A Presidential Change❣️
The possibilities and its potential impact on the fashion industry! 🗞️
Lwany from Petite Fashion Weekly™
December 11, 2024 • Estimated Reading Time: 7 minutes
Hi Shortie,
How’ve you been? The last few weeks have been a whirlwind with less-than-ideal circumstances.
Remember the market where I sold my clothing archive? Well, it was a total bust—I only managed to raise a couple hundred dollars for Penny, the rescue pup in need. The sting of failure hit harder because I went completely overboard prepping, staying up until 4 a.m. the night before. The burnout that followed was brutal and ultimately led to an unplanned hiatus.
The days since have been a blur of recovery, errands (returns, selling leftover inventory to preloved stores, etc.), jury duty, and battling one of the worst colds I’ve ever had. The phrase "death by a thousand cuts" has never felt more accurate, lol.
I’ll be honest—part of me dreaded writing this newsletter. Failing isn’t fun, and admitting I made a bad business decision is downright embarrassing. On top of that, I missed the brand directory launch date—a project I inexplicably stopped working on weeks before the market. Delaying accountability is an odd form of self-sabotage, but that’s exactly what I did.
The truth is, I took on more than I could handle. I got excited and said yes to an opportunity without considering what I’d have to sacrifice. A wise friend recently reminded me that saying yes to one thing often means saying no to something else. In my case, I sacrificed sharing content and highlighting the best of petite fashion at a time when it could’ve been so helpful—Black Friday sales! For that, I’m sorry. If there’s any silver lining, it’s that lessons learned from failures are rarely forgotten.
Now that I’ve dusted myself off, I’m determined to finish the year strong! This week, I’m editing a couple of videos, so keep an eye out for new content on Monday.
In this issue, I’m diving into my research on how the incoming administration could impact what brought us together—fashion! It’s been a long time in the making, and I hope you find it insightful.
Sincerely short,
Lwany
P.S. Thank you for your understanding and patience❣️
Fashion is not just about trends. It’s about political history. You can trace it from the ancient Romans to probably until the 80s and you can see defining moements that were due either to revolutions or chances in politics.
THE INFLUENCE OF POLITICS ON FASHION
A Presidential Change
Admittedly, the election didn’t go my way. My choice was clear, as Vice President Harris’ proposed policies aligned more closely with my priorities. Plus, I was thrilled about the possibility of seeing the first presidential petite fashion!
While there aren’t many specifics yet about the incoming administration’s policies, I wanted to explore how Trump’s potential initiatives might impact the fashion industry. Let’s dive in.
1. Possible Increased Tariffs
During his campaign, Trump proposed aggressive tariffs on all imports to the U.S., including a recent social media post outlining a 25% duty on imports from Canada and Mexico and an additional 10% on Chinese goods. It’s unclear whether this signals early action or just a negotiation tactic.
IMPACT – AMERICAN-MADE FASHION REVIVAL
Higher tariffs on imported fashion and textiles might make U.S.-made brands like New Balance and L.L. Bean more competitive, especially in basics like tees, denim, and footwear. However, this optimism is tempered by concerns that increased costs for imported materials could impact domestic production.
Since 98% of U.S. apparel is manufactured overseas, some experts doubt tariffs would boost domestic manufacturing. This is due to the lack of resources, skills, and infrastructure lost since the 1970s. If enacted, the proposed Americas Act could help address these challenges (more on that later).
Mexico and Canada, the largest export markets for U.S. apparel, might retaliate with their own tariffs, potentially hindering access to these key markets.
IMPACT – CLOSE LOOPHOLES FOR ULTRA-FAST-FASHION IMPORTERS
The 2016 increase of the “de minimis” threshold (allowing imports under $800 to bypass tariffs) unintentionally fueled the ultra-fast fashion boom. Critics hope Trump’s stance on Chinese imports might lead to the revision or elimination of this rule.
IMPACT – PRICIER APPAREL
A 10% tariff increase on Chinese goods could further hike apparel prices in the U.S. Previous tariffs on Chinese imports, maintained by the current administration, already made items like socks and sneakers costlier.
While some brands have moved production to countries like India, Portugal, and Vietnam, experts say China’s unparalleled capacity and expertise make certain manufacturing irreplaceable.
2. Mass Deportations
One of Trump’s top campaign promises was to conduct mass deportations at whatever cost.
IMPACT – MANUFACTURING WOES
Without a reliable figure on America’s undocumented or falsely documented workforce in apparel factories, the exact impact of Trump’s mass deportation is impossible to know, but disruption would be a given.
3. Possible Lower Taxes
Trump has signaled plans to lower taxes for corporations and the wealthy, though it’s uncertain if similar cuts would extend to the middle class.
IMPACT – UPTURN FOR LUXURY FASHION
The luxury sector, already reeling from slower growth and low consumer confidence, could see a boost. Lower taxes on high earners would likely increase optimism and restore purchasing power for luxury goods.
IMPACT – SAVINGS FOR RETAILERS
Trump is expected to extend his 2017 tax cuts (set to expire next year) and lower the corporate tax rate, offering financial relief to retailers.
4. Possible Crackdown on Dupes
Trump’s criticisms of big tech platforms and his 2020 Phase One trade deal with China suggest he might target counterfeit goods sold through third-party sites like Amazon, TikTok Shop, and eBay.
IMPACT – FIGHT AGAINST COUNTERFEIT GOODS
Industry leaders hope the new administration will prioritize reducing the flood of dupes on major e-commerce platforms and strengthening protections for authentic brands.
5. Possible Enactment of the Americas Act
With Trump’s “pro-America” stance, there’s cautious optimism that his administration might pass the Americas Act, a bipartisan proposal to strengthen trade within the Western Hemisphere through initiatives like:
Revising the de minimis rule
Incentivizing apparel recycling among trading partners
Allocating $14 billion for retrofitting infrastructure and machinery
Offering tax breaks for textile resales
These are just possibilities, and their potential impacts remain uncertain. The only certainty is that the fashion industry faces significant change. If there’s a silver lining, it’s the chance for a renewed focus on domestic manufacturing—a spark that could ignite lasting transformation.
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