Fashion

• 1. Etymology And Definitions

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  The Latin word facere means to make. This root anchors the modern term fashion, which describes the manufacturing and wearing of outfits adorned with specific cultural aesthetics. The French word mode dates as far back as 1482. English usage denoting something in style only emerged during the 16th century. In the 13th century, a poem by Guillaume de Lorris advised men that handsome clothes improve them greatly. Fashion scholar Susan B. Kaiser states everyone is forced to appear before others unmediated. Evaluation includes colors, materials, silhouette, and how garments appear on the body. Garments identical in style may look different depending on the wearer's shape or condition. A trend often connotes a peculiar aesthetic expression lasting shorter than a season. Fashion is a distinctive industry-supported expression tied to collections. Style lasts over many seasons and connects to cultural movements like Baroque and Rococo. Pierre Bourdieu defined fashion as the latest difference. Giorgio Agamben connected fashion to the qualitative concept of kairos, meaning the opportune moment.

• 2. Historical Evolution Of Dress

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  Changes in clothing took place at times of economic or social change, such as ancient Rome and the medieval Caliphate. In eighth-century Moorish Spain, musician Ziryab introduced sophisticated styles from Baghdad to Córdoba. The Turks arrived in the Middle East during the 11th century, bringing Central Asian and Far Eastern clothing styles. Early Western travelers frequently remarked on the absence of change in countries like India, Persia, Turkey, and China. An 1609 secretary of the Japanese court bragged inaccurately that Japanese clothing had not changed in over a thousand years. Evidence in Ming China shows rapidly changing fashions regulated by sumptuary laws based on strict social hierarchy. In imperial China, clothing was expected according to gender, status, and occupation. The Tang Dynasty saw women wear extravagant attire to demonstrate prosperity. Mongol men of the Yuan Dynasty wore loose robes and shorter trousers for horseback riding. The Qing Dynasty leaders maintained Manchu dress while establishing new garments for officials. Foot binding, originally introduced in the 10th century, required women to wear particular heels pushing them toward a ladylike walk. The qipao became vogue in the 1920s with stand collars and trumpet sleeves. During the Meiji period, Japan widely incorporated Western styles into its fashion.

• 3. Global Industry Structure

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  Charles Frederick Worth opened the first authentic haute couture house in Paris in 1858. This English-born designer established standards requiring at least twenty employees engaged in making clothes. Fashion houses must show two collections per year at fashion shows. Four major current fashion capitals are New York City, Paris, Milan, and London. These cities host headquarters to significant fashion companies and influence global trends. An American company might source fabric in China and manufacture clothes in Vietnam. Finished goods may ship from Italy to a warehouse in the United States for international distribution. Before the mid-19th century, most clothing was custom-made by tailors or home production. By the beginning of the 20th century, sewing machines enabled mass production in standard sizes. The industry consists of four levels: raw material production, fashion goods manufacturing, retail sales, and advertising. Textile design, fashion design, retailing, marketing, and media sectors operate interdependently. Haute couture is now largely subsidized by ready-to-wear collections and perfume using the same branding. Proximity to New York's Garment District remains important to participate in the American fashion ecosystem.

• 4. Social And Political Influence

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  First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy inspired trends of elegant formal dressing with Chanel suits and Givenchy shift dresses in the early 1960s. During that decade, the leg-baring mini-skirt became a white-hot trend after its introduction in 1964. Fluorescent colors and bell-bottom jeans became de rigueur outfits of the 1960s. Camouflage patterns developed for military personnel seeped into streetwear designs during the Vietnam War era. Valentino, Dior, and Dolce & Gabbana combined camouflage into their runway collections in the 1990s. In 2017, designers took political stances during fashion weeks in London, Milan, New York, Paris, and São Paulo. Mara Hoffman invited founders of the Women's March on Washington to open her show featuring utilitarian wear. Prabal Gurung debuted T-shirts with slogans like The Future is Female, selling proceeds to the ACLU and Planned Parenthood. The Business of Fashion launched the #TiedTogether movement encouraging industry members to wear white bandanas advocating unity. Some feminists argued women should reject traditionally feminine dress focusing on comfort rather than fashion. Others believe the system itself is repressive requiring seasonal changes to keep up with trends. Anti-fashion is fixed and changes little over time within specific cultural groups.

• 5. Media And Marketing Dynamics

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  Vogue was founded in Manhattan in 1892 as the longest-lasting fashion magazine. Cheap color printing in the 1960s led to a huge boost in its sales. La Gazette du Bon Ton was founded by Lucien Vogel in 1912 and published until 1925. Television coverage began in the 1950s with small fashion features. FashionTV became the pioneer in dedicated fashion shows starting in the 1980s. Chiara Ferragni was specified by Vogue as blogger of the moment due to rising followers through her blog. In 2018, Swedish brand H&M faced controversy when a Black child appeared in an ad wearing a hoodie with the slogan coolest monkey in the jungle. GAP collaborated with Ellen DeGeneres in 2016 for an advertisement featuring four young girls that drew criticism regarding racial dynamics. Jimmy Choo pulled down an ad after backlash for promoting sexual harassment. Social media platforms like Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and TikTok allow consumers to share purchases and generate word-of-mouth publicity. Bloggers have emerged as expert fashion commentators shaping what is on trend. The interactive nature of these platforms allows practitioners to engage with the public in real-time.

• 6. Technology And Sustainability

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  Wearable technology has incorporated clothing constructed with solar panels that charge devices. Smart fabrics enhance wearer comfort by changing color or texture based on environmental changes. 3D printing technology influenced designers such as Iris van Herpen and Kimberly Ovitz. Machine vision technology tracks how fashions spread through society. Internet technology enables online retailers to identify trends and sell items immediately. New buy now button technology links styles directly with sales. Fashion blogging and YouTube videos became major outlets for spreading trends in recent years. Trashion uses trash to make clothes and jewelry to promote awareness of pollution. Modern trashion artists include Marina DeBris, Ann Wizer, and Nancy Judd. In 2005, the World Intellectual Property Organization held a conference calling for stricter enforcement within the industry. Copyright law regarding clothing remains a current hot-button issue in the sector. Reducing fashion's environmental impact has become an urgent issue among politicians, brands, and consumers due to mass production reaching lower prices globally.