What is Fashion?

Fashion is more than just clothing. Fashion refers to the styles, trends, and aesthetics in clothing, accessories, footwear, and overall appearance that are popular at a given time. “Fashion” typically is the newest creations made by fashion designers and are bought by only a few number of people; however, often those “fashions” are translated into more established trends. The nature of fashion is more intricate than most people realize. The Nature of fashion demands are far more complete that most people realize. A fashion professional understands that fashion apparel is a unique product, reflecting self-concept, lifestyle, change, time, and place.

Fashion is the current popular custom or style especially in dress or social conduct. Fashion as a process that integrates a system of consumer desire and as a mechanism for the fabrication of the self. If something is to be acknowledged as ‘fashionable’, it must have been adopted by a significant number of people and given social approval. Fashion acceptance in wider society is perpetuated through a range of media such as film, photography, the Internet and social media. Other traditional media, such as magazines, have grown around the concept of fashion systems and production. The personal nature of fashion is also significant and based on individual taste and choice. Healy concurs that there are a range of ‘philosophical, political, aesthetic and commercial values placed on fashion’.

What is Fashion Style?

A fashion style and fashion silhouette are sometimes confused. A fashion style is a popular form of dress which may be emebedded in particular subcultures; a fashion silhouette is a visual representation of a particular silhouette, from a particular fashion era. Fashion styles are based on silhouettes where variations in design details such as garment length, trimmings, color, fabric, etc. are added. A fashion style is something that emerges and changes gradually over a period of time in response to wider influences. The style will eventually disappear, but not before it has become extreme, vulgar or simply unfashionable. Certain features within a style may have become over-emphasised, for example, ultra-short skirt length, or tight trousers. When this style starts to be perceived as vulgar, it becomes unacceptable to many consumers. The style is then dropped in favor of one that by then will be emerging. However, experience shows that this is not a sequential ritual, but rather one of ever-emerging and waning styles that compete for dominance in the busy global fashion marketplace. The advent of the Internet, and increased forms of written and visual communication, mean that style and silhouette are constantly changing and merging. The number of possible silhouettes is obviously limited, as are the variations of styles based upon them. Styles therefore tend to be regenerated at intervals, although the length of time between generation and regeneration changes due to fluctuation in consumer markets and other lifestyle influences such as the media and current affairs.

Classification of Fashion:

The longevity of a fashion trend is a crucial concern for designers and manufacturers. A fashion trend can be either short-lived or long-lasting. Understanding this characteristic allows designers to evaluate its significance in retail inventory and market impact.

Fashion can be classified into several categories, including:

1. Style
2. Basic or classic
3. Fad
4. Fashion forecasting
5. Trends

A. Style:

Style is always constant. It does not change whereas fashion changes. Fashion is essentially a modification of style. Style is the basic outline of any garment. When elements such as a different neckline, unique sleeves, or decorative trimmings are added to a basic garment, it transforms into a distinct outfit. This modification, once accepted by the public, becomes fashion.

Trend cycles are complex. If a whole style or trend is to be regenerated, it has to have become inappropriate for the generation that originally consumed and wore it. Examples include the myriad items you may have seen your mother wearing in the family photograph album. As there is an inevitable distance in terms of both identity and experience between the generations, it is often the case that the original wearers of a style will not re-adopt it because it has become unsuitable for their current lifestyle stage. It is therefore left to a new generation of consumers.

This type of styling can also be regarded as retro, where whole elements of the style will be revived, including music, media and design artifacts. The more common form of style regeneration occurs where a consumer moves from one lifestyle stage to the next and a style they used to wear eventually returns to be worn by younger siblings.

Of course, a style will never return in exactly the same way, as technology and society will have moved on and re-framed the experience of the trend for new consumers. It may take as much as 5 to 15 years for a complete style regeneration. When this style is considered to be on trend, it may be interpreted again in many different versions, fabrics, colourways, trims, etc. until the style again reaches the saturation point.

B. Basic or Classic:

A classic cycle is really a misnomer, as all classic styles are considered to be timeless and not in need of reinterpretation. However, there are seasonal trends in elements of marketing fashion classics. An example is the highly successful brand resurgence of Burberry in the early part of this century with the designer Christopher Bailey retaining classic elements whilst incorporating trend features in the collections. Most classics were designed to fulfill practical and functional needs, so it is not surprising to find that many have their origins in military dress, for example, the trench coat, or work-wear such as denim jeans.

C. Fad:

A fad cycle is also something of a misnomer. This is a style that is so transient that it often eludes description. Fads are often found in low-price or seasonal accessories. Essentially there is an element of humour or gimmickry to the real fad. It is cheerful and curious, but not necessarily designed for the keepsake drawer! It is this element that attracts the fashion consumer. Bright prints or trims including florals, fruits and fish have all been found in fad fashion recently. Like most jokes, however, the fun is short lived and the novelty wears off quickly. These fashion fads tend to be prevalent in the ‘silly seasons’ around the end of the calendar year and the high summer periods. Check out your own photos of parties and beach gatherings, especially those posted on social media sites such as Facebook at a moment’s notice. Have you spotted some things you would rather edit out, even from last summer? Those leopard print hotpants or the dangling cherry earrings maybe? These are the times when fashion consumers are less inhibited and more likely to buy something ‘just for the fun of it’. It is the large multiple stores and online fashion e-tailers that will take the risk and target the market for these high-turnover, low-price items. Fashion cycles can be used as an aid to trend forecasting, but there are no hard and fast rules, so to understand how fashion trends are managed within the fashion industry, it is necessary to examine other aspects as part of the marketing mix.

D. Fashion Forecasting:

Fashion forecasting plays a crucial role in the fashion industry, as a newly designed garment does not automatically become fashion. When a designer creates a new outfit, it needs exposure and public acceptance to evolve into a trend. This is where fashion forecasting becomes essential. Its purpose is to ‘forecast’ what will happen 18 months to 2 years ahead of any season. This requires a degree of intelligence gathering by these companies, and this consists of looking at the latest stores, designers, brands, trends and business innovations in leading fashion capitals, such as London, Paris, New York, Milan and Tokyo. These services create a synthesis between what is happening and what they think is going to happen; much of this feels like intuition, but an experienced forecaster will understand what will happen next due to the cyclical nature of fashion, influences such as social changes, political changes, economic effects, cultural and artistic influences: all have a bearing on what will happen. Forecasting services employ designers and illustrators to realise the ‘vision’ for a given season.

Fashion designers and retailers get information about the latest fashion trends from fashion forecasters, such as Peclers, Nelly Rodi, and Promostyl, or from web-based services such as WGSN. These companies employ lots of people to find and analyse trend information from all over the world. Companies use trend forecasters because it can be quicker and cheaper than trying to find and analyse the information. Forecast companies may have websites or produce trend books that their customers will purchase and use for inspiration and information. They will give information about colours, fabrics, styling, and also lifestyle trends (how people are living and what things are important to them).

E. Fashion Trends:

To be a designer, you need to know what is happening with fashion trends. Fashion trends are shaped by a combination of creativity, global exposure, and the dynamic nature of the industry. Fashion trends often arise from collective shifts in culture, consumer behavior, or creative innovation in the fashion industry. Unlike fads, trends have the potential to last longer, sometimes evolving over months or years.

Fashion in everyday wear includes various elements such as clothing, jewelry, accessories, shoes, etc., and not every style is popular for a time. Sometimes long sleeves in a top become popular sometime mid sleeves. Several factors, including economic conditions, political influences, societal shifts, and technological advancements, all play a significant role in shaping fashion trends.

Conclusion:
Fashion classification plays a vital role in organizing and understanding the diverse styles, trends, and elements within the industry. By categorizing fashion based on characteristics like color, pattern, texture, and style, designers and consumers can make informed choices, helping shape the evolution of fashion over time. Like art, fashion is a material record of the ideals that swayed the nations at the time of their creation.

References:

[1] Sinclair, R. (2015). Textiles and fashion : materials, design and technology. In Woodhead Publishing eBooks. http://ci.nii.ac.jp/ncid/BB18427651

[2] Sumathi, G. J. (2007). Elements of fashion and apparel design. New Age International.

[3] Babu, V. R., & Arunraj, A. (2019). Fashion Marketing Management. Woodhead Publishing India in T.

[4] Jackson, T., & Shaw, D. (2000). Mastering fashion buying and merchandising management. Palgrave.

Founder & Editor of Textile Learner. He is a Textile Consultant, Blogger & Entrepreneur. Mr. Kiron is working as a textile consultant in several local and international companies. He is also a contributor of Wikipedia.

Share this Article!