Friday, May 24, 2013

Fashion Friday: What is Fashion?


Fashion is a vague topic to cover, and I will divide the topic into 6 parts.  We are going to find out the what, who, when, where, and why’s of fashion to have a better understanding as to why it is so popular and influential. I am also going to share how fashion is being approached here in the Philippines. Let’s start from the very basic…

I. WHAT IS “FASHION”?
Fashion is a general term for a popular style or practice, especially in clothing, footwear, accessories, makeup, body piercing, or furniture. Fashion refers to a distinctive and often habitual trend in the style with which a person dresses, as well as to prevailing styles in behaviour. Fashion also refers to the newest creations of textile designers. (Source: Wikipedia)
I will define fashion as one’s individual taste in clothing, his own self-expression, and an extension of his character. One can be plain (just t-shirt and jeans) or over-the-top like Tessa Prieto-Valdes with her costumey-taste. There are different fashion styles that I can’t even begin to count as numbers wouldn’t figure. Some examples would be vintage, girly, punk, ghetto and rock. We can mix and match, add accessories, jewelries, pair it with a nice bag and a good pair of shoes and we’re good to go.

There are 3 main categories of fashion. The first one is called “Haute Couture” or high fashion. This category in fashion is custom-made which means the textile is measured exactly to the person wearing the dress. The dressmaker uses expensive fabric and materials that’s why Haute Couture is very expensive. The second category is called “Ready-to-wear” or RTW which is not custom-made but high attention to detail is applied in choosing the cut and fabric. RTW’s are presented during Fashion Week by famous fashion houses. The third category is called “Mass Market” which caters for a wide range of customers. Mass market values quantity over quality so machines are basically used to create a lot of clothes without careful consideration of the cut and fabric and are sold at a very cheap price (like the ones in Divisoria).
Fashion industry is the business of fashion. It satisfies customer demand for apparel under conditions that enable participants in the industry to operate at a profit. 

Here are the 4 levels in fashion industry:
1. Production of raw materials – the source of fibers and textiles as well as leather and fur.
2. Production of fashion goods - either by designers, manufacturers, contractors and others.
3. Retail - the sale of clothing, shoes and accessories as well as services.
4. Advertising and promotion – where fashion models play a vital part.
(Source: Wikipedia)

In the next Fashion Fridays to come, I’m going to share the who, when, where, and why’s of fashion as well as fashion here in the Philippines. I hope you learned something from this article though it’s mostly from Wikipedia. :p I just actually chose the parts that are relevant from different fashion topics in Wikipedia and combined them here so we concentrate on the interesting parts and throw the boring parts. Next Friday is about people in the fashion industry. From level one to four, we are going to find out who is who in the real world of fashion. So, see you next Friday readers! :)

2 comments:

  1. Hello from France
    I am very happy to welcome you!
    Your blog has been accepted in Asia Philippines______ N°602 a minute!

    On the right side, in the "green list", you will find all the countries and if you click them, you will find the names of blogs from that Country.
    Invite your friends to join us in the "directory"!
    The creation of this new blog "directory" allows a rapprochement between different countries, a knowledge of different cultures and a sharing of different traditions, passions, fashion, paintings, crafts, cooking,
    photography and poetry. So you will be able to find in different countries other people with passions similar to your ones.
    We are fortunate to be on the Blogspot platform that offers the opportunity to speak to the world.
    The more people will join, the more opportunities everyone will have. And yes, I confess, I need people to know this blog!
    You are in some way the Ambassador of this blog in your Country.
    This is not a personal blog, I created it for all to enjoy.
    SO, you also have to make it known to your contacts and friends in your blog domain: the success of this blog depends on all Participants.
    So, during your next comments with your friends, ask them to come in the 'Directory' by writing in your comments:
    *** I am in the directory come join me! ***
    You want this directory to become more important? Help me to make it grow up!
    Your blog is in the list Asia Philippines______ N°602 and I hope this list will grow very quickly
    Regards
    Chris
    We ask that you follow our blog and place a badge of your choice on your blog, in order to introduce the "directory" to your friends.
    http://nsm05.casimages.com/img/2012/09/06/12090603083012502810288938.gif
    http://nsm05.casimages.com/img/2012/03/19/120319072128505749603643.gif
    http://nsm05.casimages.com/img/2012/07/12/12071211040212502810092867.gif
    http://nsm05.casimages.com/img/2012/03/28/120328020518505749640557.gif
    http://nsm05.casimages.com/img/2012/03/15/1203150723211250289584870.png
    http://nsm05.casimages.com/img/2012/09/21/12092110155912502810343002.gif

    If you want me to know the blog of your friends, send me their urls which allows a special badge in the list of your country
    I see that you know many people in your country, you can try to get them in the directory?
    Please! Actively support the "Directory" by making known to your friends! Thank you! "Unity is strength"
    Not need an invitation to join the Directory. Any person who makes the request is entered
    **********
    New on the site
    Ranking of Countries
    Invite your friends know made ??
    the website to raise your ranking in the Country

    ReplyDelete
  2. "I will define fashion as one’s individual taste in clothing, his own self-expression, and an extension of his character."

    I agree with this definition!

    ReplyDelete