Fashion Speaks Up
Fashion holds an immense power to shape history through artistic freedom of expression, and a deep understanding of humans; both physically and socially. Designers have been representing and progressing our world for centuries, and continue to do so today. From street wear, to the run way, to my classroom in the Garment District of Manhattan, the city of New York City crawls with political artistic expression through clothing, with a universal hope of spreading the unity in progression.
Although many people believe fashion is an exclusive, cut throat industry, it is one of the most inclusive, worldwide industries as Fashion Week is held in over 11 cities worldwide, including Madrid, Sao Paulo, Shanghai, and Tokyo. The industry and individual designers want to express a more accurate representation of the culture today and tomorrow. Many shows started including “real people” and some shows, such as J. Crew, cut out models completely. J.Crew had friends and family of all sizes, ethnicities, and ages represent their new clothing lines. Some shows, also including J. Crew, stopped separating menswear from women’s wear, and designer Claudia Li included a transgender model in her Spring 2017 line. Designers that influenced our culture and history, such as Christian Dior and Coco Chanel, used their socially conscious artistic eye to create clothes that defied social standards and provoked progressive change. Chanel was inspired by menswear’s boxy lines and practical sense, which led a movement to allow women’s clothing to progress as their role in the work place began to shift.
Designers today are honing in on their own skills and creativity to make bold political statements. The House of Dior walked “We should all be feminists” shirts down the run way that are now sported by every successful fashion blogger. Prabal Gurung made blatant statements on tee shirts as well, saying things such as, “The Future is Female” and “I am an Immigrant”, but there were more subliminal messages seen upon a closer look, like how he embroidered famous Susan B. Anthony Speeches on to a dress. Mochino’s creative director, Jeremy Scott, gave his front-of-house staff shirts that read “OUR VOICE IS THE ONLY THING THAT WILL PROTECT US” and the back of the shirt listed every senator and representative’s phone number.
Being able to feel this vibe flow onto the streets during New York Fashion Week was an amazing and encouraging feeling. Being able to visit the museums and take in all different forms of art, while taking design and sewing classes truly put the industry’s value and influential role into perspective. I learned the mathematical precision and the understanding of the human body that goes into every garment created, but also learned what a truly unique form of expression this art is. Fashion makes you feel things, think outside your box, and it connects people in an original and raw way to the joys and the struggles of our culture, time and time again.
