Growing up surrounded by the Los Angeles fashion scene, Niko Freedman was exposed to the challenges and opportunities of the modern clothing industry long before he started making clothes. Now, as a student at the University of Oregon, he creates unique pieces on a small scale, designing clothing for himself and friends.
Freedman was raised by a single mother who worked in the creative industry for a media production company, and he was brought along to showrooms and factories while she worked. “I would get dragged after school to my mom’s work to these huge warehouses where they’re making clothes,” Freedman said.
Exposed to such a potent fashion environment from a young age, Freedman became well acquainted with the difficulties of the industry. “The social aspect is big,” Freedman said. “There’s a lot of nepotism in fashion, especially in LA.”
He said the incessant demand for credibility influences brand decisions on who to collaborate with. Some brands solely hire from established institutions like the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York, which reinforces a high barrier of entry into the industry.
While the internet is making fashion increasingly accessible, Freedman said high price points preserve elitism in fashion. “When you’re paying that much money for high-end pieces, you are paying for the brand and for the social hierarchy,” he said.
Freedman, who primarily learned how to sew from YouTube, recognizes both the positive and negative aspects of online accessibility. “You can do it because everyone else is doing it, but at the same time, it’s scary because everyone else is doing it so well,” he said. “And you have to do it better than them to be successful.”
The abundance of fashion content on the internet can reinforce one’s style by creating a sense of community, but the competition that results from the same abundance can also be alienating.
An excessive amount of fashion content online drives the rapid cycle of trends, which fast fashion companies exploit at the cost of sustainable and ethical practices, which are concerns that guide Freedman’s work.
“There’s a lot of child labor, and I don’t think I could sleep at night if I were making money off of other people’s misery,” he said.
Since both ends of the spectrum present separate issues — fast fashion’s exploitation of labor and the environment and its elitism and pretentiousness — Freedman envisions a middle ground. He describes his work as “slow fashion,” emphasizing details that resonate on a personal level and prioritizing genuineness over uniqueness.
“It’s really hard to be unique in today’s age,” Freedman said. “Especially with social media — how can you be different?” He said personal style comes from prioritizing the feeling of wearing clothes rather than their appearance. “Whichever clothes you feel like yourself in — that should be your style.”
The incorporation of Chicano influences in LA street style introduced Freedman to how clothes can offer a way to explore cultural identity. “I think Chicano street fashion is so cool because it’s people staying true to themselves and their roots,” he said.
Born to an American mother and Thai father, Freedman references his own cultural background in his work, drawing inspiration from Thai style. “I felt alienated from my dad’s side, and felt more connected through the clothes I wear,” he said.
For example, Freedman described the experience of creating and wearing a skirt inspired by traditional Thai fisherman pants. “Drawing from Thai styles made me feel really comfortable with my own personal style,” he said. “It’s not American, it’s not Thai, it’s me. It’s who I am.”
Since Freedman’s creations are not for sale yet, his work is primarily addressed to himself and his friends. Despite the challenges of the post-internet fashion environment, his small-scale, highly personalized approach explores a middle ground between extremes in the industry. Freedman’s “slow fashion” is driven by dedication to craft and self-reflection.
