What Does Ready-to-Wear or Pret-a-Porter Mean in Fashion?
What is Ready to Wear?
Ready-to-Wear (from the French Pret-a-Porter) describes machine-made clothing finished in standard sizes and made available to purchase by the general public without needing custom tailoring.
Ready-to-wear clothing, footwear, and accessories are affordable, easy to purchase, functional, and intended for the mass market.
While made in factories by machines, some Ready-to-Wear creations have a level of sophistication and attention to detail that rivals custom-made and bespoke fashion creations.
What is the History of Pret-a-Porter Fashion?
Ready-to-wear fashion manufacturing emerged during the 19th century with the advent of the Industrial Revolution.
During that time, fashion factories with sewing machines and mass production methods became the norm, taking over local artisans and handcrafted apparel.
The ‘machine-made’ approach democratized the fashion industry, making clothing, footwear, and accessories accessible to consumers worldwide at meager costs. [5]
The Miniskirt Phenomenon
Fueled by youth culture rebelling against social norms, the 1960s miniskirt fashion revolution started by designers like Mary Quant and André Courrèges accelerated the adoption of ready-to-wear clothing. [6]
Democratization of Luxury
After the global expansion of the luxury goods market in the 80s, in a process called “democratizing the concept of luxury,” high-end designers and luxury houses started to create diffusion lines to reach a wider audience.
The diffusion lines are ready-to-wear copies of the brand’s luxurious collections and from cheaper materials. [7]
Fast Fashion
In the late 90s, fast fashion was developed in the US from the ready-to-wear concept.
Based on a ready-to-wear manufacturing model called “quick response,” the “fast fashion” model was developed in the US in the late 1990s and the first part of the 21st century.
To date, fast fashion remains one of the most successful and profitable production-consumption models in the fashion industry. [8]
What Are the Best Examples of Ready-to-Wear in Fashion?
Example 1: The Trench Coat
Burberry’s trench coat is a classic example of an early timeless creation that, under technological advancements and global demand, has become a machine-made ready-to-wear piece. [1]
Example 2: The Little Black Dress
Chanel’s “Little Black Dress” is another quintessential garment that has reached global demand as a ready-to-wear creation. [2]
Example 3: Denim Jeans
Levi’s denim jeans are another excellent example of a functional garment that has evolved to ready-to-wear status under global market demand as a modern and stylish dressing option. [3]
Who Designs Ready-to-Wear?
Designers in the ready-to-wear sector range from well-known fashion houses like Chanel and Dolce & Gabbana to mainstream retail brands like Zara and H&M.
Some designers, like Ralph Lauren, straddle both high-end and affordable ready-to-wear markets. [4]
What Are the Main Characteristics of Ready-to-Wear in Fashion?
1. Versatile and Affordable – Fashion for All
Ready-to-wear clothes, footwear, and accessories cater to various consumer bodies with unique tastes and lifestyles.
Whether work attire, sportswear, or casual clothing, ready-to-wear fashion is inclusive, diverse, and affordable for everyone. [9]
2. Profitable
Compared to custom-made fashion – a costly approach to fashion creation – ready-to-wear is a revenue-generating machine.
The global ready-to-wear market was valued at approximately $1.3 trillion in 2020 and continues to grow steadily. [10]
3. Fast Manufacturing
The ready-to-wear model of manufacturing affordable and trendy clothes, footwear, and accessories at breakneck speeds has been adopted and perfected by fashion giants like Zara and H&M.
However, the ready-to-wear system is also at the core of the fast-fashion manufacturing approach and growing concerns about sustainability and ethical practices. [11]
4. Standard Sizing – One Size Fits Most
Unlike bespoke garments tailored to client’s needs, specifications, and body types, ready-to-wear clothes are created in industry-standard sizes.
The standardization ensures fashion clothes, footwear, and accessories fit larger buyers’ segments, thus lowering returns. [12]
What Are the Differences Between Ready-to-Wear and Haute Couture?
There are five main differences between Ready-to-Wear (Pret-a-Porter) and Haute Couture, as explained below:
1. Production Method
Ready-to-wear is produced en-mass by machines, while haute couture is handcrafted by expert artisans.
2. Price Point
Haute couture is exceptionally expensive, ready-to-wear has a broad price range at a much lower price point.
3. Exclusivity
Haute couture creations are highly exclusive, while ready-to-wear is accessible to the general public.
4. Customization
Haute couture offers customization, whereas ready-to-wear is standardized.
5. Timeframe
Haute couture requires months for a single piece of clothing, while ready-to-wear clothes are available immediately.
Who Does Wear Ready-to-Wear?
From professionals donning tailored suits to teenagers embracing streetwear, the ready-to-wear market caters to everyone, irrespective of age, gender, or economic status.
However, while ready-to-wear encompasses all fashion styles for all demographics, genuine luxury fashion buyers avoid ready-to-wear products and associated brands. [13]
What Are the Biggest Ready-to-Wear Companies
1. Inditex
Inditex is the parent company of fast-fashion giant Zara and the largest ready-to-wear manufacturer in the fashion industry.
2. LVMH
Louis Vuitton Moët Hennessy owns several ready-to-wear brands.
3. Fast Retailing
FR is the corporate umbrella under which Uniqlo operates.
4. H&M Group
Hennes & Mauritz AB is a ready-to-wear giant that owns fast-fashion brands like H&M, COS, and Monki.
5. Gap Inc.
Gap Inc. encompasses the Gap clothing brand, Old Navy, and Banana Republic.
The Final Verdict
The historical roots of ready-to-wear and its evolution represent the fashion industry’s response to changing times and shifting paradigms.
At the confluence of art and commerce, modern ready-to-wear fashion influences stylistic attitudes and creates cultural and societal shifts.
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Bibliography
[1] McDowell, C., (2010). Christopher Bailey: Burberry’s golden boy. The Times.
[2] Picardie, J., (2011). Chanel: her life. Göttingen: Steidl, p. 128.
[3] Sullivan, J., (2007). Jeans: A cultural history of an American icon. New York: Gotham Books, p. 67.
[4] Gross, M., (2018). Genuine authentic: The real life of Ralph Lauren. New York: William Morrow, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers, p. 81.
[5] Entwistle, J., (2023). The fashioned body: Fashion, dress and modern social theory. Cambridge: Polity, p. 46.
[6] Marwick, A., (1998). The Sixties: Cultural Revolution in Britain, France, Italy and the United States. Oxford: Oxford University Press, p. 59.
[7] Thomas, (2007). Deluxe: How Luxury Lost Its Luster, p. 141.
[8] Bhardwaj, V., and Fairhurst, A. (2010). Fast fashion: response to changes in the fashion industry. The international review of retail, distribution and consumer research, 20(1), 165-173.
[9] Welters, L. and Lillethun, A., (2022). The fashion reader. London: Bloomsbury Visual Arts, p. 220.
[10] Statista (2021). Global Apparel Market Report.
[11] Cline, (2013). Overdressed: The shockingly high cost of cheap fashion. New York: Penguin Putnam, p. 68.
[12] Ashdown, S.P., (2007). Sizing in clothing: Developing effective sizing systems for ready-to-wear clothing. Cambridge, England: Published by Woodhead Pub. Ltd. in association with the Textile Institute, p. 32.
[13] Crane, D., (2009). Fashion and its social agendas class, gender and identity in clothing. Johanneshov: TPB, p. 94.
source https://thevou.com/fashion/ready-to-wear/
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