There was a time when the color you liked had little to do with what you purchased. Fashion decisions were largely based on what was trending at any given moment. Major brands and fashion editors told us what to buy, and that’s usually what we bought. Cue the epic “cerulean blue” monologue from The Devil Wears Prada where fashion editor Miranda Priestly tells an underling that she, Miranda, decides what color people wear, they just don’t know it.

In 2023, that is not the way we make decisions about color — or anything else. The tables have turned. Today, we are a consumer-led rather than business-led society. Many would say this has come about just in time. Consumers now have the power through their purchases to vote for brands that “do better.”

“Doing better” is on our minds a lot lately as our globe is showing us how strained it has become due to climate change. Increasingly this is shaping how products are designed and how they look. From fiber contents to trim components, many consumers keep a detailed score card on how much of the garment has been made of recycled content, reclaimed fibers, whether it’s carbon neutral … etc.

“Is this sustainable?” is a question that admittedly could use better defining, but the bottom line is, sustainability and buying sustainable products matters more to most consumers than what any runway designer or fashion editor has to say. Times have changed.