Fashion is a global, cultural phenomenon. It is a multi-billion dollar industry and it is constantly changing and evolving. Fashion can be a way of identity, a form of self-expression and a tool for social change. It is omnipresent in our lives; we see it in magazines, TV, movies, music and even on the streets.
What does fashion mean to you? The answer is as unique as each individual. For some, it is a style of clothing they wear to fit in with the current trends. For others, it is a way of living and being that they carry with them wherever they go. And for some, it is a business they want to be involved with.
The term “fashion” describes the creation of clothing, footwear, accessories, cosmetics, and jewellery of different cultural aesthetics that are mixed and matched into outfits that depict distinctive ways of dressing as signifiers of social status, self-expression, and group belonging. The clothes we wear serve as mirrors of our personalities and interests, from a love for lace and velvet to a desire to look like the famous people we admire and respect.
It is widely believed that changes in fashion are a reflection of societal changes and the financial interests of the designers and manufacturers. However, research indicates that there are internal taste mechanisms at work as well. And, of course, it is always possible for a particular style to fade into the background and become designated “out of fashion,” only to resurface at some later date.