Week 1 – Intro to Fashion Studies

Explain what each of the two aphorisms means (in your own words) and explain why you agree or disagree with them.

1.”Fashion is gossip. Never underestimate the power of gossip. Semiologist are driven into ecstasies of supposition by its whispers.”

• I agree with this aphorism due to how fashion is gossip. For example once a celebrity wears something new or out of ordinary even if it’s talked negatively through media their will be people to will follow the trend. Either it will be a hit or miss, might stay awhile or just a short term trend it is like gossip that spreads. Also it related to the idea of the tipping point. When a subculture or a group have a certain style or trend it can slowly or quickly spread into other things besides fashion such as music, film, art and so on forth.

2.”Fashion is intensely personal, in the same way that poetry is intensely personal. It is a medium through which personal stories can be told, memories re-lived and futures foretold”
• As a designer I agree with this statement as well. Even from long ago clothing and fashion was used to tell stories or to contain heritage. Through embroidery such as the Ukrainian embroidery to which I can relate to and through other materiality on fabric and construction. Even to those day fashion designers that have a story or a concept behind their designs have a more personal attachment to what they create.