At the turn of the year, the gold dress is with temporary owner number four, and there is already a queue of people who want to use the garment at future events. And it seems that the phenomenon is spreading – in the same group where the gold dress is circulating, Anna Stattin posted a silver dress that she wanted to give to someone for the New Year.
– In this day and age, perhaps not everyone can afford to buy something new, and I have no need to earn anything from the dress. If I can give it away, I will be more than happy to do so, she says.
A phenomenon that works for certain clothes
– I think we will see more of this phenomenon but with more unique garments that are for a special occasion. We still want to create ties to things we own and especially clothes because they are close to the body and express our identity, says Hanna Wittrock who is an anthropologist and lecturer in fashion management at the University of Textiles in Borås.
In his research on sustainable fashion consumption, Wittstock has concluded that there are mainly two reasons why people choose to sell, buy or donate in various internet groups.
– Selling and donating within groups is partly rational. You can get rid of things you don’t need, but it can also be addictive, and contribute to more consumption. You also see that it creates social bonds and relationships, which can be both more superficial or deeper, she says.
The history of the golden dress is being written down
In the case of the gold dress, it helps create both relationships within the Facebook group, but also history. After the dress began to travel, the first owner, Kristín Grímsdóttir, sent a book where the women who wore the garment could write down their stories about it.
See the walking party dresses in the clip above.
Who celebrates New Years best? See and decide for yourself