Primark vs. Everything

The other day I had this conversation with a group of friends - do we buy from Primark (note: Primark is an Irish chain clothing retailer, with nearly 200 stores in the UK and a few around Europe. It operates at the budget end of the market, which in this case means top for a quid and a pair of jeans for 6 pounds. The other major point is that all the trends that can be seen in the rest of the high-street retailers are there as well, i.e. Primark wants to be "fashionable". Besides the clothes, you can find "Home" stuff there as well, i.e. bed linen, duvets etc.), do we like Primark, do we think that quality of the clothes is the same as that of the rest of the retailers, and so on, and so on. Although, last, but not least - "Are we ashamed to say that we buy from Primark and is that a reason not to go there?" - a question that was not directly posed, but you could definately "feel it in the atmosphere" and again, feel (not hear, becuase not many people will dare to admit it) what the person facing you is actually doing.

Let's start from the cliche - "I don't buy from Primark, because the people, actually making the clothes are 5-years-old kids from China". Ok. Seriously, is that the reason why you're not buying from Primark, but you are buying from River Island, Dorothy Perkins, Topshop, Zara and so on? Because if that's the reason, all those people saying that they don't like Primark, but still love the rest of the high-street retailers will be completely wrong. And they know it. The bigger the production is, the cheaper the labour must be - as simple as it could be. The bigger companies might be able to invest in machines (though it's easier to say it, but harder to imply it) and be ECOLOGical, while the small companies can be ETHICal, i.e. not using third world labour (the 5-years-old kids mentioned above), but they won't have the resources to be ecological, because will be close to nothing compared to that of the massive production retailers. And here is a pretty self-explanatory table...

If you want to be ecological and ethical, please buy clothes from small boutiques or...couture. At least we are sure that the couture is not being made by kids living in third world countries or pregnant eastern European women, working for 16 hours in a factory, just because it's impossible. Chanel for example is being made by old Parisian women, with at least 30 years experience. Ah, yes and the interns, who are helping around. Not paid of course. (I am intern at the moment and I am not getting paid as well, but I am not complaining, because we all have to start from somewhere.

So that's about the ethical side of the things. On other hand, some people say that they don't buy from Primark, because the quality of the clothes is different. Ok, all cotton shirts are made from the same type of cotton, which costs the same amount of money. Shht! Someone coming from a design background might confront me, by saying that the Primark shirts are being made that way, so that after 1-2 washings they'll just start falling apart. Ok, from personal experience I can say that this is wrong. I am not blind and I must admit that even the different clothes in Primark, have got different quality. Some will start falling apart, others won't; some will start losing the color intensity, other's won't - just open your eyes and pick up the right thing. 

Argument "numero" 3 - "the pattern and the cutting is really shitty". Ok, that's true in most of the cases. I don't have jeans/trousers from Primark because of that. I just look much fatter, becuase most of the times their cut is just horrible. I'm normally wearing size 8 and don't think that the problem is with me. Even if you're size 6, there is chance that you just won't look good wearing their jeans. Most of the times we can apply the same rule to the coats and dresses. I've got only one dress from Primark and the cut is just perfect, or maybe perfect for my body. However, it's an exception. But I'm really happy, because no one can believe that I got it from Primark. On SALE. For ... 5 pounds.


Another reason that makes most of the people in the fashion industry or those that just love/can afford spending TONS of money on designer clothes hate Primark - Primark just loves stealing designs and copying clothes/shoes/accessories bit by bit. Example:

Of course, the quality is different. I'm not trying to say that. What I'm trying to emphasize on is a only one word - "marketing". Most of the people (yes, MOST of the population) can't even think of buying Gucci shoes. At the moment I can't because I'm a student and an unpaid intern, but I rally hope that in a few years time (at some point), I'm gonna be able to buy Gucci (I don't like Gucci, but something from that range, like my favorite Chloe or Lancel) shoes with my own earnings. However, that's not the aim of the most of the people living around the world. And Primark knows it. That's why it brings the absolute copy to the mass public. Some people will say - yes, but it's not the model, we are buyin THE brand, thus they shouldn't copy it, because the mass public doesn't know anything about expensive brands. Wrong. First of all, everyone had heard of (ok, almost everyone) Gucci, Versace, D&G, etc. Second - as soon as Primark announces (media coverage is what I mean) that they're selling something similar to what Ann Demeulemeester (using her as an example, just because is not that common name among the mass public), who is an amazing designer, is selling, they'll automatically buy it. And they'll know who Ann Demeulemeester is. This will just bring many people the confidence that they're wearing something really FashionWeek-able. I don't think that this is something bad, because that's how things are sold - again the name sells. Maybe "sex sells" as well, as another really famous brand emphasized recently, but that's another story.

Last, but not least - "I can't buy from Primark, because it's below my level." Below which level? Definately not intellectual level, because the working people in the developed countries know how to "mix and match". A smart person can wear plain white Primark shirt and branded coat/suit/trousers etc. A smart high-street shopper can wear Primark accessorizes and many people will start asking - "Ah is that from Topshop?". No, it's 1.50 and it's from Primark, it's not 20 pounds. So, please don't get me wrong - I'm not trying to defend the chain - yes, they're not ethical and yes, they want to make money, but as far as I know, that's aim of most of us. Also, I am not trying to say that Primark are making clothes with high-quality -  I just want to emphasize that  there are many exceptions even there. Last point - buy Primark and if you're good enough, no one will notice that it's from Primark. They might even say "OMG where is that from?" - "Ah, I bought it from a small boutique in Florence 2 years ago" (blink).

"Only great minds can afford simple style." Stendhal