The Evolution and Democratization of Modern Fashion: From Frederick Worth to Karl Lagerfeld’s Fast Fashion.

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This journal speaks to the connection of fashion and individuality by looking at core moments of fashion history including the development of fast fashion. The authors make explicit connections to apparel and social dynamics, status, or identity. The first major change outlined is the switch in power dynamics and relationship between the tailor and the client. In ancient regimes, tailors were servants to nobility where they would often travel to their abodes, and worked sometimes solely for them. The authors designated Frederick Worth as the pioneer into the switch where the Lords became the clients and power shifted in favor of the tailors, this time clients coming to the tailor for apparel. 

It is common to acquire group cultures and identities, primarily seen in the form of class and status or national/ethnic differences. From association and displaying loyalty, it is easy to form us vs. them dynamics. This can show in the way we express ourselves, through communication or self expression through fashion, “As Jean-Noel Kapferer says, ‘the fashion associated with luxury emerged during the nineteenth century as a way to acquire a superior identity that distinguishes it from the others’” (Rosa 81), in this case, class status. 

The second change of fashion history was brought about by Coco Chanel leaving behind haute couture and into an era of returning to our natural body lines emphasizing minimalism but comfort. Chanel introduced a fundamental change for identities, “the trend towards androgyny that is marked by indifferentiation between the masculine and the feminine” (Rosa 82). This gave people the potential to explore gender identity through physical expression from clothes. In a bigger perspective, Chanel was able to challenge gender norms in such a constricting era through fashion. Coco Chanel was also able to push forth the notion that, “Functional comfort and distinctive style are therefore not opposed … functional comfort can be a mark of a distinct personal identity” (Rosa, 82-83). 

The article then focuses on fast fashion, particularly looking at H&M including, “functional comfort can be a mark of a distinct personal identity” (Rosa, 88). They focus on how fast fashion was able to bring the exclusivity world of fashion into one of inclusivity, offering the luxury clothes reserved for those at the top for cheap, opening up this kind of style to diverse socioeconomic classes. 

This piece speaks to the central problem of fashion and identity by explaining different moments in history where fashion had a momentous change in its relationship to group identities. 

Word Count: 416

Source:

https://repositorio-aberto.up.pt/bitstream/10216/73627/2/77162.pdf