A Metamorphosis of Fashion
Fashion has changed spectacularly over the years, in the modern days of fashion people in our society have started to develop eating disorders, men have gotten involved in fashion, and fashion has even changed the world significantly.
In the current days of fashion people have started to develop eating disorders. The need for accessories has created dramatic developments in the result of blood diamonds, eating disorders and rivalries between models. The world now is dedicated to the abilities brought on by new technologies of online shopping, the material used to make fashion mannequins more human like, and the involvement of celebrities in fashion. The continent of Africa is becoming a major producer in fashion is creating many positives and negatives for the people in the processing of blood diamonds.
Most television role models are skin and bones. These spelt idols have the shapes and body definition that most people revere. A figure that a high number people respect is the skinny body type. It should not just be about one body figure. “Actresses are told that they are to take care of themselves and to eat healthy, yet they show up to the wardrobe area and only find clothing in sizes 0 to 2. Producers and directors can't have it both ways. If they want healthy actresses that eat and take care of themselves, they need to quit expecting actresses to squeeze into size 0. 2 of 5”. An article in New Women Magazine published in 1996 quoted that “The recent milk campaign makes use of this strategy by featuring thin, beautiful celebrities such as Tyra Banks, Yasmine Bleeth, Daisy Fuentes, and Neve Campbell, all of whom are apparently engaged in a candid conversation with women readers. Neve Campbell, for example, asks "Guilty or not? Do you cross out the waist size on your jeans?’....”
New Woman magazine 1996. Ebschost (n.d.).
The fashion industry also is taking part in creating body image disorders in people who follow it. In a survey on dove.com, “81% of women in the U.S. strongly agree that the media and advertising set an unrealistic standard of beauty that most women can’t ever achieve.” The media focus on thin stars. In the public eye are usually the slim body types. Lori Vermilye mentor, and costume designer for Kat Lynn’s performing arts, “People are more focused on wearing things that show more skin, that make them look thinner and clothes that provide them with popularity.” “I agree with that statement”, (Senior Project interview) we shouldn’t put certain body types over others, because everyone should have the right to stylish clothes.”
The fashion designers usually have such bold collections and runway shows. Designers like Versace, Balenciaga, and Alexander McQueen have abstract collections and pieces. These clothes are regularly opinionated by critics. An example of a positive opinion like this mentioned on fashion era.com “Fashion is a form of free speech. It not only embraces clothing, but also accessories, jewelry, hairstyles, beauty and body art” More people have welcomed unusual taste in fashion today, and the “Avant-garde” style of fashion is becoming more of a trend and less as strange style. In a more neutral opinion expressed by Bernadine Morris, Special to the NEW YORK TIMES Published: October 19, 1987 review of a fashion show. “He also shows some relatively conventional jackets shaped with hourglass curves. He started that last season and obviously they've caught on. They seem to be padded, or at least stiffened, over the hips, especially at the back. That's the good news.” People are developing newer taste then that of designers in previous times. “Sometimes it is also mind set, not just assets. Very old school clients will want the traditional "banker" no matter what. Jason Jobson the Editor-in-Chief of Pierce Mattie Public Relations states, “A younger client will understand a sense of the Avant Garde. The younger generation shows more appreciation for this strange style that designers have to offer.”
The Positives and negatives of Africa becoming a fashion capital of the world. Due to the crisis in Darfur, over half of the diamonds bought in the nineteen nineties were blood diamonds. The country of South Africa has enriched its people through the progress of fashion.
Singers, actors and even super models are now becoming clothing designers. “Recently, fashion and retail publicity, with Madonna, Kate Moss and now Lily Allen turning their hand to clothes designing, has demonstrated a real lack of imagination when launching new season's collections.” - Mark Borkowski, (founder and head of Borkowski PR.) Celebrities are now getting into the fashion game. The world of fashion was previously dominated by the fashion designers. (Are now emerging on the scene as designers) “In an industry where actors become singers, singers become actors and reality show stars are “somebodies”, it’s no surprise when celebrities add “designer” to their resume as well. Everyone from blogger Perez Hilton to Lindsey Lohan and Sheryl Crow has a new line of clothing or accessories debuting in stores around the country.” - Katy Gaffney Aug 14, 2008. This new trend has caused even some professional athletes to prove to be adaptable to the designer title. “Michelle Kwan disclosed she's been approached to do her own line but wouldn't reveal by whom. Perhaps the ink's not dry yet? "I've been talking about a line for younger women — athleticwear, inspired by yoga and exercise and fitness," she said.”- Nina Mandell www.nymag.com. It’s safe to say that the world of fashion has defiantly been shaken up by celebrities.
“More male fashion designers are starting to familiarize themselves within the fashion industry. It is now more than ever stereotyped as just a job for women.” Designers like Gianni Versace, Sean (P-Diddy) Combs, and Marc Eckō are into the world of fashion. “Young fashion designer Ali Khan made his debut at New York Fashion Week with male models strutting down the runway in his avant-garde menswear designs.”- Rupa Mikkilineni CNN. The fashion designers and models frequently emerging on the scene are male. “Kimmel (Adam Kimmel owner of Claremont fashion label) Kimmel is an original because he eschews all the preppy, sporty, waspish clichés of American men’s style in favor of affected, unselfconscious clothes for men like him, who hang out at the Downtown Manhattan contemporary art scene rather than strike a pose at Bungalow 18.”- James Sherwood International Herald Tribune January 14, 2008. Adam Kimmel has his own fashion label and has his own style out there. Kimmel knows what fashion creates trendy clothes that have been featured in numerous amounts fashion editorials of “GQ”, “Men’s Vogue”, and “ELLE” magazine.
The fashion designers of today are getting younger. “Designers like Kira Plastinina are young are currently involved in fashion” Kira became a fashion designer at just fifteen years old. “I’ve always had a passion for designing unique, fun looks that express my personality and views as a designer. Drawn to fashion at a very early age, I have been conceiving and sketching unique silhouettes as far back as I can remember. ”- Plastinina Kira is a self made fashion designer from Russia. Plastinina set out a goal last year to be a top name clothing designer before she turned fifteen, now hot celebrities like that of singer Chris Brown, actress, Audrina Patridge , actress, Hayden Panettiere, and actor, David Henry and are just among a about hundreds on her client list. She is just one of the young designers out on the scene right now. Christian Siriano is the youngest person to win project runway, at age twenty one he won the fourth season. Christian is another young designer with his own fashion line. “He showed a small collection during London Fashion Week in Fall 2005. Christian was given the opportunity to work for the queen of punk herself, Vivienne Westwood, where he gained valuable experience, leading him into a position at Alexander McQueen his senior year.”
Political causes, social causes can influence changes in the world of fashion. “Major changes in fashion have occurred infrequently before the thirteen hundreds. Since then, the political and social conditions of a nation, plus technological developments, have influenced fashion in various” (Mary Ellen roach pg. 52 World Book). The political classes of royalty, government leaders, and the devilment of trends have affected fashion. “Shopping directly from TV shopping Channels such as QVC gives consumers a chance to see the garments on models whilst the items are then measured with a tape by the presenter. For the housebound, work bound and disabled customers, shopping this way with a 30 day approval facility is very attractive. More importantly, because the service is so good customers return time and again. They happily give brand allegiance if they are satisfied with the service.” Technology has given us the power to shop online and from home instead of just in stores like in past years. “To make a dress the researchers used a life size inflatable doll and lifted the slimy rubbery cellulose layers onto the doll. Once the cellulose dress forms around the doll shape, the dress is removed from the inflated form. No stitching, heat or adhesives are used to get the material to form together. It's just the bacteria that holds the material together. In the dry state the cellulose dress material is like tissue paper so the dresses must be kept wet to avoid ripping easily!.” (University of Western Australia). This is a new way of dress form fitting, instead of the pinning and stitching they use ballistics gel.
In this “model no eat model” world of fashion, style is constantly evolving. The consumer is overwhelmed with the images they try to copy. The image that is presented on magazine covers, television, and billboards of beautiful thin people can create body image disorders in the viewer. As Heidi Klum would say “In fashion one day you’re in and the next day…..you’re out!…. Auf wiedersehen.”
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Works Cited
Dove.com, Dove.com. http://www.dove.us/#/CFRB/arti_cfrb.aspx[
http://www.fashion-era.com/fashiontechnology.htm#Store%20Versus%20Internet%20Shopping. 5 Dec. 2008
http://www.guardian.co.uk/g2/story/0,,2070098,00.html. 4 May 2007. 5 Dec. 2008
http://www.guardian.co.uk/g2/story/0,,2070098,00.html. 11 Nov. 2007. 5 Dec. 2008
http://www.marketsmediaonline.com/news_details.htm? 5 Dec. 2008
Morris, Bernadine. NEW YORK TIMES 19 Oct. 1987. 5 Dec. 2008
New Woman magazine 1996. Ebschost (n.d.)
University of Western Australia. http://www.fashion-era.com/fashiontechnology.htm#Store%20Versus%20Internet%20Shopping. 5 Dec. 2008
