Throughout history, people have used clothing to represent different values and cultures. Judges wear robes, military personnel wear uniforms, and brides wear long white dresses. Fashion is big business, and there are millions of people working to design, manufacture, and dye clothing. In the 1700s, people studied fashion magazines to get ideas for their outfits. Even outside the French court, dressmakers would use sketches to create a design. King Louis XIV once said that “fashion is a mirror” and he himself wore clothing made of extravagant materials.
As culture changed, so did fashion. People started spending more money on clothes, and consumers were more inclined to purchase trendy, inexpensive knockoffs. The result was the growth of fast fashion, which gave consumers the feeling that they were wearing high-end designer clothing at an affordable cost. This trend, though not as widespread as it once was, has continued to grow ever since. In addition to encouraging wasteful consumption and degrading the environment, fashion is also a form of entertainment.
Fashion is a way to express one’s unique style and identity. Whether it is a street style, high-end couturiers, or designer clothing, fashion is an expression of individuality. As a cultural construct, fashion encompasses all forms of self-fashioning. As a result, the concept of fashion implies the ways that things are made, whether they are made of plastic, cotton, or anything else. Fashion also has an ever-changing definition and is defined by changing trends.
Frances Corner is the Head of London College of Fashion and Pro Vice-Chancellor of the University of the Arts London. She has over 20 years of experience in higher education and aims to promote fashion as a force for social change, sustainability, and well-being. She has been named as a Business of Fashion 500 and the author of the book “Why Fashion Matters”
Historically, the fashion industry started in Europe and America and has spread around the world. Today, it is highly globalized and international. It is made up of many separate but interdependent sectors: the design of clothing, manufacturing, distribution, retailing, and advertising. In addition to designers, manufacturers, contractors, and retailers, the industry employs millions of people worldwide. And it all happens with a profit. So, while the world might be slowing down, the domestic fashion industry will keep growing.
As a result of fast fashion, consumers can’t resist buying the latest trend. It gives retailers a great profit because the constant introduction of new clothes encourages customers to visit the stores more often. This, in turn, leads to more purchases. In addition, fast fashion clothing is usually made of cheap materials and is produced at a low cost. The prices of fast fashion clothing are extremely low, which means that it’s easy to get away with it.