Telfar Clemens
A classist ideology exists within the fashion world that makes people believe they need to spend a certain amount of money to be fashionable. Fashion knows no limits though, and is showcased through designer, luxury, discount, and thrifted items. That’s why Telfar Clemens uses his brand–TELFAR–to bridge this gap, deeming his brand “affordable” luxury.
“Not for you – for everyone” is Telfar Clemens’ motto for his brand. TELFAR prides itself on providing inclusive and accessible clothing while putting its consumers first.
Starting His Brand
Telfar Clemens pioneered TELFAR in 2005, achieving his goal of creating an inclusive luxury brand. His iconic shopping bags, sold in three various sizes made of vegan leather priced from $150 to $257, entered the scene in 2018 but saw huge success in 2020 during the rise in support of Black businesses.
With these bags, Telfar created a new perspective on fashion. In an interview with The Cut, he described his brand as “genderless, democratic, and transformative.” Clemens is working to break the notion that luxurious items are only for those of a certain class.
He continues to push forward this idea by having bag security programs that allow his customers to pre-order any bag on the site. Since they sell out in minutes on the designated bag-drop days, this allows people the chance to secure a bag. He calls this the “white glove treatment.”
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TELFAR Takes Over Rainbow
On Sunday, September 11th, at a Rainbow store in downtown Brooklyn, TELFAR demonstrated how dedicated the brand is to revolutionizing high fashion. Taking over the Rainbow store and holding its first pop-up shop, this event allowed anyone to line up to get the opportunity to buy the bag of their choice with a limit of five to ensure everyone had a chance.
Although more accessible than other brands, TELFAR is still a luxury, so partnering with a retail store like Rainbow is a game changer. And although it participates in fast fashion, perhaps more partnerships with eco-conscious brands like TELFAR can influence brands like Rainbow to transform.
Not only does this event show that luxury brands can be inclusive while maintaining momentum, but it also shows that fashion does not have to be accessible to a select few.
Shaking Up the Luxury Fashion Industry
According to Business Insider, “Young consumers look less at price tags and more at brand values when determining where to spend their money; these next-gen consumers want sustainability, inclusivity, and a sense of community.” TELFAR offers just this. Especially by holding such an event at a store that the local community shops at.
In addition, Insider states that in 2020, Joseph Yakuel, the CEO and founder of consulting firm Within, told them that luxury brands are nervous and don’t want to risk tarnishing their brand reputation because luxury is about perception, and if the perception goes down so does the market.
However, Clemens and his artistic director Babak Radboy aren’t worried about oversaturation; they’re more focused on creating community. So far, this strategy has proved successful through the bag security program and the pop-up shop. Telfar is and will continue to be the it-bag and break barriers.
