Indie Fashion

Step Aside Tribeca

While the Cannes Film Festival just happened, and we have become used to independent films capturing our hearts, independence is not restricted to film. Independent fashion, also known as "indie fashion" has broken onto the fashion scene. So, what exactly is this, and does it involve Diablo Cody or Ellen Page getting pregnant?

Defining Indie Fashion

Indie Fashion is essentially fashion done by small or unknown labels. This would be something found in a little boutique in New York City or Calabasas, rather than Bloomingdale's or Macy's. Examples include Cheap Monday and Hellz Bellz. These little labels are much like their film counterparts. They are done on a small budget, by a relative unknown, and capture a niche audience.

A Tricky Trend

Indie fashion is a growing trend in large part thanks to celebrities like Ashley Tisdale and her colleague and friend, Vanessa Hudgens. When celebrities, especially young ones like these, wear these unknown labels, they grow overnight into the spotlight. This spotlight builds profit, and profit spells interest. This interest then sells a label to a company like Bloomingdale's. For example, Rebel Yell started off as a small coastal brand, but as soon as it was spotted on the shoulders of Audrina Patridge and Ashley Tisdale, this unknown went from reaching a niche to masses who wanted to look like their favorite celebrity. Now Rebel Yell is sold in most large department stores. While this spells fame for the label's name, it also spells trouble. Can labels like those mentioned above still be considered indie if their niche is gone?

That answer largely depends on how we, the consumers of these items, see it. We here at Chasing Pumas are still baffled by it ourselves to be honest. It seems that at some point these labels become trends, and then contradictions. After all, a trend is partially defined by its popularity, and independent labels are usually quite the opposite. In fact, the beauty of indie fashion is that it offers truly unique pieces that can't be found elsewhere for a relatively low price. Only time can tell. We just hope celebrities won't popularize every indie fashion label, and kill off this trend before it really has a chance to take hold.

Us Trendy

One of the best places to go to for indie fashion right now is a site called Us Trendy. They are an online store that hosts small unknown designers. From dresses with a retro feel, to truly vintage pieces, this site has a wide selection and a wide price range. Items range from ten bucks to a thousand, so it really fits any budget.

We have included a photo above of one of our favorite pieces from the site. It retails for only seventy-nine dollars and is by designer Lina Pliuraite. It and much more can be found at http://www.ustrendy.com/.