Global Communication Revolution Impact on the Development of Fashion - Essay Example

How will the global communication revolution impact on the development of fashion and fashion-related businesses in the future The communication revolution is likely to bring with it an important change and unrest, in particular within the developing areas. It is often argued that technology has a trend to exacerbate variances within societies, while at the same time promoting the mobilization of those who remain what is termed "non-infocentric." The communication revolution is likely to be significant for UK foreign policy-makers as political stability is certain to be exacerbated by the increasing salience of social conditions and problems. The challenge to national elites, as well as to the UK policymakers, will be to manage the transition towards info-centric decision-making, given the concomitant cultural and social tensions that it is likely to provoke. It greatly impacts fashion business as well. One outgrowth of the communication revolution is globalization. The core elements of globalization are: more information flowing with less obstruction; information flowing independent of distance; extending opportunities for economic cooperation al over the world; greater opportunities to profit globally. There are two especially widely used models of the communication revolution implications. The first is termed the "Golden Straightjacket," which has been popularized by Thomas Friedman, in which economic development is regarded as a primary driver to socio-political change. This is different from a parallel vision, popularized by Samuel Huntington, where as an outcome of culture, the "clash of civilizations", rather than economic development, is the primary driver to alter. "Rejecting both concepts as being somewhat too static, a third possibility exits in which economic unrest can take cultural forms, and that an over-emphasis on Western consumerism with hostility towards Westernized elites, can exacerbate even further the cultural dimensions of this conflict" (McChesney 2001) In looking at the convergence of cultural and economic stimuli to unrest, outgrowths of the communication revolution is regarded. In the globalization of information there are the following phenomena in play: the erosion of censorship people inundated with vast information quantities democratization of any information empowerment of the individual through access to increased information. In an attempt to explore further the intertwining of cultural and economic forces as part of the communication revolution, we can turn our attention to the "globalization of style." Here we may talk about a wide variety of entertainment products, brand and fashion names, and so forth. For example the globalization of style tends to be largely an American inspired phenomenon making the U.S. a particularly salient object of political resentment and dissent. Such products as Coca Cola, Dell, Baywatch, Google, Tommy Hilfiger and other commodities tend to be American in content and character, and the single largest national purveyor of the mentioned globalization of style is in most cases the United States, which may be challenged because of this reason. The extent to which English language literacy is synonymous with the globalization of information can be identified. That is the case not only in terms of hardware acquisition, installation or repair, but also in the world of software applications. The dominance of the English language in the global communication revolution is accompanied by what is termed the bombardment of Western images. The prevalence of Western images is tempting and frustrating at the same time, as it creates unattainable desires. Additionally the global information revolution has increased social stratification in which those most likely to participate most actively tend to have fluency in the English language, foreign bonds, and high degree of education. Thus, the communication revolution is a phenomenon that is often restricted to the business or political elite. Most people consider that only a limited group can afford to obtain high-tech devices, and a relatively small group profits economically from the communication revolution. Indeed, in some areas the market for these tools is already saturated. The result of the global communication revolution is further societal division, with highly educated, technologically savvy, and IT conversant elite juxtaposed with undereducated and technologically unsophisticated group of people which has been passed over by the communication revolution. This contributes to business development, fashion as well. At the same time, it is often noted that there is the spread of low-cost, low-tech devices, such as photocopiers, phones, videotapes, fax and other, which both facilitate communication and are more broadly inclusive. The rise of such technology facilitates mobilization for political dissent. Unless countries go on to depend on a strong state model, their sovereignty will really erode due to facilitated trans-border and internal communications that are out of the control of the state, where the consequences of this within societies can be: greater awareness of prosperity elsewhere and poverty at home desires among some for expressive "cultural authenticity" growing gap between rich and poor empowerment of individuals vis--vis their governments gradual adaptation to information surplus. We may conclude by talking that the globalization of communication aids trans-national movements, creates new sources of authority, and widens socio-political gaps. Now it is worth describing the mostly positive impact of communication revolution on fashion business. Fashion influences each member of society. It represents a daily opportunity to express one's image. Fashion is an industry that supports that daily choice. What makes for example American business succeed in the global marketplace McDonald's, Kodak, Ford, Coca-cola, Microsoft - these international giants attain global presence by adapting a standard business formula to local environments. The same tendency is observed in fashion business. Financial marketplaces have become an important part of the society. New marketplaces are changing and growing quickly and have taken on a new importance with respect to the Global economy as noted by Steven Fisher (2005). It is claimed that marketplace competition is of the oligopolistic variety, and even there it is quite weak by historical or comparative standards. It is virtually unthinkable for an ordinary citizen, or wealthy businessmen, to launch a commercially viable company that can go hand to hand with the media giants. The market is effectively closed off to outsiders. As Judith Clark (2004) asserts "Fashion has always had a love affair with history, old themes worn as new details. Fashion is about borrowing and stealing, concealing and manipulating". In the new millennium everyday changes in lifestyle include car and air travel, fitness and health pursuits, and centrally heated environments in everyday life. All created a need for clothing fashion designed for the way we live nowadays. How we perceive ourselves and what we wish to inform the society in a very visual camera obsessed culture, is still and will be expressed through our bodies, the way we wear clothes, or jewellery and body art. Today fashion and beauty can be affordable for everyone. Pauline Weston in her report "Theories of Fashion Costume and Fashion History" for Fashion-era notes that there is always a range such as Avon that produces quality beauty, accessory and make up products at prices most people can afford. Mass fashion which is obviously the product of globalization is moving so fast that fashion now moves in a weekly cycle and fashion trends are brand new for only a short period of time. Communication revolution gave the opportunity to conduct different extensive research in fashion business, which straddles a wide range of subject areas that are represented through both collaborative and individual projects. That involves collaboration across marketing, cultural and photography studies areas, they examine the role of the locations as stimulus, mirror and facilitator of changing consumer fashion and culture consumption. Further research areas include: luxury brands where a number of articles relating to contemporary issues facing global luxury businesses are being published; design management and specific work into design social networks are being carried out; software systems for fashion merchandising and buying functions go on developing; management of supply chains in fashion are relevant in the area of store design. Numerous technical tools and achievements allow ordinary people and businessmen to communicate and do projects with whoever they wish in other countries al over the world, they can share information, exchange news, practice foreign languages, learn about new styles and trends. E-mail, for example, represents one of the most innovative recent technologies and it is one that suits our one-step ahead philosophy at fashion companies such as Diesel. It contributes to how the labels are turned into a global company and established as a brand worldwide. Even though personal contact is the most effective communication way, we have to recognize that e-mail is an important means that allows to act promptly in the marketplace. "In any business area, as well as in the fashion world, it is more and more imperative to be not simply "the best", but the "first", or the trendsetter. Internet innovations help us to achieve this" (Renzo Rosso 2004). Within the subject areas of fashion communication and journalism individual researchers and professionals are engaged in research which encompasses the cultural analysis of fashion and lifestyle design, its representation and communication. Findings of that work are regularly presented through exhibitions or publications, for example books of Lou Taylor (2002) and Barnard Malcolm (2002). A further area of strength is in practice-based research in fashion photography with a focus in the area of cultural and social critique and commentary. This is complimented by archive-based researches into the nature of photographic resources often centring on the historical analysis of different fashionable representations. Much of the dissemination in this area is through curation, writing and publicising. For instance the book "20th Century Fashion" of Amy de La Haye is organized around crucial shifts in style and major world events, places exciting, even revolutionary, developments in fashion within their political, socioeconomic, and cultural contexts. Being international in scope, it encompasses the century's most important designers and metropolitan fashion centres, including developments in accessories, hairstyles, and make-up. More generally, research activity within the fashion media and cultural field encompasses contributions to trade journals and the global fashion press including Viewpoint, Sleaze, Drapers Record, Marmalade, The Journal of Consumer Culture and Fashion Theory. Some research is undertaken for the BBC and Independent Television and Radio, The British Council, Victoria & Albert Museum, Tate Modern, Barbican, Museum of London and other national museums and galleries. Amy de La Haye and Dr. Becky Conekin are co-editing the journal "Fashion Theory" volume of the Vogue magazine, in historical and contemporary terms and across numerous national editions, including Japanese and Russian Vogue. Individual research is broadly arranged across a number of areas, such as the history of dress and style and one of the major fashion notions as "taste"; fashion and consumption in London; sartorial identities; interpretation of contemporary fashion in its social, cultural, and historical contexts; process of creativity; representation of fashion in pop culture, from films to tee shirts. Cultural and historical research in fashion and textiles in the United Kingdom is currently concentrated around big cooperative projects, together with individuals in diverse but coherent range of fashion areas, such fashion projects involve the investigation and dissemination of archival holdings through exhibitions, conferences, publications to industry, academic, and public audiences that contributes to development of fashion business. Works cited Barnard, Malcolm. Fashion As Communication. London: Routledge, 2002. Clark, Judith. Illustrated History of Art: From the Renaissance to the Present Day. New York: Gramercy Books, 2004. Fischer, Steven. "The Fashion Industry: An Overview of How and Why it works." Business Institutions Program. May 2005 Haye, Amy, Mendes, V. Twentieth-Century Fashion. London: Thames & Hudson, 1999. McChesney, R. W. "Global Media, Neoliberalism, and Imperialism." Monthly Review, March 2001. "Theories of Fashion Costume and Fashion History" by Weston, T. P. for Fashion-Era.com. January 2006 Rosso, Renzo. "Diesel Designer on how E-mail Has Transformed Business", for CNN. October 18, 2004 < http://www.cnn.com/2004/TECH/09/21/explorers.renzorosso/> Taylor, Lou. The Study of Dress History. Manchester: Manchester University Press, 2002. Read More