Fashion is a multibillion-dollar global enterprise devoted to the business of making and selling clothes. The term may refer to the expensive designer clothing seen on runways in Paris, New York or London or to the everyday jeans and T-shirts sold in malls and markets around the world. The direction of fashion is determined by a variety of factors, including cultural icons such as musicians, film stars and politicians as well as social movements like feminism or the sexual revolution. Fashion is also influenced by current events and media coverage of celebrities. It is difficult to trace the exact origin of any given fashion trend, as styles often borrow from past trends and from other sources and are reworked in innovative ways.
The design of clothing is a highly creative endeavor, combining function and aesthetics to create garments that satisfy both the wearer’s needs and desires. Fashion designers must be able to translate cultural and social changes into new styles that appeal to the public and sell in the market. Fashion is the most visible and accessible form of personal expression, and it is an integral part of our culture and society.
A garment is not considered a true fashion until it has been mass produced and distributed to the consumer, and this process is known as “fashioning.” The evolution of mass production has accelerated the rate at which new styles are developed and released, and the success or failure of a particular design often depends on how quickly it can be made cheaply and widely available. Fashion designers must be able to anticipate the needs of consumers and respond to them quickly in order to survive in this competitive industry.
In the past, people used to value their clothing as an important symbol of wealth and status, but today they tend to value style over utility. While some clothes are designed for specific occasions, most are manufactured for daily use and may be worn several times before they are discarded. Clothes serve a practical purpose, such as covering the body and protecting it from the elements, but they also communicate the wearer’s personality, mood, beliefs and attitudes. The miniskirt, for example, became an important signifier of feminism in the 1960s and reflected the societal movement toward greater equality for women. Similarly, nuns’ robes and cassocks convey a sense of modesty and renunciation.
The earliest evidence of continuous and accelerating change in European dress can be dated to the late medieval period. The development of the recognizable silhouette of the modern woman can be traced back to this time.