Fashions effect on People.

Fashion has influenced and affected people across the globe, Clothes have formed individual identities and expressions for different cultures and nationalities; from kimonos to the sari these items of clothing have represented individual cultures which showcases the large effect fashion has on individual identity.

Recently, the fashion industry has been trying multiple ways to influence and affect younger generations because ‘currently Gen Z and millennials now represent a broad – and for most fashion businesses, crucial – swathe of consumers.’ This is valuable as due to the effect of social media activism and cancel culture, Gen Z has advocated for diversity, inclusivity and other under-representations such as body positivity. This has helped limit the harsh effect the fashion industry has previously had on people and their perceptions, this is evident in the early 2000s with the rise of Victoria’s Secret Angels which showcased an unattainable and unhealthy beauty standard, harmful as ‘population most likely to be influenced negatively by images showing exceptionally thin female models, exposure to fashion imagery has detrimental psychological affects for both men and women.’ Not only this but other brands like Dolce and Gabbana’s showcased a damaging patriarchal view on women as well as a complete lack of diversity in their marketing campaigns.

Circling back to how fashion can represent different cultures, it is not only important for this to be accepted in the industry but also showcased to the global fashion industry audience “When we begin to allow Black people to be free of repressive conditioning, intolerance and self-imposed limitation, when the Black man and woman can act without fear of letting the Black race down, we will begin to see an end to institutional racism.” Joe Casely-Hayford OBE. These changes can be implemented by designers of privilege and disrupt/fix old views and mindsets, this can be seen in Dior by Kim Jones’s spring/summer 2021 show which featured Dior’s first all-black model cast.

Having a range of people being reflected in marketing, shows and e-commerce creates a positive fashion effect on people as it eradicates the old dominant cultural representations, white gaze and lack of objectification in women as brands like Victoria’s Secret have completely done a 360 on their old values due to new generations and replaced it with an embrace of different bodies, cis-gender identities and a shift away from the male gaze. Not only does having a lack of values affect the brand image it also affects the brand’s business as ’46.8% saying they have abandoned a purchase that did not align with their values.’

Fashion is used by everyone and so its effects can be harmful so it should be regulated by audiences to ensure people are not negatively affected.

References –
Drapers. B, (2022). Gen Z and Millennials. 1-2. https://www.drapersonline.com/guides/gen-z-and-millennials-2022.
Drapers. B, (2022). Gen Z and Millennials. 20-25. https://www.drapersonline.com/guides/gen-z-and-millennials-2022.
Mair, C. (2018). The psychology of fashion. Routledge.