FASHION: USING FASHION ACTIVISM

 Gene Sharp’s grouping for non-violent action, lists a range of methods to enact activism. our own fashion practice can challenge norms through practices of repair or alteration, or using the garment as a canvas for expressing feelings. social media platforms can play important roles in convening dialogue, 

https://www.brandeis.edu/peace-conflict/pdfs/198-methods-non-violent-action.pdf

challenging injustice directly, raising awareness and acting in solidarity with others (with warnings regarding performative allyship). fashion business and design can be embedded in practices of equity and social justice, many different campaigns can help coordinate support for social justice movements. activism takes many forms. Fashion can be used as a means to articulate activism. Activism can directly challenge practices within the fashion system itself. 

https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5d5d34e927fded000105ccc4/t/5db4f29c7161a11f1860ea66/1572139687280/DESIGN%252BJUSTICE%252BZINE_ISSUE1.pdf

https://www.akpress.org/emergentstrategy.html

ETHICS

“Ethics is the process of questioning, discovering and defending our values, principles and purpose. It’s about finding out who we are and staying true to that in the face of temptations, challenges and uncertainty. It’s not always fun and it’s hardly ever easy, but if we commit to it, we set ourselves up to make decisions we can stand by, building a life that’s truly our own and a future we want to be a part of.” - The Ethics Centre

https://www.carnegiecouncil.org/media/article/ethics-in-online-activism-false-senses-of-social-action-or-effective-source-of-change

 resilience in activism. One needs to be aware of the laws in our region that may affect forms of activism, and how to ensure you are considering practices of care to preserve the health and wellbeing of yourself and others.

This is part of taking an ethical approach to activism, where you have an understanding of:

• The reasons why you are developing your activism
• Who is likely to be impacted by your actions
• Who is likely to participate in your activities
• What may be the unintended consequences of your actions.

https://ethics.arts.ac.uk

This may involve considering parameters around privacy, consent or data protection if asking for the participation of others. You may need to consider the intentions and impact of your actions if acting in solidarity with others, or contributing to an established cause or movement.

“In the context of power relations, speaking for, about, and on behalf of, is very different from speaking with and nearby… what has to be given up first and foremost is the voice of omniscient knowledge.” - Trinh T Minh-ha, via the UAL Ethics for Making website

personal  ethics of your activism. Would you be happy if your activism was headlining the news tomorrow? How would you feel about your actions being publicly visible?

1. Do you need to put measures in place to protect yourself or others participating in your activism? What might these measures be?
2. What might be the unintended consequences of your activism? How could you mitigate against these risks?

MAKING A PROTOTYPE

Prototyping is a scaled down and inexpensive way of bringing an idea to life. By creating a mock-up of your idea you can get feedback to assess how well it meets your objectives and responds to your problem statement. Prototyping will allow you to identify opportunities for refining and improving the idea.

There are many different ways to prototype. These depend on the kind of idea, the form that it would take in the real world, your creative and making skills, and the materials you have to hand. In every case, the prototype should be quick and cheap to make. This allows you to minimise emotional attachment and disappointment when identifying problems (which there will be!).

https://www.colorlines.com/articles/three-lessons-adrienne-maree-browns-emergent-strategy#:~:text=“Emergent%20Strategy”%20is%20a%20lyrical,perused%2C%20returned%20to%2C%20and%20jumped

there are many questions to consider when planning your prototype.  one should stay open-minded, work quickly and don’t get too attached to your idea or prototype. This is the place to test and learn.

Finally, remember that the process doesn’t stop here. To achieve good design thinking and the best potential for your idea, you may need to revisit previous steps multiple times and re-work through new ideas as you continue to test and develop. Going through a process of iteration to refine your idea, and making and testing multiple prototypes, is key to good design thinking. After prototyping your idea, you may find that the idea is not feasible as you initially thought. Or maybe it has strayed away from your problem statement. This is perfectly okay. We encourage you to revisit the earlier stages of the design thinking process as many times as you’d like until you have refined your prototype. keep in mind that the most important part of prototyping is the learning that is catalysed through the process of making. It is the process of critical thinking and design thinking skills that we hope to emphasise through prototyping. Whilst creating a polished workable outcome is desirable, it is not the key objective of this activity.

 Design Thinking: Get Started with Prototyping.

FASHION: FILA X Y/PROJECT

 

FILA X Y/PROJECT
Experimental innovation of fashion movement and deconstruction advanced sports fashion Y / Project x FILA co branded series are on sale at the Paris fashion show
On the occasion of the 110th anniversary of the establishment of FILA, an Italian high-end sports fashion brand, Y / project, a highly popular deconstructive fashion brand operated by well-known designer Glenn Martens, launched a joint series with FILA, which perfectly integrates the bold design style of Y / project with FILA's sports gene, stunning the four. Now, the same Paris fashion show of this co branded series is listed globally on April 15.
In today's fashion world, no one can ignore the existence of ghostly designer Glenn martens. The winner of the French andam fashion award is as famous as the design director of Hermes and Maison Margiela. Once majoring in interior architectural design, after entering the field of fashion design, he introduced the "Deconstruction" aesthetics of "subversion, destruction and anti tradition" in the field of architecture into fashion design, forming a highly recognizable "Deconstruction" high street fashion style - stacked folds, exaggerated and interesting silhouettes, twisted collars, spliced and reconstructed trouser waists, asymmetric and removable design, etc., which quickly became popular. In the past 2022 spring and summer Paris Gaoding fashion week, he was in charge of three shows at the same time, which was truly the "top class" of the industry.
Y / project is led by Glenn martens. With its avant-garde and avant-garde style, Y / project is wildly sought after by international first-line stars, top supermodels and European and American trendsetters. At the same time, it is deeply loved by many top artists and stars in China.
For the Y / Project x FILA co branded series that will be limited to the market, Glenn Martens has given Y / Project style to FILA's key products, including T-shirts, hoodies, Polo neck dresses, windbreakers and sneakers. You can find y / project's iconic "deconstruction techniques, creative tailoring and neutral contour". The iconic elements of Y / project appear in the chic collar, stitched and reconstructed trousers, twisted trouser leg lines and superimposed folds, making the retro and elegant FILA unique, extremely eye-catching and full of avant-garde fashion.
Y / Project x FILA co branded series
The reason why we cooperate with FILA is that the concepts of the two brands in the fashion field agree with each other: Y / project's unique fashion attitude and design style interpret the avant-garde and pioneer spirit of the brand, which is highly recognized by the fashion industry; FILA, which is positioned as "high-end sports fashion", has been breaking through the boundaries of fashion and sports with a bold, open and young attitude, emitting irresistible charm for fashion people, and has walked out of a distinctive and personalized road among a number of sports brands.
It is worth mentioning that Glenn Martens spent a lot of time and energy in creating the co branding series, because he believed that "FILA wants to really do something creative and expressive", and that "this is a series of CO branding", rather than a combination of two logos.
Therefore, the joint brand series we see is the perfect integration of the two brand styles. Tracksuit in this series not only retains the avant-garde style of Y / Project deconstruction, but also has the characteristics of FILA sports, retro and elegant, which is very special. Glenn Martens took the famous BJ ö Borg tennis t as the inspiration and added FILA blue, white and red colors. The design team deconstructed and reorganized the trendy elements and the century old DNA of blue blood aristocrat FILA, elaborately created a unique fashion style and ingenious details, and perfectly decorated the clavicle.
As a leading brand that has maintained rapid growth in the field of fashion and sports in recent years, FILA's high popularity is inseparable from its long-term creation of brand fashion power. Among them, the co branding with fashion brands and the support of many stars are the most interesting.
Looking back on the past joint names of FILA, there are not only the global first-line luxury brands such as Fendi, but also the emerging American fashion brand 3.1 Phillip Lim, which is deeply sought after by Hollywood stars, as well as the Japanese high-end outdoor trend brand white mountaineering, which is widely loved by young people, and the Italian top outdoor brand C.P. company founded by Massimo Osti, the "godfather of metropolitan sportswear", and so on. What they like is FILA's ultra-high popularity among consumers in the field of advanced sports, continuous brand popularity, huge brand potential that has been continuously developed, rising brand value, and fashion fans that are difficult to measure. These joint cooperation not only expanded the fashion connotation of FILA high-end sports fashion, but also made more people in the fashion industry, especially the young people, know the distinctive FILA.
(can you put the pictures of clothes co branded by FILA and these brands here)
Moreover, FILA's unique fashion charm has attracted many stars. From CAI Xukun, Ouyang Nana, Kimura Guangxi K ō Ki, to Huang Jingyu, Jiang Shuying, Gao Yuanyuan, and then to Zhang Yixing, Ni Ni and Quan Zhixian, the strong star lineup affects different audience groups in different product lines, enriches the brand image of FILA's advanced fashion sports and further strengthens FILA's high-end fashion temperament.
Now, the cooperation with Glenn Martens has once again raised FILA's fashion tentacles to the level of international fashion pioneers, which has to be said to be the ultimate display of FILA's high-end sports fashion positioning.
It is reported that the Y / Project x FILA co branded series will be limited to market in... (Channel: tmall / online) on April 15. If you want to feel the new FILA sports product injected with Y / project design elements by Glenn Martens, a design genius, and want to wear the unique Y / Project x FILA co branded series of Paris fashion week, you must not miss the rush purchase.

FILA unites with French label Y/PROJECT to further innovative the daring spirit of the brand in a collection that emphasises individuality and independence through unisex designs. This collection radiates a bold streetwear feel made bolder by the graphic play of juxtaposed logos. Creative design features such as double collars and asymmetrical button features, allows for multiple ways to wear. Everyone can create their own style identity with FILA.
Y/PROJECT x FILA will be revealed during the Y/PROJECT fashion show on June 27th at 4pm . Tickets available from selected retailers and on www.yproject.fr 



Further collision of advanced sports fashion: limited opening of Centennial Y / Project x FILA joint series
Deep embrace fashion high-end sports fashion Y / Project x FILA joint series on sale
Y / Project x FILA joint hard core series on sale! See how FILA embraces advanced sports fashion
A new work of Centennial senior sports fashion is added, and the Y / Project x FILA co branded series is officially coming
On April 15, FILA, a high-end fashion and sports brand, and Y / project, a pioneer fashion designer, jointly launched the limited fashion series, which was officially launched worldwide. The designer Glenn Martens and brand Y / project jointly signed by FILA this time have a long history. At the autumn and winter fashion week in Paris and Milan in 2022, Glenn Martens took charge of three heavyweight fashion shows at the same time, and was rated as "the world's first outstanding designer in 2022" by the New York Times. In the past few years, with his unique deconstructive design style, he led the designer brand Y / project to become popular rapidly, which is sought after by many international stars and fashion supermodels. Many domestic first-line stars are also its loyal fans, and xiaohongshu fashion bloggers are also competing to be the first blogger of Y / Project. Now, FILA X Y / Project Co branded series is officially on the market, which means that trendy people can finally buy the same model of Y / Project x FILA co branded series that once appeared in Paris fashion week
Y / Project x FILA co branded series combines the representative architectural cutting and neutral contour of Y / project with the innovative power of century old FILA rooted in sports fashion and the iconic legendary blue and classic red tones to create a fresh and funny new high-level sports fashion series, which interprets the unique views of blue blood noble sports brand FILA on high-level sports fashion.
Continue the blue blood sports gene and redefine the high-end sports fashion
FILA, born in Italy, a country of fashion, was founded in 1911 and began to set foot in the field of sportswear in 1972. Different from others, FILA is not only involved in mass sports, but focuses on advanced sports such as tennis, aerobics, racing, water sports, skiing, golf and so on.
In 1972, FILA began to launch white line tennis knitwear. FILA broke the Convention in tennis sportswear and used colorful and eye-catching patterns. With the popularity of color TV in the 1970s, FILA began to be popular all over the world and realized the fashion change of tennis sportswear.











VIDEO CAMPAIGN
FILA unites with French label Y/PROJECT further innovating the daring spirit of the brand in a collection that emphasises individuality and independence through unisex designs. Radiating a bold streetwear feel，creative design features allow for multiple ways to wear so everyone can create their own style identity with FILA.
Y/PROJECT x FILA will be revealed during the Y/PROJECT fashion show on June 27th at 4pm.
FILA unites with Y/PROJECT further innovating the daring spirit of the brand in a collection that emphasises individuality and independence through high fashion unisex designs.  Creative design features allow multiple ways to wear - everyone can create their own style identity with FILA. 
The limited edition Y/PROJECT x FILA collection drops worldwide April 15th.
Redefining high end sports fashion one again! 
FILA unites with Y/PROJECT, further innovating the daring spirit of the brand in a collection that emphasises individuality and independence through stylish unisex designs.  Advanced creative design features allow multiple ways to wear - create their own fashion sports style identity with FILA.
The limited edition Y/PROJECT x FILA collection drops worldwide April 15th.

FILA and Y/Project reunite for a second time in this video collaboration. A campaign directed by Frederik Heyman and Kamiel Doens to celebrate FILA’s 110th anniversary. Channeling the spirit and innovativeness of FILA’S new collection, flying above and beyond in diverse adaptable unisex styles. Pioneering high end sports fashion design technology individually and together in collaborations, FILA continues to soar to the top. Y/PROJECT X FILA S022 collaboration has launched and taken off NOW!

Presenting FILA and Y/Project collaboration video campaign directed by A-lister projects award winner Frederik Heyman to celebrate FILA's 110th anniversary. Channeling the spirit and innovativeness of FILA's new collection, flying above and beyond in diverse adaptable unisex styles. Pioneering high-end sports fashion design technology individually and together in collaborations, FILA continues to soar to the top. Y/PROJECT X FILA SS22 collaboration has launched and taken off NOW!

#yproject #yprojectxfila #filaglobal

Redefining high end-sports fashion once again! A 2021 Paris fashion week headliner.

FILA unites with Y/PROJECT, further innovating the daring spirit of the brand in a collection that emphasises individuality and independence through stylish unisex designs. Advanced creative design features allow multiple ways to wear - create consumers' own fashion sports style identity with FILA.

The limited edition Y/PROJECT x FILA 2022 ss collection drops worldwide April 15th.

#yproject #yprojectxfila #filaglobal

FASHION: "FILA x VR46 Rider Academy"

 

The “FILA x VR46 Rider Academy” collaboration breaks boundaries and conventions in the innovation of fashion sportswear and motorwear designs. A fusion of lifestyle sports, FILA’s roots intwine with the riders lifestyle of perseverance, determination and passion in a collection of colourful styles and prints, that channel the willpower strength and determination of the riders in overcoming any challenges they face in order to succeed. Riding to the top in style

To celebrate its legacy in motor sports, FILA Europe joins with VR46 Riders Academy to support riders progress in succeeding to the top of MotoGP. The "FILA x VR46 Rider Academy" collaboration breaks boundaries and conventions in the innovation of fashion sportswear and motorwear designs. A fusion of lifestyle sports, FILA's roots intwine with the riders lifestyle of perseverance, determination and passion in a collection of colourful styles and prints. Such connection channels the willpower of the riders in overcoming any challenges they face. Riding to the top in style!
#FILAxVR46RA

FASHION: tv shows fashion influence on society

 People deal with fashion every day and also become crazy for fashion. According to Crane (2000) clothes are the key factor  which can make or destroy one’s personality. Today each person wants to look perfect for .Everyone wants to look perfect and each girl always wants to be a fabulous, set apart from others. Whether current or past time, fashion always been involved in women's lives; a woman always keeps looking for new ways which introduced new fashion. Dressing is a big part of  beauty, it not only reflects one’s personality but also represents the glow of beauty and even personality. Style and the clothes ones buys and wears is mainly influenced by fashion magazines, TV ads, TV dramas, fashion shows, TV personalities or peer groups. Clothes, make up, accessories and fashion can be used to cover up or "change" one’s facial features, figure, skin tones, height marks etc if one feels are not unattractive, then trendy apparels can be used to cover these defects. Or when one likes something about themselves, fashion and apparel can be used to emphasis and draw attention to it for example a great figure with tight clothes, skin tone and clothes colour, etc. 

https://www.popsugar.co.uk/fashion/shop-your-tv-fashion-interview-47957142

Fashion as apparel is a process in which old fashion is presented in a new look. TV, fashion shows and magazines are the major factors which change and influence the apparel of teenage girls, young women, and adults of all ages. 

The modern era is the era of globalization; in which media has made the earth as a global village, it removes the distance. All types of media provide you each and every necessary updates regarding your favorite topic, style, celebrity etc.

Definition of Fashion 

The word fashion refers to the meaning of new, in, popular stylish designs for dresses, hair or other accessories for decorating personality, giving style. Whichever type of apparel is currently "in vogue" and a huge population wear it, is called fashion.  Fashion never remains in its original form, it changes or modifies with time and place; evolving, if it remains without any modification then nothing will be introduced as a “new” style  Fashion is sometimes imprisonment. Which people have themselves imposed on them, while they know, they feel comfortable without much in fashion - restricted in what can and cannot wear, what would or would not be deemed as acceptable by peers.When a product is widely spread ad popularised among the people, people adopt it on large scale and you can observe that it was not seen before, it is known as fashion.

 Definition of Media 

The word media refers to the meaning of main sources of communication; these can be in the form of written, visuals with narrations or written plus clips or images, these ways that can interact with a large number of people in a single moment is called mass media. Mass media is use to shape opinions, views, impact, thought, impression or message of it audience, either the audience is broad or limited

Definition of Television 

The television is a system which alters the visuals and sounds into the electronic signals and then people can see the combination of visual and sound on the screen. All forms of mass media have a significant effect on the lives of audience but perhaps no others have thepower like television, television has both visuals and sounds, which makes it different from other mediums. Moreover, on this, people can see everything which they want without going anywhere; means people can see cricket, movies or other shows at home without investing money on tickets or facing undesirable weather or situations.Through this medium people see different channels on screen, different shows movies and topics, which frame the minds of people for adopting the culture of others. television can also leave long lasting effects in the shape of fashion, emotion, mental disturbance and fear. both positive and negative.

Role of media in fashion world 

At present, media is involved in everything; it’s creates a way for launching and promoting something or play a role in destroying others. According to “Media in fashion”, a few decades ago, fashion was not so much popular among the people but now it makes it's place in the field of media and it has established a big industry, it provides awareness about the latest trendy fashion among the people through print, electronic and digital media too. A study's conducted for measuring the number of women in the United Kingdom who become fashion addicted and found that a large number of women adopt different fashions influenced through media such as TV shows, movies, magazines, etc. 

fashion can also bring a change and variation to traditional clothes.Television, internet, fashion shows, magazines - all these are the mediums are used for introducing new trends, new fashion and new brands for people which gradually becomes integrated and accepted as part of their clothing. Nowadays each house has one or more TVs, which provide numerous fashion shows along with the internet and social media, containing new dress designs which took the people in the world of glamour. 

some argue that clothes are the most important thing but if so, in the present era it cannot remain within one shape. They also say that with the passage of time, fashion has made its place in culture; slowly and steadily people are accepting the latest trends and want to know the updates about the upcoming fashion which are mostly provided through the media because media is used to set trends for us through magazines, social media and television. Through television, fashion shows play a role of providing latest news regarding latest fashion.  Fashion trends are influenced by popular figures in culture like celebrities, musicians and other high-profile individuals. Current fashion trends are often cyclical, taking cues from decades past and reworking them to fit within modern tastes. Their fashion choices and styles are promoted through these various forms of media to society. 

Fashion exists in every culture and it is often adopted or modify for that culture and can slowly influence changes in it,  the process of adopting or modifying a cultures fashion starts with radio, television, fashion shows, internet, social websites, newspapers, banners, billboards, advertisements or through magazines as people come into contacted with these multiple times a day, everywhere they go, with these mediums influencing us everywhere several times a day we are strongly influenced by them which leaves impact on the outfits of people, in their fashion choices.

Today everyone wants to create his or her own identity, media plays a role of a teacher to this creating a splendid image of an ideal personality; to some extent media succeeds in this purpose because today television has become integral part of every home - children, teenagers, youth and adults all have easy access to it; this access, helps them portray their image often resemble someone they admire or like who appears on TV screen and is an incentive to them to adopt innovation in their clothes and develop their own form of style based on this influence. Television is one of the most viewed mediums of mass media in society, its easy to access and is immediate. one can easily get knowledge and information by watching television; and this can take advantage of this to their own desires helping to influence and sometimes create changes within their culture, norms, values, custom, traditions, education and fashion.

print and electronic media are the main mediums which create waysforthe fashion industry in changing our way of living by promoting branded items, apparels, footwear, jewelries and other accessories. Media has made teenagers more fashion conscious; teenage girls often try to alter the shape of their body, to make their their own identities via style, to try to look beautiful by adopting different apparel wanting to look like a beauty who appears on the screen of television or film.. 

Media always plays a role of an informative source. In the beginning it provides  limited sources of information, It has limited items and purposes. But with the passage of time it becomes more of a demand of each home and everyone in it. it is available in different types like radio, television, newspaper, magazines etc. All these types bring changes in the life of human beings. a television is a necessary element of every home or a phone/computer to watch shows on. many girls want to be up to date with fashion. Fashion shows on TV channels are a great source for such purpose. It provides all the necessary information regarding fashion apparels, fashion designs or current fashion trends without going anywhere. This facility has enabled girls to have a passion for fashion. This fondness for fashion has changed the dressing style of young girls and adopt different fashion. for example asian and Middle Eastern cultures wearing more western designs, from daily wear to even wedding dresses and other formal occasions, not just casual life.

Avant garde fashion and its political role

Avant garde fashion and its political role

Caroline Evans is professor of history and fashion theory at the Central Saint Martins School in London and published Fashion at the edge in 2003. She proposes a reflection on the work of designers such as Rei Kawakubo, Yohji Yamamoto, Martin Margiela or Viktor&Rolf, whom she defines as “experimental”, opposed to commercial, “conventional or generalist” fashion.

If the latter appears as “an ingredient of the process of civilization” (N. Elias), the “avant-garde” fashion would rather reveal a “neurotic symptom”, a resurgence of “repressed desires and anxieties” of the late 20th century. Often also referred to as “conceptual”, “anti-fashion”, or related to the notion of “deconstruction” (see the writings of Y. Kawamura or B. English), the work of Issey Miyake, Rei Kawakubo, Yohji Yamamoto, Martin Margiela, the “Antwerp Six”, or Hussein Chalayan and Helmut Lang, is very important if one chooses to focus on the political role of fashion. Finally, let us look at how their creations take a critical position through a study of the second generation of Japanese designers in Paris (Rei Kawakubo, Yohji Yamamoto), and Martin Margiela’s work.

The Japanese and the questioning of Western conventions

Respectively born in 1942 and 1943, Rei Kawakubo and Yohji Yamomoto both grew up in the context of post-war Japanese austerity, before presenting a joint collection in 1981 in Paris. Worn, torn, with impressive volumes, the clothes are associated by some critics with a “post-Hiroshima” aesthetic, an “aesthetic of poverty” (Harold Koda, American Vogue, April 1983). They specifically target two foundations of Western fashion:

1. A reassessment of the notion of perfection



First of all, they propose a reassessment of the notion of perfection. Yohji Yamomoto wants to report on the effects of time on his clothes. This is how he evokes it:

“In his lifetime, a human being ages. Similarly, textiles, which is a living material, is getting older. If they are allowed to age for a year or two, the fibres naturally tighten up and the charm of the fabric increases (…) That’s why vintage clothes sometimes make me feel fiercely jealous (…) This paradox of design is in my opinion an essential question, that I am constantly trying to solve”

To do this, he operates various processes of washing, crumpling, raw cutting. The collections of Winter 1981-1982, Summer 1984, or Winter 1984-1985 illustrate the quest for imperfection: while the first one plays with raw wool, rustic knits, the second one is inspired by photographs of August Sander’s anonymous farmers, and the last one features clothes with visible seams, coats resembling blankets, in addition to numerous raw cuts.

Rei Kawakubo, on the other hand, is looking for something new in accident. For this reason, she develops a special relationship with the machines that her team disrupts by sometimes removing a nut or computer program to vary the irregularities. But she also tries to mimic the patina on her clothes as she did in the summer of 1983. 
This re-evaluation of the notion of perfection will also take shape in their use of asymmetry. Rei Kawakubo thus diverts the garment from its primary function. Her tunics were transformed into shawls in 1981, the sleeves and buttons removed in March 1983. Yohji Yamamoto extends sleeves, shortens pants, lowers buttons, or moves pockets (Winter 1985-1986).

2. Rethinking the relationship between clothing and gender

The two designers rethink the relationship between clothing and gender. The choice of the name “Comme des Garçons” appears here as a desire to free women from clothing conventions. Rei Kawakubo develops a hostility towards the “body conscious”, no more considering clothing as intended to enhance the female forms. The Autumn-Winter 1983-1984 show is an illustration: the woman’s body is cancelled, her hips, waist, buttocks, and hair disappearing under the layers of fabric.

https://youtu.be/oVxAVSwr1ig

Yohji Yamamoto criticizes the virility that he defines as an instrument of control. He aims at deconstructing the Western male costume inherited from Savile Row. To do this, it removes or rounds off traditionally padded shoulders, moves buttons or pockets, exaggerates hems, and shortens the length of trousers.

https://youtu.be/9CEbzUsqxcY

Martin Margiela, “the ethics of style” (O. Zahm, 1994)

Launching his first collection in 1988, Martin Margiela develops general reflection on the foundations of his discipline, in particular by criticizing the notion of “new” in fashion, as well as its “spectacular” character.

1. Rethinking the time of fashion

Defined by the Situationist International (SI) as “the reuse in a new unit of pre-existing artistic elements”, the technique of “detournement” is central to capture the first aspect of Martin Margiela’s work. In this way, he introduces a critique of perpetual change by diverting old clothes and reusing some previously used materials in his craft collection. Dozens of old sandals were dedicated to making a top for Summer 2006, several old scarves for a long skirt (Summer 1992), or several military socks for a sweater (Winter 1992).
Similarly, its Replica collections (lines 4 and 14, launched in 2003 and 2004) aim to reproduce anonymous and unscratched old clothes from different historical periods. A doctor’s jacket from the 1920s was resurrected for Summer 2005, like a French costume jacket from the 1970s or an old aviator’s jacket for Winter 2005-2006. 
Martin Margiela therefore rethinks the relationship between fashion and time. It is no longer a question of running away from it in a cyclical and continuous change, but of using it as a language in its own right.

2. A critique of “fashion spectacle”

Then, the Belgian designer makes a formidable criticism of the spectacular nature of fashion. 
His propensity to dissolve into the collective contrasts radically with the cult of the individual in the 1980s fashion world, magnified by his mentor J.P. Gaultier. Anonymity appears to be the basis of his project. He does not resolve to make any public appearances, limits interviews, and leaves his labels blank until 1997. This relationship to anonymity is also visible during collection presentations. The faces of the models are covered with masks without holes in the AW 1995-1996, Winter 1998, half painted for Winter 1996-1997, or hidden under pure fringes in Winter 2000-2001.

https://youtu.be/U0hhCsc4GXQ

Priority is also sometimes given to her team, as in Summer 1998, or 1999, when she is the one who presents herself to the public.

As the second generation of Japanese, Martin Margiela is a strong critic of fashion. If the first ones aimed at challenging the Western conception of clothing around a reevaluation of the notion of perfection and a questioning of a gendered conception of the costume, the Belgian designer will defend a clothing archaeology, as well as a criticism of “the fashion spectacle”.

By studying these various works, we can clearly see to what extent fashion can also be used as a critical support.

where do fashions come from?

According to Adam Smith, the founding father of the modern economic science and liberalism, 
"It is from our disposition to admire, and consequently to imitate, the rich and the great, that they are enabled to set, or to lead what is called the fashion. Their dress is the fashionable dress; the language of their conversation, the fashionable style; their air and deportment, the fashionable behaviour. Even their vices and follies are fashionable; and the greater part of men are proud to imitate and resemble them in the very qualities which dishonour and disgrace them".

This theory is echoed by the French sociologist Pierre Bourdieu in Distinction (1979), in which he states that aesthetic preferences are "class markers", which reflect the possession of resources that are not only economical but also cultural (that explains why the "nouveaux riches" always have as much trouble as the underprivileged to understand the principles of "good taste"). 

While also echoing Adam Smith’s Trickle-down theory, Georg Simmel extends it by explaining the elite’s motivation to constantly shift towards new styles: fashion’s continuous reform comes, from the ruling classes’ will to separate themselves from the masses. Moreover, a symmetric dynamic can be found at the heart of the perpetual renewal of fashion, in the imitation of ruling classes’ clothing habits by inferior social categories, forcing the elite to adopt new styles in order to appear new again. 
This vision of fashion rests on an assumption that is nowadays widely contradicted, whereby the elites determine the shifts in fashion preferences. We can easily find examples of fashion movements which follow the opposite trajectory, going bottom up.

Blumer says that fashion movements have two specific moments of manifestation: 
*first, when the collections are presented, through fashion shows and showrooms displaying the entirety of a brand’s collection, 
*then, downstream of this presentation, when the buyers from the stores that distribute the collection make their selection. 

The fashion moments are not the result of a differentiation mechanism whose goal is to renew styles as quickly as possible in order to distinguish some parts of the social entity, but the consequence of the selection, by an expert group, of a determined amount of shapes, colors, and materials. Blumer argues that the "expert group" composed by fashion designers and buyers both present an impressive consistency of preferences, which he finds responsible for the creation of fashion movements, or, in other words, of clothing mimicry: as consumers in a specific society have access to a limited amount of styles that have been preselected by an expert group with consistent tastes, it is logical that they all dress the same. What is left to explain are the criteria according to which this double selection is made, and why it appears to be so homogenous.

Blumer excludes the idea of coordination: the "caste" of fashion designers is "secret" and competitive, as is the buyers’. Designers converge towards the same ensemble of choices, each season because they share three categories of preoccupations from which they draw their inspirations: 
the first being the history of costume, the second the immediate clothing habits, and the third the contemporary artistic production. Taking inspiration from past styles is a recurring habit of fashion designers, who were the first to read historic books regarding the story of costume published in the second part of the 19th century: traditional clothing, as well as the creations of the past decades, provides designers with an impressive catalog of images. Fashion designers have also in mind the clothing habits of their immediate contemporaries. When Blumer’s article is published, fashion has opened to ready-to-wear, and as a result, designers have to pay more and more attention to "street fashion". Here again, their job is to reinterpret, through a series of variations, outfits that they witnessed in vivo. But the most fundamental common point between designers, and, for Blumer, the main reason for the similarity of their taste lies in their "intimate familiarity with the most recent expressions of modernity". As they "engage in translating themes from these areas and media into dress designs", they establish a necessary proximity with the other fields of the contemporary creation: their work becomes the translation, in clothing language, of ideas which appeared elsewhere.

It is even more true at an age where fashion is liberated from the academism of Haute couture, mainly through the development of ready-to-wear and the emergence of youth culture. Blue jeans, for instance, are one of the most famous examples illustrating this phenomenon: originally worn by American workers of the 19th century, they are nowadays a worldwide popular uniform, available at all of society’s sections. So we need to find another candidate to explain the origin of fashion "trends". 

Herbert Blumer is one of the most famous opponents to Simmel and Smith’s common theory. He argues that the elites themselves undergo the influence of a universal drive towards novelty. For Blumer, "fashions", in the sense of clothing shifts, are the direct result of specific interactions between individuals who share similar interests and perceptions.It is the observation of "fashion stakeholders", as an "environment", and the understanding of its stakeholders subjective motivations, of their perception system as well as their tastes, that allow us to understand the origin of the convergence of preferences phenomenon.

Eventually, Blumer describes fashion creation as a "derivative" form of creation: its substance comes simultaneously from fashion history, contemporary clothing habits, and recent developments in other arts. According to Blumer, the second selection group, the buyers, doesn't share the designers’ specific choices, yet they share everything else that determines their choices: they read the same magazines, go to the same cities, restaurants, and parties, see the same movies, and take passionately interest in fashion’s twists and turns, both on the catwalk and in the streets. They are part of the same "remarkably common world of intense stimulation": their perceptual environment is identical. Based on this set of intellectual and sensorial stimulations, they anticipate the shifts of fashions and customer’s tastes: it is no wonder, thus, that their anticipations stay consistent. Blumer draws, from these empiric considerations, a general theory about the origin of fashion movements. 

According to him, "The fashion mechanism appears not in response to a need of class differentiation and class emulation but in response to a wish to be in fashion, to be abreast of what has good standing, to express new tastes which are emerging in a changing world". In other words, fashions are not the result of the preferences of the ruling classes, but the consequence of an expert selection determined by minds which are deeply aware of the style novelties: fashion designers and buyers.

Yet, Blumers’ argumentation is not faultless: the data drawn from his inquiry doesn’t seem satisfactory to accredit his general conclusions. Blumer makes an additional implicit hypothesis, which doesn’t rely on his observations, whereby the desire for novelty would be socially or anthropologically prior to the desire of domination or differentiation from other individuals. 

In other words, even if Blumer convincgly shows that fashion movements are not driven by elites, he doesn’t bring any decisive argument to the table in favor of the presence of a pre-existing, independent "fashion desire". We can also suppose that novelty is a mere instrument in order to achieve social distinction: as we observe, following Blumer, that fashions are the result of a collegial decision between specialists, we can also notice that it remains a device of class-affirmation or self-affirmation, as it is the expression of a superior economic or cultural capital. To be fashionable remains expensive, on the intellectual level as well as on the economic level.