Minimalism
"Mass society is perhaps even more serious, not because of the masses themselves, but because this society is essentially a consumer society, where leisure time is no longer used to improve oneself or to acquire a better social position, but to consume more and more," said the philosopher and journalist Hannah Arendt in 1961.
Minimalism, originally, is a contemporary art movement born in the 1960s in the United States, based on neutrality and simplicity in opposition to pop art. Artists who followed this movement, such as painters Frank Stella or Ad Reinhardt and his famous "Black Square on White Background," thus subscribe to the doctrine of "Less is more" later defended by minimalist architect Mies Van der Rohe. It is precisely this famous idea of "Less is more" that is making a comeback today and attracting more and more followers every year.
Why minimalism today?
Minimalism thus corresponds to the desire to simplify one's life and be happier by focusing on the essentials and getting rid of the superfluous. However, this notion seems to go against the foundations of our current consumer society, which has its roots in the period of the 30 Glorious Years, when economic growth rhymed with abundance and rising living standards. Indeed, following the period of great restriction and precariousness that was the Second World War, during which rationing was king, the logical and immediate response was to overconsume, in order to fill the void and lack known previously and thus better reject them.
This overabundance and fear of missing out, satisfied by the purchase of ever more objects, is today called into question by the social and environmental concerns we face. Indeed, we must therefore question the relevance of such a lifestyle, sustainable neither for Man nor for the Earth, and thus ask ourselves if the possession of material objects really makes us happier, as promised by the advertisements we encounter every day.
Minimalism in fashion
"Consume less, consume better": this credo, which is at the origin of the creation of our company, allows us to ask ourselves the right questions in order to move, contrary to the current trend, towards reasoned and reasonable consumption. In the era of compulsive purchases of products that we do not always need and that we will use little or even not at all, minimalism allows us to focus on a simpler lifestyle, where quality takes precedence over quantity. Easier said than done in a world where we are constantly encouraged to consume more and more, the objective then becomes to possess a minimum of goods, but goods that are truly useful to us. This way of life can be applied to different areas such as decoration, but also to fashion. For Susie Faux, a clothing designer who brought this term into fashion in the 1970s, the idea is to buy little but to buy essential and timeless pieces, to wear and wear again according to the seasons. This timeless wardrobe, both in style and quality, thwarts trends that come and go and allows everyone to strive for a fashion full of meaning. The goal is to choose accessories with classic and refined cuts, designed from quality materials to last for many years. Ankle boots , handbags , or even belts , the important thing is to focus on versatile, durable pieces in colors that will perfectly match your wardrobe. The minimalist style, by advocating simplicity and quality textiles, allows you to adopt a sober, elegant and timeless look with the help of timeless basics.
Because more than 7,500 liters of water are needed to make a pair of jeans, which is the equivalent of the water a man drinks for seven years (United Nations, 2019), and most clothes today come from Bangladesh, where the hourly wage is 0.27 euros (the lowest in the world), it is high time to ask questions. By taking the time to choose and invest in pieces with the prospect that they will become essentials in our wardrobe, that we will enjoy finding again and again each season, we avoid feeding the vicious circle of fast fashion.
The idea is not to stop buying clothes, but to consume differently, with full awareness, by turning to eco-responsible alternatives, by considering the purchase as an investment, which we will take care of in order to wear it for years.
Beyond the obvious environmental benefits, reducing the amount of possessions we own also seems to be closely linked to personal well-being. This link between well-being and sorting is notably highlighted by Marie Kondo, a Japanese essayist made famous by her method called "Konmari" illustrated in the book The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up . By eliminating the superfluous, we get rid of what clutters us up so we can better focus on what truly brings us joy.
Joshua Fields Millburn, co-founder of the website Theminimalists.com, said in a TEDx talk that this experience allowed him to learn "that by simplifying my life, I had time to take care of my health, my friends, my money, my passions, that I could focus on myself in a way that made sense."
Therefore, it is important to understand that minimalism is not about "living with nothing" but "living better with less", by questioning one's consumption and favoring quality pieces, which one hopes to keep as long as possible.
