Postmodern consumerism and sustainability shift in fashion trends: A shift in the secondhand fashion culture in urban youth community
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.61511/linkage.v2i2.2025.2336Keywords:
consumerism, fashion, identity, sustainability, thrifting, wasteAbstract
Background: Fashion have given an overall view of how humans express themselves through styles and trends in various eras throughout history. In this contemporary era, thrifting has become one of the trends present in the community and discourse of young people as an alternative for a sustainable way of consuming of fashion. On the surface, the second-hand sales in the fashion industry is shifting as it forms a new paradigm for the definition of consumerism in the contemporary era. Methods: To understand the problem, this paper used qualitative methods through in-depth interviews and conceptual research. The informants for this study were limited to 19 to 21 year olds with different professions to determine consumption patterns and awareness of the fashion industry and sustainability. Findings: The findings indicate that style and identity have shifted the purpose of thrifting, transforming second-hand clothing into a fashion trend and a form of ethical consumption. Economic considerations, particularly price and affordability, remain dominant, while the sustainability value of second-hand clothing receives less attention. Conclusion: In conclusion, although thrifting promotes environmental awareness and reduces reliance on fast fashion, its sustainability impact remains limited due to the persistence of overconsumption, overproduction, and symbolic rather than substantive sustainable practices. Novelty/Originality of this article: This article offers a novel reinterpretation of thrifting culture through Jean Baudrillard’s theory of consumerism, revealing how digital-era fashion consumption transforms sustainability discourse into a symbolic performance of perpetual consumerism within contemporary cultural communication.
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