The quote from The Fashion System by Roland Barthes starts with two garments in a fashion magazine.The first one is presented in the form of fashion photography, while the second one is presented in the form of language. Barthes argues that photography and literature both describe things but in very different ways.
From this quote, I found one sentence particularly interesting: “The functions of Fashion description are thus reduced, but also,thereby, original: since it need not render the object itself, the information which language communicates , unless it ia pleonastic, is by definition the very information which photography or drawing cannot transmit”. I am a visual person and usually think that photos are more powerful than words, but this quote makes me question myself. Although photos give fashion a form that is almost actual(we can see its color, shape, and many other details), there is still a lot of things that cannot be shown. And that’s why words exist in fashion description. Designers sometime use very unique techniques in fashion. For example, Issey Miyake experiments with a new method of pleating in his flying saucer dress. Description in words can help people to see his efforts under the final dress and to understand better that why it is revolutionary. Words also provides different perspectives to the viewers. People usually only generate a single opinion about a garment based on their personal preferences. Description in words can help them view the works in the eyes of fashion designers or fashion commentators. Designers’ description shows the development of the original ideas to the final garments, and the commentators’ descriptions demonstrate the garments in a more professional way. In addition, fashion photography only show the garment in one or few angles, while words can show it in multiple angles and in motion . For instance, the flying saucer dress is described as an accordion, we can then imagine how the dress appear differently when we push and pull it to different extent.
To conclude, words can bring the fashion photos to life and help people view it in a broader and deeper way.