection earlier in the year, Ingrid Starnes committed to not making more than 100 of any style and that will stay true for their new collection too. Each piece will also be hand numbered as their way of shining a light on the small-scale and artist edition qualities of their garments.
Another advantage of making only 10-15 styles a collection, and doing fewer collections, is that Ingrid Starnes can can slow down and do things at their own pace. It also means they can take time to share the stories of the artists and makers they work with, the decisions behind the clothes, and why they love them so much they want to make and wear and enjoy them. After all clothing that is made with heart and care is meant to be loved and enjoyed
“This is an experiment in a new form of business model that is more sustainable in all senses. It is a big change to people’s habits as it relies on people pre-purchasing or depositing and then it’s 3-6 weeks to delivery. But if we can make this change together we really hope we can do something about unsustainable production and cost.”
Ingrid Starnes’ Collection 01 is available online now for pre-purchase, with pre-purchase ending in 2-3 weeks, depending on production holiday shutdown dates. Customers are able to contact Ingrid Starnes to arrange a payment plan and deposit if pre-purchase now is not convenient. Delivery will take 3-6 weeks from the deadline dates and all pieces are refundable, less shipping.
If you’re in Auckland and want to see the new collection in person and try it on, Ingrid Starnes are holding a pop-up above Orphans Kitchen on Ponsonby Road on Wednesday 9th December from 8.30am – 6pm.
Images supplied.