At the start of the semester, my definition of fashion explained that fashion is something that connects all people. Now having taken this course I’ve realized that my original statement is true but just one piece of the puzzle that is “fashion”.  Fashion goes beyond just a symbol that connects others. As Susan Kaiser says “it is ongoing and changes each person’s visual and material interpretations of who he or she is becoming” (1).  Fashion is about the individual, society, global economy, and art. Each person expresses their version of fashion with how they fashion themselves; this is expressed in personal subject positions. Ones gender, religion, occupation, sexuality, hobbies, and more all influence their daily dress practices which in turn effects the fashion system as a whole. Daily dress practices effect the industry with what consumers are purchasing and what consumers are purchasing effects what designers are putting into the industry. Fashion is a system. It is something deeply personal as to how each person expresses themselves. In addition to the personal aspect there is a global economy surrounding fashion. Designers play off the mind of the consumer to create trends that people want to follow. In the high fashion world, it is about the art and creating a name for oneself.  Overall, fashion is something that connects all people together, but this connection comes with a global economic system, personal expression, and an intersectionality between each of those. There is also an intersectionality between personal subject positions. Fashion is the individual, the global, the psychological, and the economic.

At the “50 Years of the Museum at FIT” exhibition this piece is showcased in the section about “Gothic: Dark Glamour”. This look by Alexander Mcqueen is showcasing the gothic style with the feminine form. The short skirt, the volume in the shoulders, and the romantic neckline are all to highlight the feminine body. The presentation of the look and the fishnet leggings are to showcase the stereotype of women as a femme fatal. Showcasing the woman as a vampire, a creature that sucks the blood of humans, shows the beautiful woman as deadly. The color black color and the tights are to make the woman have a particular style of sex appeal. It is playing off both a fiction character of the vampire and the stereotype where women’s looks “could kill”. Mcqueen himself, and the current brand are always trying to make a powerful statement. In this look, I feel as though there is a strong statement of gender as it is highlighting a known theme. Throughout literature and film the archetypal character of femme fatal is wildly know across many cultures. Knowing this look is talking about that character type it is am easy way to make a statement about gender and get a reaction by a broad number of people. The woman here is walking out of her coffin in a look that could kill. The look showcasing the ultra feminine and sexy aesthetic highlights the female gender. This is a stereotype of a typically sultry and dark girl.