What is Ready To Wear in Fashion: A Comprehensive Guide

Fashion is a dynamic and ever-changing industry, constantly innovating and adapting to new trends and consumer needs. One of the most significant segments within this industry is Ready-To-Wear (RTW), a term that revolutionized the fashion industry with accessible, stylish, and convenient clothing. RTW clothing is produced in standard sizes, allowing consumers to purchase and wear them immediately. This fashion industry segment offers a perfect blend of style, convenience, and affordability, making fashion accessible to a broader audience.

This article will explore what RTW is, its type, features and advantages so that you can get valuable insights into this essential aspect of the fashion world.

What is Ready-To-Wear

Ready-to-wear (RTW), also known as prêt-à-porter, is a category of clothing that is pre-designed and manufactured in standard sizes and sold in finished condition. Unlike bespoke or made-to-measure (MTM) clothing, which are tailored to fit an individual’s measurements and preferences, RTW clothing is produced for a mass market. It is readily available for purchase and immediate wear.

History of RTW

RTW fashion emerged in the late 19^th and early 20^th centuries to meet the changing lifestyle and increasing demands for accessible and stylish clothing. Before this, garments were custom-made. Although this approach of tailored and bespoke clothing ensured a perfect fit for individual clients, it was time-consuming and expensive. The Industrial Revolution and advancements in textile manufacturing enabled mass production of clothing in standardized sizes, making stylish clothing available to a broader audience.

By the mid-20th century, RTW became a prominent fashion style that offered quality clothing at affordable prices. With the introduction of department stores, ready-to-wear fashion became more popular. Fashion houses like Brooks Brothers in America, Galeries Lafayette in Paris, and Selfridges in London started producing mass clothing to meet the growing demands of accessible and fashionable clothing.

Features of Ready-To-Wear

· Standard Sizing

Ready-to-Wear (RTW) clothing is mass-produced in standard sizes to meet the needs of a wider audience. Customers can just enter the shop and find and purchase the garment that fits well. There is no need for custom measurements. This standardization has made shopping convenient for customers.

· Affordability

One of the standout features of Ready-To-Wear (RTW) fashion is its affordability. Unlike haute couture, which is often prohibitively expensive due to its bespoke nature and high craftsmanship costs, RTW clothing is produced in larger quantities using standardized sizes, which significantly reduces the cost per unit.

RTW has made fashion accessible and affordable for customers from all classes who may not have the means to invest in bespoke clothing.

· Seasonal Collections

Fashion houses release their collection each session, reflecting trends and styles specific to each season. Designers showcase their RTW lines during fashion weeks, presenting new styles in upcoming seasons. Unlike haute couture, which may require extensive lead times, new styles from RTW seasonal collections become available in stores shortly after their debut on the runway, making them more accessible to the public.

Brands like Kutesmart launch new products every season according to the market. The expert R&D team develops products according to customer needs to meet the needs of different types of customers.

· Accessibility

One of the most significant advantages of RTW is its accessibility. Unlike haute couture, which caters to only a few customers and has a high price tag, RTW offers designer quality at more accessible prices.

With the introduction of RTW, fashion has become democratized, allowing a broader audience to enjoy stylish and contemporary clothing without the exclusivity and expense of custom-made garments.

· Fashion-forward

RTW collections frequently incorporate the latest trends and innovations in fashion. By showcasing contemporary styles and cutting-edge designs, RTW allows consumers to stay on top of fashion trends without waiting for custom-made pieces.

Types of Ready-to-Wear

1. High-End Ready-to-Wear

High-end ready-to-wear, often referred to as Designer RTW, represents a category of fashion that combines the exclusivity and sophistication of designer clothing with the practicality and accessibility of ready-to-wear. Unlike haute culture, which is tailored fit and expensive, high-end RTW is available in standard sizes, but the fabrics and materials used are premium and have unbeatable craftsmanship.

They have a higher price point and are often limited in quality. Although these garments are exclusive and rare, like haute couture, they are still considered special as they are released in smaller batches. Fashion houses like Chanel, Gucci, and Prada offer high-end RTW with top-notch quality and a premium price tag.

2. Contemporary Ready-to-Wear

Some brands also offer trendy, high-quality clothing that is accessible and attainable. This contemporary Ready-to-Wear bridges the gap between high-end and everyday wear. Brands like Michael Kors, Kate Spade, and Theory fall into this segment. The focus of brands is to offer stylish, high-quality clothing to customers seeking luxury aesthetics without the high price tag.

3. Fast Fashion Ready-to-Wear

Fashion is evolving at a fast pace; trends come and go in the blink of an eye. Fast fashion and high street brands produce clothes that move quickly from design to retail stores. Production is rapid, and turnover is fast to meet the latest trends. Most importantly, the prices are affordable for the broader audience.

Fast Fashion RTW is known for its budget-friendly pricing, frequent new arrivals, and wide availability in retail stores and online. However, it may prioritize speed over sustainability and quality, often resulting in lower-cost materials and shorter garment lifespans. Fast fashion retailers like Zara, H&M, and Forever 21 churn out trendy RTW pieces at lightning speed.

Ready-to-Wear vs. Haute Couture

Ready-to-wear and haute couture are two different approaches in the fashion world. Ready-to-wear clothing is mass-produced and designed for broad consumption. It is sold “off the rack” and is typically available in standard sizes. It's more affordable and widely accessible, often following current fashion trends.

In contrast, haute couture is a high-end luxury fashion with custom-made, unique pieces made for exclusive individual clients. The clothes are handcrafted with the finest materials, producing extremely high prices and exclusivity.  

Other differences include:

Design

RTW features standardized designs aimed at a broad audience, focusing on current trends and commercial viability. Whereas, Haute Couture showcases custom-made, unique designs that highlight creativity, artistic expression, and unique concepts.

Production

RTW clothes are mass-produced in large batches through automated processes in factories. The turnout is really quick to meet the latest trends and demands of the customers. Haute couture clothes are handcrafted with great attention to detail. The expert craftsmen and artisans put in their input, therefore, the final outcome takes time.

Price

RTW generally has an affordable to moderate price range. Hence, it is accessible to a wide range of consumers due to its affordability. On the other hand, Haute Couture has a bespoke custom-made approach, creating one-of-a-kind pieces, so the prices are extremely high.

Fit

Ready-to-Wear is available in standard sizes, offering a general fit that may not perfectly suit everyone. Sizes from XXS to XXL are generally available in the stores. Haute couture, on the other hand, is made to measure, and each piece of clothing is tailored to the client's exact measurements, ensuring a perfect, personalized fit.

Here is a detailed comparison of RTW and Haute Couture

Advantages and Challenges

Advantages of Ready-to-Wear (RTW)

RTW has made shopping a fun and convenient experience. It offers various advantages to the customers.

1. Affordability:

The price range of RTW clothes is low-to-moderate, which the general audience can afford, hence making fashion accessible to a wider audience. The products are manufactured in large batches, and the cost per unit is low, which allows the brand to offer competitive pricing.

2. Accessibility

RTW clothes are manufactured in a short turnaround time and quickly become available in stores. There are a variety of sizes, styles, and designs to meet the diverse needs of consumers.

3. Convenience:

The Ready-to-Wear clothes are readily available for purchase and immediate wear.  There is no wait for custom production. Moreover, the consumers can try the dress and return it if it doesn’t fit. The standard sizing in RTW allows for easy returns and exchanges because the dress is not made according to the fit of an exclusive client.

4. Fast Fashion

RTW brands quickly respond to current fashion trends, providing up-to-date styles. Moreover, the regular release of new collections keeps the consumer base engaged and interested.

Challenges of Ready-to-Wear

As RTW has numerous advantages but it also has some challenges:

• Mass production can lead to inconsistencies in quality and fit.
• Standard materials may not match the high quality of bespoke or haute couture garments.
• The rapid turnover of trends encourages overconsumption and short product lifespans.
• RTW relies on standard sizes, which may not fit all body types perfectly, leading to discomfort.
• Consumers have limited options to personalize or tailor garments to their specific measurements.
• High production volumes can lead to significant waste and environmental degradation.
• The RTW market is highly competitive, making it challenging for new brands to establish themselves.

Conclusion

Ready-to-wear (RTW) clothing offers significant advantages such as affordability, accessibility, and convenience, making fashion widely available and up-to-date with current trends. Kutesmart stands out in the RTW market by bridging the gap between mass production and bespoke tailoring. They offer high-quality RTW clothes at affordable prices. Since Kutesmart is also an expert in MTM, it combines the efficiency of RTW with the precision of custom tailoring, offering a superior alternative that addresses many of the challenges associated with standard RTW clothing.