Renaissance and how this Era influence fashion trends and designers now days - Essay Example

Fashion defined as a generally adopted style or design in shoes, accessories and clothing and a form of self-expression (Breward). However, today it has a much deeper, intrinsic meaning. It has, since time immemorial, been the foremost form of self-expression, self-definition and a reflection of one’s personality. It is a product of social, cultural and climatic forces that inhibit societies. Before the 19th century clothing was tailor made to suit the needs of each individual (Breward). However, at the advent of the 20th century, the idea of standardized clothing became more popular as sewing and stitching technologies became widespread and the world moved into the era of industrialization (Breward).

It was then precisely that the fashion industry was born; henceforth the concept of fashion came into existence.Renaissance is one of the hallmarks of fashion and cultural movements spanning from 14th to the 17th century (Zirpolo). It encompassed not just art and fashion but also influenced science, literature, politics as well as many other aspects of human life having a profound impact on the way of life (Zirpolo). It is no surprise, therefore, that designers also fell prey to the fashion marked by this movement which are followed to date.

Works from famous fashion designers from Italy and Germany, including Rene Ward, Andrew Mc Clellan and John Sir Michael Struck were the hallmarks of the Renaissance movement. The fashion trends that emerged in this era were diverse, ranging from flares and broad barrel-shaped attire to narrower, slimmer gowns.Perhaps majority of the trends that emerged from the Renaissance era bear resemblance to contemporary fashion. Garments were considered a symbol of wealth for the nobles and riches as is the case today; although it was more so back then in the Renaissance era.

Garments were viewed as adornments of wealth, creating stark divisions between the rich (nobles) and the poor. This continues to be a trend to date. Dark colors in particular were preferred in an attempt to showcase ornaments, jewelry and other accessories (Moose). The more articulate the tailoring (with cuts and flairs) the higher the prestige of its owner and the more highly exquisite the clothing was considered. (Breward). The riches did not compromise on clothing even during tough times, as is the case today.

Clothing is still seen as crucial to the portrayal of prosperity and wealth (Mack). This is evident to date in, for instance, Great Britain where the Royal Family continues to extravagantly and lavishly showcase their attire in Royal Weddings and other public appearances. Furthermore, cotton was considered an expensive fabric as it was imported from the subcontinent and carried high taxes and duties (Moose). Most notably, however, was the trend that weather determined whether women covered their heads or not.

This is apparent today as in hot, urban areas designers are creatively designing head coverings to protect one from heat. Moreover, the most expensive wedding dresses were made of jewelry, brocades, velvet and satin to denote luxury and superior finish, as is done in modern times by designers (Moose). Beret then was worn with a string attached towards its back- hats today offer the same feature; they have a bow hanging out on the back side (Moose). Also, the fashion of high-collars in both men’s and women’s apparel continues to date, especially as far as formal, evening wear is concerned (Mack).

To conclude, there is a high degree of similarity between the Renaissance era and contemporary fashion. This is no surprise as fashion takes its cues from the past- the past becomes a reference point for current designers. At the same time, however, designers today face the challenge of blending conventional fashion trends with modern tastes and preferences. Undoubtedly, the Renaissance has left a strong mark on Western culture and dominates the European clothing trends in particular to date.References:Breward, Christopher. Fashion. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2003.

Mack, Charles R. Looking at the Renaissance: essays toward a contextual appreciation. Michigan: University of Michigan Press, 2005.Moose, Christina J. Great events from history: The Renaissance & early modern era. Salem Press, 2005.Zirpolo, Lilian H. The A to Z of Renaissance Art. Maryland: Scarecrow Press, 2009.