FASHION RELATED WRITING
The issue/idea that many people have, of only wearing clothes one time and not recycling/re-wearing inspires me to be able to work on that issue one day. I believe in sustainability and I hate the idea of fast fashion and so I think the pressure of following trends to maintain a status is incredibly harmful. It is something I see a lot and I don’t understand why since I believe that the best way to stand out is to appear different from every else, especially since every person is individual and unique.
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Existence of conflicts because of ignorance towards different cultures (cultural appropriation). Often, items of clothing/accessories have spiritual or religious meaning when they are inspired by a certain culture and so copying them is a form of forgery especially when the designers haven’t asked for permission for the use of the images/designs. This is also a problem when people wear traditional clothing as costumes for fancy dress, Halloween etc. because often it is inspired by a culture that has been historically oppressed and exploited.
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Another issue I am passionate about is sexism. Famous fashion faces like Bella Freud say that equal pay is a problem, Stella McCartney says Paternity leave should be more common and Maternity leave should be seen less as a thing women do because they’re ‘not as serious about their work’. Many women designers design the clothes that they want to wear. Whereas a lot of male designers have a ‘far-flung’ approach to fashion and are treated with a reverence that women aren’t and to me, this is neither fair nor logical.
The Cost of Your New T-shirt
When you discover a new clothing store and fill your basket with items that cost under £5 each, it is easy to think you are saving money and often it can feel amazing to bag a bargain. But does the dress you just bought for £4.50 really cost that? There are so many factors that determine the true ‘cost’ of something; is cost always money?
Seeing a cheap price is attractive however if you want to only wear the item once, or even worse, you CAN only wear it once because it falls apart after one wear- is it worth it? According to figures from the United Nations Environment Programme, ‘it takes 3,781 litres of water to make a pair of jeans’. That totals to the emission of about 33.4 kilograms of carbon equivalent. When something is cheap, consumers can afford to have a ‘disposable wardrobe’ and this signifies that 85% of all textiles end up going to the tip every year. It is another issue that washing some types of (cheaper) clothes sends thousands of particles of plastic into the ocean (McFall-Johnson, 2019).
Not only does fast fashion harm the environment, often the working conditions it has been manufactured in are equally dangerous. A consumer can swing recklessly between what is “cheap” and what is “ethical,” and this is the reason many people choose to remain blind to the problems of the fashion industry. Today, ‘sweatshops are a structural feature of the industry’ (Montero, 2011). When the term ‘sweatshop’ first appeared, this meant ‘dispersed workspaces, where they employed workers whom they compensated poorly with low wage’ (Len, 2017). Throughout the 20th century, the term transformed to be ‘fully-fledged factories, denoting primarily low standard working conditions in the manufacturing stage of globalised supply chains’. Often it is even undocumented immigrants looking to make money and improve their way of life that end up working in these sweatshops, but at the end of the day it's a matter of questioning the value of a human life. Whether documented or not, do we care about these people? Does the average consumer — the target demographic of the fast fashion industry — care that their trendy new boots were paid for with pennies, putting a literal dollar value on a worker's life? Or does that almost too-good-to-be-true price point make it worth it?
There is a way to enjoy fashion whilst decreasing the harmful and ugly ‘behind the scenes’. For example, online merchants such as Depop are becoming increasingly popular where lower costs can meet higher ethics. Instead of purchasing a cheap and low quality garment from a fast fashion brand, consumers can find the same, or similar on Depop, preloved! It is also an amazing way to discover and support small businesses that actually take pride in sustainability. Some companies that aren’t based around preloved clothing are also taking responsibility for the way their clothes are made. Kozlowski (2019) declares that ‘smaller brands are starting to use strategies like producing made-to-order, so they are not making more than what is sold.’ Changes in ‘working conditions, support communities and empowering their workers’ (Lejuene, 2018), are ways some fast-fashion brands are tackling the issue (not just through the clothing itself).The ‘circular production model’ is one approach certain brands are taking towards sustainability. This works by totally recycling the end product in order to rework it back to its original fibres so it can be used again (Lejeaune, 2018). However, care still needs to be taken when brands such a Zara promise to use only sustainable fabrics (which is very encouraging), but they don’t see that converting to these fabrics while still using the same fast-fashion model cannot make a trader sustainable; low costs and fast production are why labour issues like sweatshop conditions still exist.
Every year the fashion industry uses 93 billion cubic meters of water fabricating clothing- enough to meet the consumption needs of five million people. This results in another substantial issue which is in the way brands still manufacture using blended fabrics. A lot of garments continue to be made this way, and usually it’s polyester-cotton being intertwined when the incapability exists to break those two fibres down again. If we’re trying to work towards a sustainable future, the greatest thing manufacturers can do is fabricate garments that are only one material. These materials can be recycled, and then natural fabrics like cotton and wool can be decomposed in addition to this (Raeburn, no date).
Finally, we, as consumers, need to make a conscious effort—or even a promise—to stop buying fast fashion! This is the only way manufacturers will understand that the public do actually care about horrible working conditions, low ethics and the terrible, irreversible affect the fashion industry is having on the planet.
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Linguistic Revival
Linguistic Revival is an attempt to halt or reverse the decline of a language or to revive an extinct one (Pine and Turin 2017). UNESCO (2018) wrote an Agency Report based around languages, estimating that one becomes extinct every two weeks. They add that “at least 43 per cent of the estimated 6,000 languages spoken in the world are endangered”.
Why is this interesting to research?
The world is becoming ever more connected. While technology has been a homogenising force, at the same time it’s allowing diversity to flourish in digital language archives and tech-powered learning tools (Future 100, 2019). This important to look at since homogenisation affects culture so much. Although I believe that the revival of a language is important, I think that the conservation of a culture is more so. “Culture is the ideas, customs, and social behaviour of a particular people or society; it is a blueprint or framework that allows people to act in ways deemed socially acceptable” (Mirzoeff, 2005). Miller (2005) and Scruton (2004) state that these are elements of a culture: (check appendix 1). This is my idea, which I will then research it through ethnography (becoming the person).
Capitalism
I will look at Ritzer’s (2009) theory which states that “the worker continues to be exploited in consumer capitalism” however, he continues that this is a “progressively important source of capitalist success and profit in that economic system.” He states in ‘Globalisation: A Basic Text’ that our system is run “by the few with the few”. The majority of us can’t have an opinion and are either not helped or are affected negatively.
Capitalism and Globalisation
Capitalism also exists meaning there is an over-powering sense of profit from private owners rather than by the state. “The globalisation of capitalism has disadvantaged those people and places marginal to the capitalist development process” (Pathione, 1997). A specific culture that has been affected by this is Indian culture. However, this has actually been a positive change as schools and the educations systems were modernised and improved by British rulers. The most obvious impact comes from having access to the internet- the World Wide Web, social media, and even satellite television exposed Indian society to global practices, trends, fashions, values, and everything else that they otherwise might not have experienced (Bose, 2014). However, in some cases this caused Indian people to think and act differently which causes conflict between generations; many of their age-old traditional beliefs, values and practices came under threat. Many Indian people have developed a westernised lifestyle; its impact is felt even in folk culture and performing arts (Bose, 2014). I could argue that losing such traditions and cultural aspects removes authenticity and encourages the whole world to look and act the same way. Due to language being entwined with identity, culture and heritage, this leads to more than just a loss of words.
The main effects of globalisation have been: the huge change of traditional religions and belief systems, and the breakdown of the traditional social frameworks and shared norms by consumerism and cyber-culture. As well as worldwide economic integration (which I will mention later) and the beginning of a borderless global market, globalisation also includes widespread changes on the social, cultural and political fronts (Wani, 2011).
Western Culture
Sender (2020) says the Indian cosmetics market is thriving, fuelled by increasing demand from the youth population and the acceptance of Western culture and lifestyle trends. “Western culture refers to a heritage of social norms, ethical values, traditional customs, belief systems, political systems, and specific artefacts and technologies that have some origin or association with Europe.” (Dawson and Olsen, 1961). Capitalism is the main vehicle for western culture (which is globalisation). Globalists consider globalisation an increasingly powerful phenomenon, which, amongst other things, has lead to the decline of the nation-state. The instinct (hardwired into humans) results in the spread of globalisation (Ritzer, 2010).
Culture and Language
Daniel Everett, an anthropological linguist, has observed that language itself appears to be a cultural invention. For Everett (2012), language is a tool, moulded, and honed by culture. Everything has become so Americanised and even foreign languages spoken in England and America are overshadowed by the English language since they need to interact with English-only speakers- this has made every culture the same! “The whole fucking world is going 100% American,” Henry Miller (2014) wrote. For example, Starbucks on every corner of the street. “Despite tea's deep roots in Chinese culture, China has embraced the Western ritual of drinking coffee” (CBS, 2019).
There still exists pockets of tribes that hold that culture in their pure form. The term tribe is used in many different contexts to refer to a category of human social group (Helm, 1968). Within different cultures exist social groups and specific ways that the community distinguish themselves from other cultures.
Elliot and Wattanasuwan (1998) suggest; “development of individual self identity is inseparable from the parallel development of collective social identity” (Shankar 200, p3). Now we are experiencing postmodern communities known as tribes.
Ethnography of Curry Mile (observations)
I wanted to experience the culture myself so I tasted the food, tried on the clothing (although I couldn’t film) and listened to languages (sensory ethnography). I carried out an ethnography (as described by Atkinson and Hammersley, 2007), exploring nature of particular social phenomena.
I had a look at the location of their store, the types of things they sold, the customers they interact with, etc. Almost all of the people I spoke to said they only ever interact with others of the same nationality. There is huge variety of languages spoken in Manchester. The community languages with the largest number of speakers in Manchester are Urdu, Arabic, Chinese, Bengali, Polish and Panjabi (Matras, 2013).
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Netnography
When looking into western culture (what I mentioned earlier), I found a thread on Reddit about things people do in the UK that come across as strange to others. They asked: “Why are young people so obsessed with expensive branded clothes?”; “why the first friend I got here asked immediately what is my sexuality?” And “why is everyone so sensitive about opinions and facts?” This is an example of a difference in cultures that is so noticeable that it could cause tensions and disagreements.
I carried out a short questionnaire on Instagram because I know that using social media is an effective way to gather people’s opinions. “Today’s digital natives are increasingly influenced by the things they see and experience across social media platforms” (The WGSN Content Team, 2015) and so I was more likely to collect more opinions on social media than on a separate website (where people have to go out of their way).
Interviews
I interviewed students that spoke a second language and asked them the benefits of this and favourite parts of their culture; I wanted to research just how much diversity exists in Manchester. According to Wood (2017), the fashion industry is attempting to counter hostility towards immigrants since the Brexit vote. “There is a wave of racism and xenophobia sweeping the world, said Delhi-born designer Ashish. In my eyes, a world without immigration would be boring and grey. After the research and interviews I conducted, I came to the conclusion that although Manchester is multicultural, a lot of people either don’t know about the different cultures, or they try to hide them in a bid to fit in. Actually, Identities change depending on cultural, socio-economic and political circumstances (because they are constructed socially) so it isn’t surprising that this happens within immigrant societies (Chako, 2018).
Film Deconstruction:
According to Nichols’ (2011) Six Modes of Documentary Film, I created a participatory film, portraying the relationship between the filmmaker and audience, exploring lived experience of the subject. The reason I chose this mode of film was because I wanted the subject of my film to be comfortable and I didn’t want our conversation to seem forced.
There exist three levels of culture, signified by quality and measured by visuals, intelligence, and standards of morality. These are “superior” or “refined” culture, “mediocre” culture, and “brutal” culture’ (Shils, 1961: 4). For thinkers who accepted these terms, there was a responsibility to categorise (and discriminate) so as to protect human achievements and values (Tudor, 1999). This is what I was trying to avoid by making my film; creating something that celebrates a culture rather than giving it a hierarchy.
I wanted to infuse the use of culture in a similar way as some documentaries and informative videos I watched. Foreign languages are often used in advertisements in which the product advertised is corresponds to the language, or the country where the language is spoken. An example of this is an advertisement for perfume that uses French as a foreign language is (Nederstigt, U and Hilberink-Schulpen, B., 2018). The idea that associations are made is what I wanted to focus on as a creative influence for my film; I used Indian-style music, visuals and language.
The film I created was a product of my research made in a documentary-style capturing natural and authentic conversation. The reason I chose this topic was because I wanted to be able to capture how different cultures are affected by the British culture (for better or worse), especially focusing on Indian Culture. Sometimes it can be hard to notice different cultures when they are overshadowed by British culture and so my film is portraying these pockets of culture that exist.
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My Concept
My film can be understood in two ways: a representation of cultures, and raising awareness of the benefits of understanding different cultures and integrating with them. After speaking to people that I know, it became clear that Curry Mile isn’t somewhere they would spend time on, or even walk down at all (usually drive through it). I wanted to create a interesting, documentary-style video that shows Curry Mile and maybe encourages people that aren’t of Asian descent to visit. I filmed people that I think represent this community well and the languages they speak represent a world that many aren’t part of. I wanted to explore how globalisation affects our world but there still exists hidden communities that conserve their culture. In my opinion this is very important because slowly everything is becoming Americanised and diversity is lost.
In terms of Indian culture, “There is a tremendous link to the UK,” states Georges Berzcal (2019). Additionally, David Perrotta warns that UK retail is not yet geared up for Indian shoppers. He proposes methods as simple as awareness by making sure shop assistants engage with Indian shoppers in the store, taking an interest in their country and in their backgrounds. He adds that cultural training for staff can increase average transaction values by 35%. This is the approach I took when creating my video, talking to the clients and shop owners about their culture.
The way I planned it was based around films that inspired me and I created a story board to help picture what it would entail.
What went well?
My film turned out almost exactly how I imagined it (layout wise) however a major obstacle I had to overcome was the difficulty of finding people willing to be filmed. However, I managed to get a get quite a few sound recordings which deemed useful for a voiceover. I am really happy with how the audio effects work in relation to the visuals. It took me a while to figure out how to edit the sound so that the speech was clear, but the music was also heard along with background noises (to portray authenticity). Also, I used my phone to film as I didn’t want people to act differently if they saw a camera; I also wanted the footage to seem casual and like a vlog rather than a promotional video or advertisement.
I didn’t use the interviews of the university students as I decided it would be more effective to focus on one culture (the Indian culture) and avoid my film becoming confusing.
What I would have done differently
Finally, if I were to film this again, I would persevere and find more people that agreed to be filmed- this was the hardest part! Another thing is I would visit other cultural locations (not just Curry Mile). Additionally, I would make my film slightly more educational including things like statistics and facts.
Conclusion:
How I researched my topic
In conclusion, I researched my chosen topic mainly using primary research as I believed this would be the most authentic and effective way of finding out what I set out to investigate. I found out that the commentary supports my idea, especially since most of the people I interviewed were in agreement. According to the Future 100 (2019),
“language is intertwined with culture, heritage and identity”
therefore, I wanted to use this to depict my idea in the film. The significance of using language in my film was to portray diversity, especially after reading this in the Future 100.
How was my film impactful?
I set out to research the effect of culture and the danger of its ‘extinction’ when overshadowed by an overpowering British lifestyle. My concept was keeping culture alive and discovering where it exists and capturing this on film. My idea was that if people are able to see parts of Curry Mile (that they would never usually visit), this could encourage integration. “Economic integration leads to a strengthening of the supranational institutions, and eventually to political integration along federalist lines. Integration has often been identified with positive values like social protection and the correction of market failures.” (Majone, 2005)
Brand Bible
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Culture is  the ideas, customs, and social behaviour of a particular people or society; it  is a blueprint or framework that allows people to act in ways deemed socially acceptable. Culture is underpinned by ideologies which are shared values, beliefs and ideas that guide our behaviour. Ideologies mould what we consider to be beautiful (and not beautiful.) As John B. Thompson notes, the concept of ideology “first appeared in late eighteenth-century France” and has come to mean “‘systems of thought’, ‘systems of belief’ or ‘symbolic systems’ which pertain to social action or political practice.’”
Ideologies become normalised through marketing and advertising- what we believe to be beautiful is essentially a social construct. For example, Martin Margiela (a Belgian designer) extended the deconstruction concept one step further by combining things that did not necessarily belong together. Instead of sticking to ‘perfection’, he completely shattered its illusion wondering ‘why should the ‘finished’ product be finished at all? Do frayed edges, unravelling hems or underlining that is not hidden constitute a threat to the aesthetics of beauty?’. This was written in a 2011 article by English.
Ideology opportunities are what brands see and use to become successful. Think about issues relating to gender and sexuality and how they have increasingly been in the spotlight. P&G took this opportunity to come across as authentic and by doing so, gained more clients. With its phenomenally successful ‘Like a Girl’ campaign, it took this one step further with ‘We See Equal’ – a campaign designed to fight gender bias and work towards equality for all. Another example is  in 2016, Burt’s Bees launched a wildly successful “bring back the bees” campaign to raise awareness of the worldwide decline in bee populations. The Burt’s Bees brand is about being 100% transparent. The company’s philosophy is that we should treat our skin, and the world we live in, with care. Right now, sustainability and looking after our planet is so important that the company would be a fool not to make the most of this ideology. 
Tensions
Cultural Orthodoxy is whatever is the norm of a specific category. Cultural tensions that exist in our world right now seem to surround us and come up often in conversations. Tensions can occur when people don’t agree with the ideas of beauty and since, according to The Guardian, there are 7 modes of beauty, it can be hard to truly say what is beautiful and what isn’t due to cultural shifts. Jones says they are extravagant, transgressive, emergent, transformative, ethereal, intricate and elemental. Alexander McQueen is an example of a designer portraying beauty in an orthodox way. There is even the idea that Anti-Beauty exists: ‘Images of mutated bodies, digital disfigurements and face-altering makeup is creeping up across social media and beyond. “There’s an anti-beauty movement going on” explains Bunny Kinney, 2018.
For example, xenophobia is a huge issue at the moment: In 2013, Baofu wrote a book with the intentions of “fundamentally change[ing] the way that we think about migration in relation to Sameness, Otherness, and identity, from the combined perspectives of the mind, nature, society, and culture.”
 
Another example is how fashion has been democratized through high-low collaborations, social media and real-time fashion mediation, complicating the basic dynamic of identity displays, and creating tension between personal statements and social performances. This is explained in Fashioning Identity: Status Ambivalence in Contemporary Fashion by Mackinney-Valentin (2017).  
Introduce Brand
So what does my brand do? My clients get styled based upon their background, their hobbies, books they like etc. The ‘outer package’ needs to match the ‘inner package’. The aim is to make people more ‘realistic’; a lot of people think beauty is truth and authenticity. This is exactly the ideology that I used when creating this brand- the idea that being true to yourself will make you the most beautiful you can be. The reason I created this brand was exactly because of tensions I observed (which I spoke about previously).
My Tension
Consequently, the cultural tension that inspired my brand was the idea that people can dress how they want or that clothes act as armour. Although I do agree with this (to an extent), mainly I think clothes are a way to portray your personality and so you should dress authentically. The tensions exist in designers who say that everyone should have the opportunity to wear what they want and be who they want to be but I think wearing a ‘uniform’ only conforms to social standards. 
Donatella Versace said “Size doesn't mean, really, anything. You can carry your size with pride and dress in a way that you like". Donna Karan said "Age and size are only numbers…It's the attitude you bring to clothes that make the difference." An example of this  is the famous leather  skirt Kanye West is pictured wearing during a performance. Another is Jaden Smith ignoring normative modes of gender.  Both West and Smith gave the public something to think about. West even said he credits that one time he wore a (divisive) leather Givenchy kilt as the moment he ‘crossed over’. Jaden Smith says “I feel like people are kind of confused about gender norms...I’m just saying that I’ve never seen any distinction.”
What are brands?
A brand is a type of product manufactured by a particular company under a particular name; it is a name, term, design or symbol. According to Douglas Holt, he defines brands as cultural resources. They produce and express culture and are tools we can use to change culture and change ideologies.
Symbolism
I believe that if a customer isn’t happy with the service they received, I should offer either a full refund or another styling package. This is because I know that if my clients are happy and satisfied, they will come to me time after time; if not, I will lose out on business. An example is Ben and Jerry’s who aren’t just concerned with making ice cream; they care about doing business in a way that benefits everyone. They talk about ‘Missions’ and are super transparent about their company. Another is Virgin and their colourful depictions of their six values.
 Tell a Story
4 years ago, I came up with the idea of this brand after struggling with the idea of wearing what I wanted to wear or wearing what I thought people wanted to see. The concept behind this brand is that the way we dress directly reflects our personality and so I wanted to create a service that helps clients ‘wear their personality’, naming it ‘Call Me Stylish’. According to Vaus, brands with meaningful heritage and a compelling story stand the test of time. Rather than focusing on fads, they have a loyal fan base.
Call Me Stylish wants its clients to feel happier and more comfortable in their skin and so conveys the message ‘Wear Your Personality’.  I chose this name based around the idea of a styling service that is personal, and easy to use. For example, you can get in touch by ‘calling- in the same why you would call a friend! The use of ‘me’ relates both to the customer/client but also in partnership with ‘call’ to create a phrase that conveys a personal, intimate service. Therefore, I want the mood of my brand to be friendly and warm. This is achieved using a branded experience... 
Experience
Based on Campaign’s 5 key future trends writtem by Degun, Arrigo and Benjamin, I have created a branded experience for my business. Firstly, my brand creates a multi-sensory experience: this is conveyed through the sense of sight and sound. Advertisements for my brand always have our signature instrumental in the background- just enough to make associations and the graphics for my brand will always use my brand’s signature colour palettes. I want to make an experience memorable that clients can associate with the styling service- hopefully returning because of their satisfaction. 
 
In order to gain insight on the overall vibe of my brand (and store), I created an experience that can be likened to a show. On the launch of my brand, I sent out a promotional film through all forms of social media advertising how our service makes people feel, ending in the date of an event in-store. The event was an extravagant show with celebrity endorsement (just as a one off as I don’t believe in using influencers- which I will explain later): The 1989 McCracken model explained the effectiveness of celebrity endorsers. First, when a celebrity endorses a product in an advertisement, the audience forms associations. Eventually, in the consumption phase, the meaning is transferred from the product to the consumers.
By providing a branded experience, clients can be more satisfied and engage more with my brand: Belk et al. 1989 states that  “Given our disenchantment with everyday, ordinary life, branded, aesthetic consumption experiences now fulfil the human need to believe in something more powerful, extraordinary and transcendent than oneself.” Rituals encourage a sense of connection and Rook, 1985 describes ritual as a highly expressive and symbolic form of embodied performance that is dramatically scripted.
Exchange (gift giving) is a large part of our lives at the moment and I want my brand to be seen as something that can be given as a gift without the worry of insulting somebody’s style; sometimes buying somebody new clothes can be understood as a dig at their style. My brand can help people realise their real selves and so the idea of giving the service as a gift is to give someone a chance to see a ‘different’ them that can sometimes become hidden behind a costume worn to please society. According to Candy, a good gift should be an ‘investment buy, gorgeous and a collectable piece you hold on to for ever’ and my brand fits that criteria perfectly.
Possession enables customers to take ownership- this can fall under co-creation which I will mention shortly.
Divestment is how consumption changes and can destroy meaningful properties
Grooming is very important for my brand as a lot of people use my service when they have an event coming up which they need to feel confident about and put particular effort into.
Additionally, there are 4 types of consumption meaning which prove essential for my brand:
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Utilitarian- linked to the quality of my brand and its service
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Hedonic- how my brand is associated with a specific feeling (confidence)
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Social- customers using my brand as social communication
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Sacred- my brand can resonate with a person’s deeper sense of self after they have been styled!
A traditional ticketed experience ensures the feeling of exclusivity that sadly has been replaced by the notion of a ‘free for all’ with many brands that comes as a plus to their idea of inclusivity; unfortunately, when you make a brand that is suitable for everyone, consequently, it is also suitable for no one, said Carr, 2016. For my brand, there isn’t particularly a ‘ticket’ needed, but clients that want to use the service have to fill out a questionnaire which becomes almost like a fact file about them to help us style them.
Co-creation
Co-creation is a huge part of running a successful business meaning that I needed to create a meaningful dialogue inviting consumers to be part of my brand’s world otherwise co-creation would be meaningful. My brand collaborates with consumers to create shared significance that both sides can take advantage from. For example, recently I asked the public (on social media and in person) what part of them shapes them the most to help further personalise my service. Additionally, this helps the public realise that my brand cares about their opinions and also wants to know more about them. Social disruption (which is the alteration, dysfunction or breakdown of social life) takes place in shape of treating the consumer as a collaborator which in turn makes them feel important and valued. This also gives my brand a sense of personalisation because it conveys that every-day people can influence it.
The 2004 DARTT Model by Prahalad and Ramaswamy talks about how the market can be seen as a forum with many points of interaction.  According to Research recently conducted by wiki, in conjunction with YouGov, ‘half of consumers feel they have little to no opportunity to collaborate with their favourite brands online.’ For example, Kraft Food asked fans to design print ads for its Mini-Oreo cookies. Brands cherish advocates that will not only continue to buy their product, but will also be enthusiastic to share their story with others.
Aesthetics (which are visual and sensory constituents) need to be appropriate for each brand. Mintel Trend Buydeology 2019 discusses how consumers are affiliating themselves with companies that share their cultural and ideological values. This will impact purchase decisions, as consumers will gravitate towards items that fit-in with their aesthetic, making the transition from online to real life seamless. Therefore, my brand’s online presence (as well as in-store) needs to be aesthetic! My brand has a website and is on all forms of social media using a palette of neutral, warm colours for all online outputs. Additionally, the store is also very minimal using the same colour palettes too; I believe that minimalism will be most likely to fit with all the clients style as it can be moulded to each individual (because it is basically a blank canvas).
 
This is where the use of technology comes in- is very important because of the cultural shift that has occurred between the brand and consumer. It encourages audience collaboration and co-creating. Social media is also a big factor as it is way that my brand’s clients can advertise my brand since anything posted online can be communicated to other people- technically it can be seen by anyone.
A similar styling service I found was Thread.com where customers are asked to register their personal details. The site then suggests a range of outfits created with a mix of artificial intelligence and input from a team of personal stylists. Although the foundations are similar to my own brand, the difference is that my brand takes place in-store and face-to-face. The result is extensively different and much more effective and authentic when my team and I meet with a client. It is important for me to understand what the prevailing trends in our culture are in order for my brand to be successful. Kemp suggests that we are starting to realise that social media is great in small doses, but potentially damaging if we give into our impulses to stalk, lurk, binge and creep on each other for addictive hours every day.
Another is that people are increasingly being encouraged to discover their own adventurous experiences, whether in travel, dining, luxury, leisure, fashion with the rise of extreme survival holidays and experiences.
Finally, Canopy Insight states that we have seen a huge increase in awareness and acceptance of gender fluid and trans identities in 2019, with an increase in visibility and understanding.
Having evangelist clients is very important for a brand like mine because I don’t believe in the use of influencers. Patel quotes ‘A brand evangelist is a person who believes in your product or service so fervently that he or she aggressively promotes it to others. Guy Kawaski is one of the most notable brand evangelists: According to his website, ‘Guy did not invent secular evangelism, but he popularized it. This goes back to 1983 and his work with the Macintosh Division of Apple.’ This is what makes my brand different to most.  I believe this is how social media becomes harmful and people harbour unrealistic standards of how they should look. Therefore, I want my brand to be advertised by real, authentic people- not influencers. Patel continues, ‘It’s compelling, because true evangelists are authentic and honest.’
I believe that my brand is successful because out of all the similar brands I have researched into, it is the only one that offers such an intimate and personalised service in-store. Most styling services take place online and without the face-to-face meeting, I believe it is hard to give my clients my best treatment. However, in order to further stand out from the other existing brands, I have to keep proving my brand’s authenticity as I think it is obvious (and a lot of the public are starting to notice) that other brands try to appear transparent and authentic in order to do well. This is not the case with my brand; I believe that being truly authentic will build my clientele without the need to force it as I really do care about what I do. I also plan on increasing my team to meet a quicker service time (as it seems people are always in a rush- think fast food and fast fashion).
 
Within creating this brand, I have also created a social disruption which is what makes my brand memorable. Through social disruption, my brand has changed culture (for the better) and I will carry on doing this until shallow brands are no more!  
The relation between globalisation and the wearer in fashion between the 19th and 21st century.
This essay examines the relation between globalisation and the wearer in fashion between the 19th and 21st century. Globalisation is about continuity and change; this particular time frame will be looked into because it is interesting to see just how much has changed. Overall, the chosen theory for this essay is sociological, used to underpin research carried out throughout; focusing on how and why human societies- or elements or structures of such societies- ‘come to be formed, change, and develop over time or disappear.’ How social life ideally ‘ought to be’. (Harrington, 2005); this theory will bring awareness of consumer’s expectation/desires.
Globalisation is “the increasing interconnectedness and independence of societies around the world, as media and culture, consumer goods, and economic interests spread globally” (Tomley et al.,2015). Some say ‘globalization represents free trade which promotes global economic growth; creates jobs, makes companies more competitive, and lowers prices for consumers’ (Collins, 2015). A number of world historians believe globalisation began in 1492 and 1498. However, ‘there is abundant evidence supporting the view that a very big globalisation bang took place in the 1820s’ (O'Rourke, K. et al, 2002). The Oxford English Dictionary (2010) defines a society as the “aggregate of people living together in a more or less ordered community” and the particular society this essay will focus on is the UK population and the differentiation between classes and gender.
Starting with fast fashion (and how it came about) and some of Marx’ ideas, this essay will link it to the influence of media (magazines, television, music and more) on fashion and conspicuous consumption (Veblen, 1996). Culture, which affects globalisation, has been known to influence fashion greatly so the question is, if it were not for globalisation, how different would the fashion industry be now?
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Fast fashion plays a tremendous part in the fashion industry and it all started in the 1980s; at this point, globalisation was already occurring. Originally, fast fashion was about speeding up production, reducing the time taken to go from the design to the final product on shelves (Lejeune, 2018). As an answer to the high demand of new clothing from the wearer, “quick response” manufacturing techniques started to appear and fast fashion emerged in the 1980s. ‘The rapid spread of fast fashion started when Zara, which pioneered the fast-fashion model, opened its first US store in 1989.’ (Bain, 2015). Many other stores started to adapt to fit the growing market for fast fashion, which expanded throughout the 1990s (Ledezma, 2017).
Fast-fashion brands produce new, low-priced styles that entice trend-seekers into their stores. Unfortunately, this comes at a price; quickly making clothing in large quantities can save money, but if these items do not all sell, that fabricates waste. The encouragement of customers to buy whenever there are new trends means old clothes are just being discarded (Masunaga, 2019). Allegedly, the key pushers of the globalisation of the clothing industry are international clothing traders and it is via global sourcing that they boost globalisation, therefore increasing the deliverance of manufacturing jobs from the West (Gereffi, 2005). Thus, if fast fashion decreases, less globalisation will occur in terms of fashion (influencing trends, partnerships with manufacturers in different countries, etc.). “Western culture refers to a heritage of social norms, ethical values, traditional customs, belief systems, political systems, and specific artefacts and technologies that have some origin or association with Europe.” (Dawson and Olsen, 1961). Capitalism is the main vehicle for western culture (which is globalisation). The main effects of globalisation have been: the huge change of traditional religions and belief systems, and the breakdown of the traditional social frameworks and shared norms by consumerism and cyber-culture (which affect ‘the wearer’). As well as worldwide economic integration and the beginning of a borderless global market, globalisation also includes widespread changes on the social, cultural, and political fronts (Wani, 2011).
Clothes reflect personality and life itself takes place in clothes, and that the making of, caring for, passing on and wearing of clothes is infused with our sense of self, and registered in beautifully intimate ways, by the wearer and those around them (Bari, 2012). So, if clothes are made to be thrown away after one wear (fast fashion), there will be no memories capsulated in them. Ultimately, if a garment is made to withstand only a couple months of wear — it is a massive waste of resources (Kozlowski, 2019). Bari (2012) quotes that “Old, favoured clothes can be loyal as lovers, when newer ones dazzle then betray us, treacherous in our moments of greatest need.” Shakespeare knew this. King Lear grandly insists to ragged Poor Tom that: “Through tattered clothes great vices do appear;/ Robes and furred gowns hide all” (Shakespeare, 1606).
Today, ‘sweatshops are a structural feature of the industry’ (Montero, 2011). When the term ‘sweatshop’ first appeared, this meant ‘dispersed workspaces, where they employed workers whom they compensated poorly with low wage’ (Len, 2017). Throughout the 20th century, the term transformed to be ‘fully-fledged factories, denoting primarily low standard working conditions in the manufacturing stage of globalised supply chains’. Leslie (2018) states that although ‘the wearer’ is gaining awareness of this, since the clothing is cheap, that is all they care about- “Underneath fashion lies exploitation”. Engels, a German philosopher (among other things) understood the textile industry well, as his father manufactured cotton- he presented Marx, another German philosopher, with the terrible details: In mid-nineteenth century Britain, men, women, as well as children laboured at a very cheap rate in the cotton mills, six days a week (Leslie, 2018). The Factory Acts endeavoured to limit some of the worst practices in 1850 however some trades were not included in the legislation, Marx (1978) stated.
In those days, the wealthier classes wore fashion but poorer people just wore clothes- ‘as cheap and shoddy as those that sell as ‘fast fashion’ now buyable on high streets’ (Leslie, 2018). Veblen (1899) stated that “A cheap coat makes a cheap man” ... A contrasting idea is that clothing is ‘not only fashionable, but it is also a socially produced universal need and, as such, it participates in the dialectic of production and consumption’ (Marx, 1939). Production has meaning only once the object is consumed, by subjects. In Grundrisse (1939:70), Marx expresses that ‘a garment becomes a real product, a real garment only in becoming worn out, being consumed’ … ‘Consumption creates the motive for production; it also creates the object which is active in production as its determinant aim.’ (Leslie, 2018)
How is fast fashion addressing the negatives? Although Zara’s promise to use only sustainable fabrics is encouraging, converting to these fabrics while still using the same fast-fashion model cannot make a trader sustainable; low costs and fast production are why labour issues like sweatshop conditions still exist; this is also the reason why ‘the wearer’ keeps investing in the industry. However, Kozlowski (2019) declares that ‘other, smaller brands are starting to use strategies like producing made-to-order, so they are not making more than what is sold.’ Changes in ‘working conditions, support communities and empower[ing][their] workers’ (Lejuene, 2018), are ways some fast-fashion brands are tackling the issue (not just through the clothing itself).The ‘circular production model’ is an approach some brands are taking towards sustainability. This works by totally recycling the end product in order to rework it back to its original fibres so it can be used again (Lejeaune, 2018).
Nevertheless, fast fashion can be seen as an attractive process to ‘the wearer’ due to its early identification of customer desires and quick turnaround time. The use of ‘data feedback loops’ make sure that the correct capacity of clothing is brought to market, meeting customer demand; this avoids ‘stock-outs’ or ‘margin crucifying discounts’ (Russel, 2019). This section of the essay covered where sweat shops originated (and why) and Marx’ views on the sweating system. Additionally, fast fashion was looked at and how it is changing today. In the next paragraph, it will become obvious how media affects fashion and what types of media have the most influence and why.
After fast fashion has created its poorly made clothes, the media advertises them. Media affects why and how people buy clothing due to its ability of ‘communicating the message’ (Barnard, 1996). According to Solomon and Rebolt (2004) fashion is directly influenced by a person’s peer group and depends heavily on a situation- it is a ‘behavioural phenomenon’. When Ritzer wrote in Sociology of Consumption: Fast Food Restaurants, Credit Cards and Casinos (2001), about the spectacle (McDonaldization, in this case) he says it ‘reaches the population through the growth of the worldwide media and advertising, the appearance of new means of consumption and the spectacular images associated with them.’ (Ritzer, 2001:188), just like what will be mentioned later.
A ‘global style’ (Kaiser, 1999) which intertwines cultures and crosses borders is created when images of fashion make their way around the world on platforms such as television, magazines, music videos and the internet- ready for ‘the wearer’ to buy. Lots of cultures like African, Asian, and Western share style and other elements creating interesting trends and clothing (Rabine, no date), often conveyed through fast fashion and if it were not for media, this would be a rarity or not possible at all. Globalisation of culture is defined as the ‘acceleration of integration between nations through the development of modern means of transportation, economic relations, and the formation of transnational corporations in the global market.’ (Raikan, 2014). Focusing on mediascapes (that use media to encourage consumption, represent consumerism and display the spectacular) from Appadurai’s Scapes (1990) what is most important about them is that they provide ‘large and complex repertoires of images, narratives and ethnoscapes to viewers throughout the world’ (Appadurai, 1996). The lines between the ‘realistic’ and the fictional landscapes they see are blurred creating ‘chimerical, aesthetic, even fantastic objects’ as well as ‘imagined worlds’ (Appadurai, 1996).
The platforms through which promotional media are conveyed are important toward influencing purchase behaviour. A study by Apeagyei (2011) looked at the difference in genders in terms of the influence of individual media platforms. In all categories, except relatives, advice from friends and sales associates, women were influenced more highly by media than men. In these categories, women and men portrayed similar influence levels. Historically, women have turned to ‘word-of-mouth, peer interaction and visits to the local designer shops’ but nowadays, there are magazines, TV channels and programmes especially for women’s fashion (Janjua et al., 2015). Contrastingly, men purchase online more often than women (Burkolter et al., 2011) as women prefer to shop ‘socially’ where they can meet with their friends. Generally, it’s because of want or desire that women seem to purchase fashion(Cho et al., 2011; Workman et al., 2006) whereas men have been shown to prefer shopping quickly for practicality rather than style (Bakewell et al., 2006).
Examples of social interaction include being influenced by peers and mass media figures, such as celebrities. In a study by Zhang and Kim (2013) ‘brand consciousness, fashion innovativeness, and social comparisons’ were important factors when purchasing luxury fashion brands as many consumers looked to their friends as well as celebrities for ‘social environmental cues’. Kim Kardashian West won a lawsuit for $2.7 million against a British fashion brand she sued for copying her viral outfits to make money (Martin, 2019). Soon after Kim posted her photo wearing a dress, Missguided posted an image of a model wearing a similar dress with the caption "The devil works hard but Missguided works harder.” Kardashian claims “My relationships with designers are very important to me. It's taken me over a decade to build them…”.
Fashion Nova, another fast fashion brand, hit back with ‘we offer our customers affordable leading trends’ as they believe anyone should be able to wear ‘designer’ (Farmer, 2019). This is why consumers continue to buy from them.
A study by Belleau et al.(2007) looked at the influence mass media had on young consumers. It was shown that window displays and television programmes experienced the highest rate of attention. Personal media is also a type of media researchers have been focusing on. Yu and Cude (2009:504) define personal media as “advertising that is created for an individual using information about the individual” which includes indicators such as people’s hobbies, a person’s location or their shopping history. Overall, media has changed the way fashion is consumed especially due to technical advances that mean access to trends (often created by fast-fashion brands) that originate from diverse cultures around the world. The next part of this essay will investigate what fashion is (at its core), where the ‘spectacle’ comes from, and the idea of conspicuous consumption.
When a society (in this case Britain) confines to a particular aesthetic or style for a time period, this is ‘fashion’ and it can be seen in ‘film, literature or social science research.’ (Delgado, 2018). Thus, fashion leads to organised changes in trends including technology, music, arts and most importantly, clothing, from the 18th century onwards, ‘a large sector of industry has been occupied with manufacturing what dresses us; this includes garments, accessories and beauty services.’ (Delgado, 2018). So, instinctively, a lot of people identify clothes with fashion in today’s globalised world. In the end, clothing is one of the most observable outputs of the fashion industry and that is why many prefer it ‘fast’. It is in the best interest of the fashion industry to keep things this way (Delgado, 2018).
This part of the essay looks at ‘The Spectacle’ which refers to a ‘visually striking performance or display’ (Mikula, 2008); it is all about looking and being seen. La société du spectacle (The Society of the Spectacle, 1967), is a ‘polemical and prescient indictment of our image-saturated consumer culture’ (Morgan and Purje, 2016) created by Guy Debord. Along with this, this section will cover conspicuous consumption which is the purchasing and display of luxury goods in order to exhibit to those around you your wealth, social status and, hence, communicate your economic and cultural capital. (Veblen, 1899). During the Gilded Age (1870-1900), there was a clear divide between the upper and middle class, and the working class and this essay looks at the difference in their clothing. According to Veblen's theory of conspicuous consumption (1899), ‘individuals emulate the consumption patterns of other individuals situated at higher points in the hierarchy.’ However, it has been argued that since Veblen's wrote The Theory of the Leisure Class, wealth is not shown ‘conspicuously’ anymore. In fact, status is portrayed less obviously and in a more sophisticated way (Canterbury, 1998; Mason, 1998).
Entwistle states in ‘The Fashioned Body’ (2015) that ‘Veblen explains fashion in term of the characteristics he argues are particular to the leisure class- they adopt fashion as a tool in the battle for social status.’ Since fashion has no utility, the upper classes wore clothes that were as far from function as possible (non-utility based) to show they are not working class. Additionally, throwing clothes out before they are worn out is something only the rich and leisured could do and Veblen (1899) queries “Why do fashions relentlessly change?”. To this, he answers that it is because of conspicuous consumption. However, Simmel (1971) gives a different explanation... the things ‘the elite’ choose to wear become desirable and are copied by the social classes below in an attempt to emulate their status. Once the trend/style has been passed down the classes, it is no longer classed as elite therefore a new style has to be adopted (often more extreme) to differentiate between classes (Entwistle, 2000). This ‘trickle down’ idea is still relevant today, seen in fast fashion companies copying celebrities and their expensive designer attire to make cheaper (often in quality a well as price) items for ‘the wearer’ who might not have as much disposable income.
In regards to more recently, during the 20th century, there was still a display of wealth going on but this started to change during the 21st century when fashion trends such as ripped jeans made an appearance; rips in clothes make them look utility when they are not. Displaying one’s fashion taste creates a status without the need of looking expensive (Sherman, 2017)- this is why the fast fashion industry is so successful. Barnard (1996) states in ‘Fashion as Communication’ that ‘The principle of conspicuous leisure works in a slightly different way. It can be shown that a person is not obliged to work (manually) in order to earn a living. Then the evidence of social wealth is enhanced.’ He finishes with “No apparel can be considered elegant or decent if it shows the effect of manual labour of a wearer in the way of soil or wear.” (Auty & Elliot, 1998).
According to James (2000), ‘consumption behaviour in poor countries is influenced by the consumption standards prevailing in the richer, more industrialised societies’. Mass-media, international trade, advances in technology and other factors that together determine globalisation, boost this. ‘When people come into contact with superior goods or patterns of consumption, with new articles or ways of meeting old wants, they are apt to feel a certain restlessness and dissatisfaction. Their knowledge is extended, their imagination stimulated; new desires are aroused’ (Nurkse, 1957: 59) and therefore, there is always a need for new, fast, trends.
Overall, opinions are mixed on whether globalisation affects fashion trends but for centuries, ‘textiles and clothing styles have been one of the biggest indicators of multicultural interchange amongst Western countries’ according to the article, Global Fashion: A Window into Globalisation (Nagle, 2015). In conclusion, focusing on fast fashion, media affecting fashion and ‘The Spectacle’ as well as conspicuous consumption, this essay discovered the contrasting effects on fashion in the 19th century compared to the 20th century and the 21st century. If it were not for globalisation and the input of television and other media on fashion, many trends that circulate today (that mostly are advertised by fast fashion brands) as well as colour palettes and designs also would not exist for ‘the wearer’. It is interesting to see globalisation not only influences the way trends are perceived, but also the actual trends themselves.
The most important finding of the analysis gathered from the question asked was that globalisation helps make the fashion industry more versatile, diverse, and exciting and with every new trend, there is an origin where the inspiration came from. Additionally, the way clothing is worn has changed immensely starting from a way of showing class and hierarchy, to now showing style (regardless of wealth). Additionally, fast fashion is always going to exist as long as it has consumers but thankfully it is trying to address the negatives.
Finally, it became apparent that the inspiration of new trends is generally introduced by designers in London (who get their inspiration from different cultures), then refurbished into more realistic, wearable designs in the US and from there, sold to retailers across the world (Baker, no date). Globalisation also creates the sharing of ideas, experiences and lifestyles of people and cultures. People can experience foods and other products (including clothing) not previously available in their countries. Additionally, it was evident throughout the essay that ‘the wearer’ enjoys indulging in cheaper alternatives of expensive, designer clothing. However, a lower degree of globalisation means fast fashion would decrease as most brands source and make their clothing in countries like China, India and Bangladesh.