Fashion to me now, seems a bit more different…and especially after this class, it seems to broaden my understanding of what fashion is. Fashion is not just literally clothes, it is a lifestyle, way of dressing, styling, making, and understanding. Fashion relates to cultures, society, gender, sex, global issues, and almost everything in our daily lives. The readings have furthered my understanding, and even shown different ways of understanding fashion, and what really creates a divide between us vs. them, or myself vs. them. The class discussions really did help, especially the ones about celebrities, comparing ideas of gender and fashion, and the class activity of the dress log.
“Without designers, clothes do not become fashion.” (Yuniya Kawamura – “Designers: The Personification of Fashion” (Week 13)”
I really love this quote, because it showed me the importance of designers, “US” because this is what we will do, and sometimes it seems like we are not given enough credit as fashion designers, by societies of the world.
Fashion to me now has proven to be present in global issues, especially with race, because it seems that people think it is acceptable to dress a different ethnicity or race, as someone who is Asian, Indian, or even African American. It shows that there is still an issue of what is acceptable and not acceptable, and a fashion house such as Vogue, seems to comply and accept fashioning through the change of one’s ethnic look. Fashion can be used as a powerful symbol of wealth, or even sexual orientation. Fashion can be used as a platform to prove, or broaden people’s understanding of what is really “gay” or “feminine” or “masculine.” I believe through the correct ways of broadening fashion in society, it can be used to further the world’s acceptance of gender roles, sexual orientation, different ethnicities, and so much more.
