The Factors that Influenced the Fashion Design - Example

The factors that influenced the fashion design and changed it throughout The 20th century Name Tutor Institution Date Fashion Design Introduction Fashion design is defined as the art where natural beauty or design and aesthetics are applied to accessories and clothing. Fashion design draws a lot of influence from social and cultural attitudes and it varies widely though depending on the place and time. Fashion designers operate in many ways as they design the accessories and clothing (Welters W., Lillethun A. 2011) some can work in teams or alone. They satisfy the desire of consumers for clothing designed aesthetically and due to the time needed to have a finished garment on the market they sometimes need to expect the tastes of consumers to change. Fashion designers try to design garments that are functional and aesthetically pleasing as well. They have to consider the end user of the garment and the situation the garment will be used. They use a variety of colors, patterns, styles and materials they work with. Many clothing that are used everyday can be found within a small range of conventional styles. Special occasions call for unusual garments like party dresses and evening wear Yuniya (2005). Some garments are designed for a particular individual although these days many are made for mass markets and in most cases every day and casual wear. In this essay the question of what fashion design really is will be answered. The rest of the discussion is aimed at examining the factors that caused an influence and change on fashion design in the 20th century. Role of fashion designers Fashion design involves the creation of billions of suits, dresses, shoes and accessories and clothing that customers purchase each year. Those involved in fashion design normally study the fashion trends; they make sketches of the accessories and clothing designs, select the fabrics and colors and oversee final product design. Designers of clothes assist in the production of children’s, men’s and women’s apparel. Included in this are casual wear, sportswear, suits, outerwear, maternity, formalwear as well as intimate apparel. Designers of foot wear help in creation and production of items like belts, handbags, hats, scarves, eyewear and hosiery which put the finishing touches on the outfits. Certain fashion designers deal with clothing, accessories or footwear design but others make designs for all the three categories of fashion. It can take between 18 and 24 months for the process of design from initial design to production to be completed (Paris, Forman-Brunell 2011). The initial step in design creation is the research of current fashion and predicting future trends. Research can be done by designers themselves although others depend on trend reports that fashion industry trade groups publish. The trend reports show what colors, fabrics and style are going to be popular for any given season in future (Paris, Forman-Brunell 2011) Manufacturers of textiles start using these trend reports for pattern and fabric design while fashion designers make sketches of preliminary designs. Designers can then go to manufacturers or to trade shows where they can procure fabric samples then they decide the fabrics they can use with the designs to go with them. After the fabrics and designs have been chosen they produce a prototype of that article by use of cheaper materials and then they try it on a model to know the adjustments they have to make on the same design. This assists the designers to narrow down their design choices they are offering for sale (Welters W., Lillethun A. 2011) After making the final adjustments and the selected samples of the same article are sewn using actual material, they are sold to people retailing in clothes. Many designs may be shown at trade shows and fashion shows some few times every year Felicity (1997).Retailers in these shows place their orders for various items that are later manufactured and taken to stores. History of fashion design Fashion design began during the 19th century with Charles Fredrick Worth the first designer whose labels were sewn on the clothes he made. Before a fashion house was set up by the former draper in Paris anonymous seamstresses were known to handle the design and creation of clothes (Bye 2010). High fashion began with that which was being worn in royal courts. The success of worth came because he could dictate to his buyers the garments they wore instead of allowing them to guide him the way earlier dressmakers did. All the clothing articles in all the time periods were subjected to academic study as the design of costumes but those clothing made after 1858 were the ones considered to be fashion design. In this period of time most of the design houses started hiring artists who could paint or sketch designs meant for garments Yuniya (2005).Clients were allowed a view of the images which came out with a lesser cost compared to the production of a real sample garment in a work room. If the design was likable to the client it could be ordered and the garment made could bring them some money. In this way the practice of designers making sketches of garment designs and not presenting fully finished garments to customers started as an economy (Bye 2010). Fashion started with ancient Egyptians. Their hair pieces, wigs, jewelry and make up show that they had an extensive culture of fashion. A big part of their art shows that it was very important in their society. Rome, Egypt and Ancient Greece had their fashions as well. Western habits are the ones in which people continually change the styles of clothing. This idea started in the 14th century. The most dramatic show was the tightening and shortening of the men’s over-garment from calf length to scarcely covering the bums other times coming with stuffing on chest. This brought about the known male western outline of a top worn on trousers which still works today. The speed of change went up very first in the century that followed. The fashion for women more so in hair and dressing changed and turned very complex (Felicity1997).In the beginning fashion changes caused a fragmentation of former similar dressing styles in Europe’s upper classes. The creation of distinct national styles went on till a counter movement in the 17th and 18th centuries which brought about such styles again especially the ones from ancient regime France. Although fashion was led by elitists a growing affluence of modern Europe in the early times made the peasants and bourgeoisie to follow the trends although not closely. The elites were not comfortable with this which helped drive changing fashion. The fashions from the west do not have a parallel in antiquity and not even in any other world civilization Yuniya (2005). Factors that affected fashion design during the 20th century Political factors The Second World War which is believed to have been ignited by Germany under Hitler and the Nazis caused several radical changes within the fashion industry. This led to the collapse of Paris as the global fashion center with mass manufactured fashions becoming very popular. A new style for the youth came up during the 1950s to change the focus for fashion (Yuniya 2005).As central heating was installed widely the minimum care garment age started and lighter textiles were introduced with synthetics following later. Many fashion houses were shut down in the occupation of Paris in World War 2 among them the Maison Chanel and Maison Vionnet. Many designers among them Mainbocher moved to New York permanently. In the great intellectual and moral program of re-education that the French state undertook Couture did not remain. Contrary to the liberated stylish Parisienne the Vichy regime began to promote the mother and wife model, the athletic strong woman a figure that was very much in line with the new criteria in the political arena. In the mean time Germany had started to posses more than half of the production of France high fashion included and also began to plan the relocation of French haute couture to Vienna and Berlin cities although none of these two had a strong fashion tradition Couture (2003). Women’s designs used between the wars (Bye 2010) Because of the hard times the amount of models in shows went down to 75 with evening wear being shortened and day wear becoming much skimpier and it was made from substitute materials where possible. From 1940 a coat could not go for more than 4 meters and a blouse went slightly over a meter. A belt could not go over 3 centimeters wide. Despite all this haute couture worked hard to maintain its flag high. Frivolity and humor took over as the way to defy occupying powers which caused the survival of couture. Although some people argue that it survived because of the patronage that rich Nazi wives gave it records show that apart from the normally rich parisiennes the wives of ambassadors, black market clients and a mixture of people frequented the salons continuously with German women being the minority. Although many fashion houses were shut down or relocated in time of the war many new houses were still operating among them Jacques Fath, Marcel Rochas, Maggy Rouf, Ninna Ricci, Madeleine Vramant and Jeanne Lafaurie (Bye 2010). In the time of the occupation women flaunted their extravagance and added color to drab outfits by putting on hats. At that time hats were made using material scraps which could have been disposed of since they had wood shavings and bits of paper at times. The isolated situation of Paris during the 1940s made the Americans to start exploiting the creativity and ingenuity that their own designers had. In the course of World War II Maxwell Vera brought coordinates in plain outfits cut out simply and made innovations to the work clothes of men. Bonnie Cashin changed boots to become a main fashion accessory and he began to make original as well as imaginative sportswear in 1944 (Yuniya 2005). Technological factors Fashion journalism is a very crucial part of fashion. Commentary, guidelines and editorial critique are present in news papers, magazines, fashion websites, television, fashion blogs and social networks. At the start of the 20th century, photographs taken of different fashion designs started appearing in fashion magazines (Couture 2003).At this time they started wielding much influence than before. In world cities people looked for this magazines with much zeal and they affected the taste of public clothing very much. Talented illustrators started drawing exquisite plates of fashion to be published which incorporated the latest developments in beauty and fashion. La Gazette du Bon Ton was the most famous among all these magazines which was started in 1912 by Vogel Luciel and it was published regularly up to 1925 with the years of the war not included. Vogue which began in 1892 in the U.S had lasted the longest and succeeded the most in all the fashion magazines that came and went. Growing affluence after the Second World War and the coming of affordable color printing during the 60s made sales to register a very big boost. Women’s magazines started covering fashion very heavily before the men’s magazines started doing the same in the 1990s. Haute couture designers emulated this trend when they began the perfume and ready to wear lines which were advertised in magazines very heavily and now they have surpassed their original couture businesses Couture (2003). Television coverage started during the 1950s with small features of fashion. During the 1960s and 70s fashion segments touching on different shows of entertainment started becoming frequent and come the 1980s fashion shows that had much dedication such as fashion television appeared (Yuniya 2005). Despite television and growing coverage of the internet with fashion blogs included, coverage in the press maintains its position as the most important publicity form in the fashion industry. However in the last many years there has been a development in fashion websites which merge traditional writing by editors and content generated by the users. Online magazines such as Runway magazine and iFashion network with Nole Marin from America’s next top model in the lead became dominant in the market with computer digital copies, iPads and iPhones. For these application example platforms are among others Android and Apple. Shortly after the fall fashion week was closed in 2010 in New York the fashion editor of the New Islanders, Genevieve Tax made criticism about the fashion industry because it ran on its own seasonal schedules with real world consumers losing out. Since designers release fall collections during spring and their spring during the fall fashion magazines like Vogue all the time and only anticipate the season ahead (Welters, Lillethun 2011). Cultural factors In the whole of the 20th century historical and cross cultural influences impacted fashion design very profoundly. The materials, styles and designs from other cultures can became accessible to other designers owing to the ease in communication and transport which made transport across continents an easy thing. With developed printing and photographic techniques they could also get ideas from sources like journals, books and magazines illustrated lavishly. Since the 1950s designers in Europe need not look far for rich varieties of clothing coming from every corner of the world Kent (2003). A woman’s dress design of the early 20th century (Bye 2010) In the early 20th century Mariano Fortuny and Paul Poiret’s designs of clothes showed a rich evidence of multicultural sources. Paul Poiret received a lot of influence from the design and art from India and the Middle East. Musicians have for many years influenced the dressing styles of many people. Teenagers and young people copy dressing styles from popular musicians. Song writers and singers have been the ones to set tone for trends of fashion. Fashion and music are so intertwined to the point that recording artists use their frame for selling personal fashions such as clothing. Artists like Jennifer Lopez and Gwen Stefani are among the beneficiaries of the link between music and fashion. For example Run DMC’s ‘adidas’ made the shoe make many sales with other clothing like hats, t-shirts and track suits skyrocketing in sales as well. Sleeveless T-shirts used by Rock bands gained popularity. Nirvana the band brought a grudge look to many people during the 90s. This look began in Seattle city in the U.S and rapidly gained popularity due to music. In the 80s kangol’s turned out as big fashion when a rap star by name LL Cool J used the hat as a trademark. Madonna appeared in the 1980s and altered the dress code for girls for all time. Her head bands, granny boots, bangle bracelets, large earrings and other things became the fashion for girls (Welters, Lillethun 2011). In 1981 MTV was launched and so many people began to watch it since it brought fashion and music to people in homes. MTV made music more marketable with artists like Duran Duran and Michael Jackson’s fashions being replicated by young adults and teens. Various musicians in their compositions mention certain fashions which are then taken up by listeners. Music played inside shopping malls, boutiques and other stores reminds shoppers of what these singers wore in the videos of those songs and somehow they are convinced to go for it (Yuniya 2005). Religion and spirituality has also had its influence on fashion design although at times causing a lot of controversy. Some artists have used religious symbols in their videos, songs and performances while others have used words and stories associated with the Bible or religious books in their lyrics and videos (Lobenthal 1990). However, certain artists caused controversy by making a mockery of Christianity instead of displaying the positive influence it imparts in them. Such steps were often inspired by false religions and demonic worship. Many of the American hip hp stars have openly displayed false religious influence in their careers. The connection between religion and fashion has often been made vague resulting in controversies. An example of a symbol that is obviously religious is the cross which musicians such as Madonna have popularized as fashion. Many people emulating musicians started wearing necklaces with crosses on them. Symbols belong to certain false religions have also been used by musicians as tattoos on their bodies. Some clothes also come with religious symbols such as the cross on it (Lobenthal 1990). Geographical factors Geographical factors such as weather, seasons and regional location have had a lot of influence on the design of fashion in the 20th century. Actually different places have different weather and seasons. The geographical location played its role in influencing fashion through other factors such as the dominant culture, prevailing weather and climate among other thing (Kent. C. J. 2003), Every season the merchandise and design departments all over the world wait for what is there for future seasons. Seasons have dictated the type of fashion that people design in different areas. For instance in summer lighter clothing has been designed while winter called for heavier clothing such as woolen pullovers and overcoats to beat the cold. Designers have in the past designed clothes fitting different types of seasons. Rainy seasons have required them to design water proof raincoats and other warm clothing. Weather has also dictated the type of designs that people buy and dress. Hot weather, cold weather and wet or dry weather have forced people to dress appropriately. Designers have found it necessary to design fashion that fits different kinds of temperatures (Kent 2003). Geographical location impacted on fashion design depending on the environment and the culture of the people in various locations. Tastes and preferences of people in these locations determined the type of fashion that designers made. However with increase in transport and communication the fashion designs of certain geographical areas have found their way into other areas and impacted them. For example in various continents there exists dominant cloth designs that have been found to be different from those used in other areas. In temperate lands women had trousers as part of their cloth designs while in tropical areas most of them preferred skirts that went slightly below the knee Sandra (1984). Conclusion The easy elaborates the meaning of fashion design and the factors that affected fashion design and brought changes in it in the 20th century. In fashion design natural beauty is applied to clothing and other accessories. Many factors which are geographical, cultural, political and technologically related had a powerful influence on fashion and design in that time. Different geographical location affected fashion differently. Culture impacted it through music and religion while politics changed it through the Second World War and the revolution cause by Hitler’s wars. Technology has contributed through media and the internet which have been instrumental in exposing different designs of fashion to people all over the world. Bibliography Bye E. 2010 Fashion Design New York; Berg Couture C. 2003 The Oliver Press, Inc., Encyclopedia of clothing and fashion, Valerie Steele, Detroit [etc.] : Thomson Gale, 2005 Felicity E. 1987 Fashion Design E. D. C Publishing Jones J. 2007 Fashion Design: The art of style; Capstone press Kent. C. J. 2003. Business Builders in Fashion - Charles Frederick Worth - The Father of Haute Barwick S 1984 A century of style Allen and Unwin Lobenthal J. 1990 Radical rags: Fashion of the sixties, New York, Abbeville Press. Paris L., Forman-Brunell M. 2011; The Girls history and culture reader; The twentieth century; University of Illinois Press. Welters W., Lillethun A. 2011 The fashion reader; Second edition Berg publishers Yuniya K. 2005 Fashion-ology. An introduction to Fashion Studies, Oxford and New York: Berg. Read More