I have to be honest, I've shopped at those places before.
Where pretty floral blouses are just $15 a piece and a pair of shoes costs $35.
Where if you hesitate and don't buy something, and you go back the following week, you're greeted with all new arrivals.
Where the company is expected to deliver a new collection weekly, 52x a year.
They're sure enticing, because most of us are attracted to new things.
It doesn't stop at physical stores in the malls. Browsing through Amazon, it's not hard to find a pair of pants for $25 and a work-appropriate top for $10~20.
So, where does Candy & Bagel stand? How can handmade fashion survive? How will small label designers survive?
I think there is a place. There is a reason for this boom and growth of handmade businesses. The more advanced we become technologically, the more people crave the human connection. That's why this quote really resonated with me. Everything I make, I think about the fabric, the yarn, the environment, the source, how it feels between my fingers, and how it moves through my needles and sewing machines. I think about the person who will be wearing them, I think about the weather, the style, the body type, and everything. I create, not just beautiful things, but to make PEOPLE feel beautiful and cared for, when they wear my creations.
That's the ammo I have against those big chain stores that can manufacture sweaters at $17.50 a piece. They might make people look pretty in pictures, but will they make you feel loved and cared for? We wear clothes everyday; shouldn't they make us feel good?