Entrepreneurship in the Fashion Industry

In this chapter, we explore entrepreneurship in the slow fashion industry at a time of significant restructuring in the global fashion industry. Drawing on a case study of selfemployed designers in the slow fashion industry in Geneva (Switzerland), Rotterdam (The Netherlands) and Toronto (Canada), we argue that small, slow fashion businesses, through their innovative design, branding and retail practices, have carved out a unique niche in the hyper competitive fashion marketplace. In particular, we demonstrate that they have a very innovative approach to sustainability, characterized by an interest toward the use of salvage materials, the revalorization of craftsmanship, as well as a tendency for handmade productions. Driven by personal beliefs and values, these designers seem to wish to reconcile personal fulfillment with professional achievement as they seek to compete with the paradigm of fast fashion that continues to dominate the fashion industry. This paper contributes to our understanding of the entrepreneurial practices of emerging designers, in particular in the slow fashion industry. It also contributes to the emerging studies in fashion and design-oriented industries that consider the value craftsmanship and the wish to “stay local”, predicting a rise or return of the makers and small-scale manufacturing in contemporary cities.