BRAINWASHED - Mode 01
Philosophy of Fashion - Georg Simmel (1) [Related Post]
Georg Simmel (1858–1918) defines ‘fashion’ as a social form balancing the tension between individual differentiation and social imitation. It acts as a non-cumulative change mechanism, allowing individuals to conform to a group while distinguishing themselves from others.
Through fashion, you can belong to a society, and at the same time, express your unique personality.
Mode or Fashion?
● Mode – a style
● Fashion – a trend
The Dual Nature of Fashion
● Conformity
● Distinction
1: Social Adaptation vs. Individual Distinction
● Imitation / Conformity
● Differentiation / Individualization
2: Stability vs. Constant Change
3: Periphery vs. Core Identity
Threat to Personality
The Fashion Cycle
phase1: Innovation
phase2: Imitation
phase3: Depreciation
phase4: Change
Return to phase1
 |
| Waterfall by M. C. Escher (1961) |
Trickle-Down Theory of Fashion
How the Trickle-Down Mechanism Works
● Imitation by the lower class
● Differentiation by the upper class
Fashion as Iron Mask
Read the full article on Aesthetica!
Further reading (sponsored by Amazon):
● Linda Welters et al. (2018). Fashion History: A Global View (Dress, Body, Culture). 245 pages. Bloomsbury Academic.
(sponsored by Amazon)
“Fashion History: A Global View” proposes a NEW perspective on fashion history! Arguing that fashion has occurred in cultures beyond the West throughout history, “Fashion History: A Global View” explores the geographic places and historical spaces that have been largely neglected by contemporary fashion studies, bringing them together for the first time!
Table of Contents
List of Illustrations
Foreword by Joanne B. Eicher
1: Introduction: Europe and the People Without Fashion
Part 1 Understanding Fashion and Its History
2: The Lexicon of Fashion
3: Fashion Systems
4: How We Got Here
Part 2 Outside the Canon: Alternative Fashion Histories
5: Fashion Systems in Prehistory and the Americas
6: Fashion Systems and Trade Networks in the Eastern Hemisphere
7: Fashion Systems in East, South, and Southeast Asia
8: Alternative Fashion Histories in Euro-America
9: Global Fashion
10: Conclusion
Bibliography
Index
