3.
But despite this generally positive impetus, the problems for "Makedonka" started within the 1970s. The factory increasingly depended on imports of cotton, since its production in Macedonia dropped significantly. In 1970, the idea of joining forces with other textile and clothing factories was realized, so "Makedonka" became a part of the "Inteks" conglomerate.
But it was not only "Makedonka" which faced serious problems. After 1985 the problems started in the whole Macedonian textile industry.
At the beginning of 1990, a sharp decline in this industry began. The decline was low in the manufacture of apparel but more significant in the textile sector. The decline in the apparel production sector lasted until 1996, stabilizing in the next years until 2000. At the same time, the decline in the production of textiles and canvases continued.
With the break-up of Yugoslavia all factories were closed because there was no market. However, since the1990s smaller textile factories, where the owners are the people who previously worked in the big ones, have been emerging. These people had the opportunity to send their children to get educated outside (in Italy, Bulgaria), who saw the situation outside and after their return to Macedonia they entered the business. Yet, there are not being created enough job opportunities for the others. The small textile factories where are up to 300 employees operate the LON system.
Macedonian designers organize a fashion week on regular basis. They come out with new designs, yet, it is more than uncertain whether they are able to sell them. There must be something to do so to cover their basic expenses. “Fashion is expensive. It is a luxury. We are trying to enter the EU, and they seem to find the workers and pay them less, and we belong to them” - as the Macedonian fashion designers state.
But we are not the only ones that are turning to the ready-made or serial production. The big fashion houses, realizing that they cannot survive the High Fashion, have been turning to this production too.
In the 1980s, pret-a-porter look appeared as a new generation of consumers emerged. These are people who have had the opportunity to get educated, have a new way of living, have the opportunity to buy, see, own their taste and know what they want. There was hunger on the market for new products which would be aimed at young generations. Since the fashion houses could not survive only High Fashion. They had 70 workers to be paid, and because the labour was expensive, they started to spread.