Amy c dissertation

The importance of fashion in the practice of staged performance and it’s relevance to the performance and creation of an identity in Everyday Life.

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Introduction Fashion is defined as the art of the perfect moment, of the sudden and surprising and yet obscurely expected harmonious apparition. (Lynch and Strauss, 2007).

Performances of fashion are seen as an ephemeral moment in time and occur not only as fashion shows but also in the experiences of everyday life.

New inspiration and fashion trends are created by the many catwalk performances showcased every season and through the fashionable appearance of individuals we encounter in reality. The 1990s saw a significant rise in the number of scholars and artists noticing the theoretical and expressive possibilities of dressed appearance. (Lynch and Strauss, 2007). Since the rise of Postmodernity in society, there has been a rise in designers working in interdisciplinary context, using the two separate disciplines of fashion and performance in the production of shows that attract public attention, resulting in the popularity of their brand. The development of social media as space for the communication of fashion followers has given people the opportunity to create a desired identity they can perform as their own. The research conducted provides discussion on the importance of fashion performance in society as a staged production provoking new ideas and concepts and within everyday experiences helping individuals to express their identity and character. Analysis will be discussed on the importance of space to allow an identity to truly perform. The relationship

and

similarities

of

everyday

performance

and

staged

performance will be analyzed throughout; emphasizing the clear impact they gain from one another. The extract will identify the clear opinion that fashion is an overall performance, discussing the great importance of performing in order to allow clothing to become a memorable item of fashion and style.

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Chapter 1 Situations that occur in everyday life reflect the significant aspects of performance. Our choice of dress on a daily basis echo’s the notion of performing to an audience and opting a certain style through the use of fashion reflects the concept of a costume. The clothing we choose to wear everyday enhances our character, movement and confidence. Performance is defined as ‘the act of presenting’ (Oxford university press, 2014) meaning every action, emotion and movement we choose to make is an act of presenting. This can be interpreted as an act on stage, or within the reality of everyday routine.

The modern world is indeed a stage upon which everyone is forced to perform. (Ferguson, 2009).

Ferguson suggests that as humans, we have no choice but to perform a persona in society, even if we do not wish to act it with expression.

Everything we do and the actions we take become its own spontaneous performance. Ferguson discusses the idea that everyday life presents a mix of individuals who provide us with different personalities and actions that we react to according to what is presented to us, reflecting an improvised performance.

We

interpret

situations

as

they

come

referring

to

improvisation. The scenario we end up in, the way we dress and the people we are with affect our ability to perform in a certain way. Goffman discusses the ideas of identity and character in the performance of reality, and our reaction to meeting an individual for the first time referring to ‘assumption’.

They can assume from past experience that only individuals of a particular kind are likely to be found in a given social setting.(Goffman, 1986).

This signifies that others immediately judge the individual due to first impressions through performances of identity they have witnessed by others. As humans we regularly assume and create a predictable impression when first encountering an individual. The same can be said when reacting

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to a certain staged performance; an audience has an immediate reaction to a character by simply judging them by first impressions as they appear on stage. Fashion becomes significantly important in the performance of identities and the way one chooses to express them. Entwistle suggest there are two ways fashion and dress can relate to the performance of self; one way is clothing expresses our identity giving others a clear and truthful impression of an individual and the other being a disguise, which masks our true character. (Entwistle, 2000).

Fashion can in some ways create a disguise for someone who is afraid to show their true character, in other words appear as a costume upon the body.

This refers to the idea that we are all acting in everyday

circumstances and pretending to be a false identity, providing a negative approach to the meaning of performance.

If we are all actors playing a role on the stage of life, where is the ‘real me? (Goffman, 2007) This statement depicts a certain ‘cynical and manipulative approach to life’ (Goffman, 2007), proposing that fashion can prompt false impressions and give people the opportunity to create a desired identity that is distant from their true personality. Evidently, this relates to the requirements of being an actor in a performed production.

Fashion is also fundamentally important to the performance of an individual’s gender.

Judith Butler discusses the idea that ‘gender identity

does not express some inner truth, but is rather the product of stylish repetition of actions’ (Butler, 2011), believing that gender is a social performance (Almond, 2011).

Her idea suggests that we are all born with a chosen gender but the notion of how to react to the gender is an expression we choose to perform in everyday life and this is usually in the form of how society expects us to act.

The way we perform our gender is based on the expectations of others, even if this gender does not fit our overall personality and mindset. From the moment of birth, we are labeled a particular gender however this is not one we intended to choose as at this moment in time it is impossible to do

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so. This is why some individuals feel they have been given the wrong gender, resulting in there choice to perform the opposition.

The space in which a person performs himself or herself in everyday life effects their identity, personality and dressed persona. The Internet and the development of social media has become a space for which fashion professionals and bloggers can document their style and appear aspirational to young people. Professional fashion bloggers are paid to wear the latest trends and present a stylish persona to savvy fashion followers.

Identity-as-performance is seen as part of the flow of social interaction as individuals construct identity performances fitting their milieu. (Pearson, 2009).

Social networking platforms provide a controllable stage on which an identity can decide the character they want to present, appearing desirable and aspiring to online users. Through the use of online blogs, users are able to re/invent themselves through their own exclusive screen name or logo.

This allows fashion bloggers to portray their ideal identity in anyway they choose, even if they are creating a false impression of themselves. This reflects the representation of performance, as every actor carries his or her own stage name. Also fashion blogs provide an interpretation of the latest fashion trends at affordable prices for regular high street shoppers.

They are means to stay ahead of trends and inspiring the creation of a fashionable offline identity (Goldstein and Leung, 2008).

Blogs allow aspiring fashion followers to learn the fashionable trends and perform a fashionable persona in everyday life.

The experimentation of fashion is more than ever predominantly in the twenty- first century, performed on the streets. Since the 1950s street style trends began to dominate the streets, due to the realization that fashion and popular culture can derive from all societal groups and not just from the upper classes (Polhemus, 2005). The performances of fashion on the catwalk were only ever available to wealthy consumers but as street style became more prominent in society, this led a new way for fashion to be

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performed in everyday life. This gave individuals the chance to gain inspiration without having to pay to see high fashion performances showing the significance of the street as an important aspect for fashion to thrive.

Certain fashionable individuals dedicate their working lives to self – promoting

themselves

and

appearing

as

performers

in

everyday

circumstances for example the Dandies.

The dandy is a figure who emphasizes the performative nature of modernity, the possibilities it opens up for self-creation through appearance (Entwistle, 2000).

Dandyism is regularly compared to certain fashionable individuals of the 21st century, who use the street as a space for which they can present their unique appearance. This is analyzed and compared to by Monica Titton. The Italian ‘Queen of Street Style’ (Titton, 2000) Anna Del Russo, has become famous through her presence on fashion blogs and performances of style in some of the world’s most fashionable cities. Her commitment to fashion and dedication to presenting a stylish persona in public relates to the dandy’s obsession with clothing and appearance. Another important aspect to the role of street style stars and their relationship towards Dandyism is the location in which they make their presentation. ‘The city as symbolic space for fashion performance plays a key role’ (Titton, 2000). By appearing in one of the world’s most fashionable cities, being Paris, London, Milan or New York, a street style stars fashionability is enhanced showing the importance of the performance space in achieving self promotion and the ideal identity.

Another individual who used the energy and symbolism of the city streets as a backdrop for performing their identity was the outrageous performance artist Leigh Bowery. Since his arrival on the streets of London in 1981, Bowery used his decorative body and extraordinary clothing and costumes to parade the streets of London performing himself in the public eye, creating a huge amount of shock and press attention. ‘Every time I go out, it turns into a performance’ (Tillet, 1997).

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(Appendix 1)

This highlights the expressive nature of fashion and how an identity can simply perform in everyday life just by using their body as a muse for individual style to be presented to the public.

I believe that fashion stinks. I think that firstly individuality is important, and that there should be no main rules for behavior and appearance (Tilley, 1997).

Bowery believed it was important to show the public the power of individuality through his public appearances and also blur the boundaries of the norms of fashion and gender stereotyping.

The streets provided a space in which gender could be performed, however the performance of gender was not always easy for those who felt they were hiding their true sexuality and who were afraid to express this through fashion. In the late 70s and through the 80s, people began to experiment with cross-dressing and sexuality through theatrical fashion and costume.

Clubs, such as the Suzy Mason nightclub provided a safe but fantasy environment that encouraged people to be glamorous and as eccentric as they wished without being judged or discriminated by others (Almond, 2011). It was a place for escapism and for people to perform a fantasy Page 7 of 2

persona for one night, conveying truly what they hide inside through an extravagant costume. The positive aspect of this is that it allows one to create their own social performance in front of individuals of the same kind but who they do not know in person giving them confidence to communicate their individuality.

The club goers glamorous veneer often masks the suffering they endure in their day-to-day lives. (Almond, 2011) This highlights the importance of the club as a space for the performance of gender and identity in everyday life, as many individuals found it difficult to fit in outside the walls of a Suzy Mason club. The club became a stage for individuals who wanted an escape from reality and those who wanted to perform an identity, which explored the boundaries of gender and sexuality.

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Chapter 2: Fashion is essential to the development and performance of an identity in everyday life. The previous chapter mentioned how situations in everyday life and the way individuals fashionably present themselves can effect fashion trends and attract media attention. Before fashion is purchased and performed by consumers, it is performed literally in front of the press and industry professional in order for the designer to present their desired vision in the best possible way. Since the 1960s, the spectrum of fashion performance has widened and fashion through time has become more theatrical.

Fashion was transformed into a personal means of expression and hence a medium of communication for the spirit a fashion designer and his or her universe (Kamitsis, 2009).

This highlights the great importance of the performance aspect of fashion in the communication of a designer’s true perception. The twentieth century saw a rise in the number of designers wanting to create a ‘fashion spectacle, focusing on production and dramatic effect’ (Lynch and Strauss, 2007) contributing to a memorable moment in fashion history. John Galliano was described as ‘the greatest image-maker in the world’ (Evans, 2003) as he succeeding in delighting audiences with his extravagant couture shows as head of Dior. The image below presents his 1998 Spring/summer couture show in which he created a magnificent version of the original Dior showroom. This clearly embodied the classic and luxurious qualities of the brand. It also portrays the clear vision of the designer; using the theatrical performance he was able to grab the attention of the audience and capture a desirable fantasy for the imagination.

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(Appendix 2)

Another designer who epitomized the idea of the fashion show as a memorable occasion in time was Kenzo who found joy in projecting a ‘special energy’ in his performances.

For all the observers at the time, a Kenzo fashion show was the place that best crystallized the energy of those trailblazing times (Kamitsis, 2009).

This signifies the joy of which the theatrical production of fashion performances can bring to an audience and within this instigate fashion change with its elaborate themes. However some have argued that the excessive theatricality of certain performances over powers the essential fashion itself. Galliano was criticized for ‘over reaching himself in

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substituting showmanship and pantomime for fashion design itself, making clothes that were utterly unwearable’ (Evans, 2003). This depicts a negative approach to the ‘spectacle’ fashion performance, as designers were not necessarily creating clothing that was fit to wear but instead making exaggerated costumes and selling a dream to consumers.

Although this was a fair statement, many designers thrived off the negative criticism as it caused controversy and made the brand more recognizable.

As well as creating a spectacle show for an audience, designers such as the great Alexander McQueen chose to inflict deep and innovative concepts that project meaning and controversial statements. This can also involve working in an interdisciplinary context, combining fashion with art, architecture, dance and other creative cultures.

In fashion…the show…should make you think, there is no point in doing it if it’s not going to create some sort of emotion (Bolton, 2011).

McQueen felt it was of great importance to create shows that an audience reacted

to

emotionally

‘tapping

into

our

cultural

anxieties

and

uncertainties’ (Bolton, 2011). One of his most memorable performances was the finale of his Spring/Summer show ‘No13’ in 1999, consisting of a model rotating on a circular platform while being shot at with paint by mechanically programmed robots.

(Appendix 3)

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The aggressive nature of the robotic guns and the model’s sense of losing control reflect the notion of creation and the sexual experience of conceiving, which is relative to human experience in everyday life.

It is the viewers understanding of the clothed body and their own memories and experiences that enable them to engage and connect with the ideas and narratives (Bugg, 2011).

The conceptually ‘avant-garde’ designers found rebelling against the normal elaborate show pieces and concentrating more on the underlining messages of a performance, gave them an intimate connection to audiences and with this a strong connection to other disciplines in the arts. Viktor and Rolf stand as one of the many avant-garde designers who brought innovation to the fashion performance. Their 1999 Haute couture show concentrated ‘on the action of clothing the body, allowing process to overshadow product’ (Lynch and Strauss, 2007) featuring a model being dressed by the designers in layers of burlap and Swarovski crystals. The process and involvement of the designers themselves made the audience focus on this instead of the clothing, highlighting the importance of the idea being a crucial component in a fashion show, as well as the clothing itself. It also indicates a strong connection with people in everyday life, as dressing the clothed body is a process we face in reality emphasizing the relationship between the practice of performance and the performance of everyday life. Although the conceptual fashion show has enabled the cross over between various disciplines in the arts, many professionals have criticized it. Michael Fried comments about performance and art, stating that ‘art has been perverted, corrupted even, by theatre. Art degenerates when it comes close to the condition of theatre.’(Mechelen, 2009) This comment relates to the notion of Modernism and the idea that each discipline should be focused on the precision of its medium and there should be no interaction with others (Mechelen, 2009). However the designer’s choice to work in interdisciplinary context has the power to change attitudes, fashion trends and keep audiences engaged by breaking the boundaries of ordinary fashion performances.

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The development of the fashion show and the way an audience is able to view a performance has been altered dramatically due to the advancement of digital technology. In particular the Internet has made a huge impact on the communication of fashion and has become ‘a platform for the display of fashion shows’ (Quinn, 2002) to a wide spectrum of audiences. Before the Internet, it was difficult for consumers to access certain fashion performances.

Fashion consumers received only fragmented reports from newspapers or the television, which scarcely painted the full picture of the designer’s vision (Kamitsis, 2009).

This highlights the limited availability of fashion performances for consumers resulting in them having less of a connection to the designer and their clothing. However nowadays the latest shows can be downloaded and streamed live in order for audiences to feel involved and connected to a collection without having to witness the show in person, accentuating the importance of the internet as a form of display and distribution for the performance of fashion (Khan, 2012).

The presence of fashion performance on the Internet has developed further due to the increased appearance of Fashion films in last ten years. Unlike fashion in film and other forms of fashion media, ‘fashion film challenges the more traditional forms’ (Khan, 2012) and presents a more abstract and aesthetically pleasing way of viewing fashion. The ideas represented in fashion films reflect the themes explored within the conceptual fashion show.

Fashion film aims to break down boundaries between consumption and representation, relying on cinematic language. (Khan, 2012).

This suggests that fashion film creates a unique space for viewing fashion, concentrating on narrative over spectacle and allowing the viewer to become a spectator over a consumer gaining artistic inspiration. Through this the fashion film instigates changes in fashion trends and attitudes.

Nick Knights SHOWstudio is currently the biggest interactive online platform exploring the most conceptual fashion films. Himself and his team create

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experimental films that are aimed at changing the way we perceive fashion, much of this includes collaborating with fashion designers in order to show their current consumer base innovative ideas and digitally enhance their brand concepts. Fashion designer Omar Azim for his Spring/Summer 15 collection created a fashion film based on his fascination with the sub culture ‘Zar’ (Appendix 4). The film content demonstrates how the advancement of computer technology, composition and music contribute to the designers vision to project feelings of ‘trauma, hysteria and relief’ (SHOWstudio,2014) in the performance. The reaction the designer wants to gain from their audience through the performative film can be enhanced more distinctively due to film technology.

The spectrum of digital technology has increasingly grown, resulting in fashion designers using more original ways of presenting their shows in order to appear more innovative and break the boundaries of fashion performance. Many designers have turned to the use of holographic imagery, replacing the physical body and space with computer-generated versions of models, catwalks and music. In Ralph Lauren ‘s Polo presentation at New York fashion week e created a 4D cinematic experience for his audience located above the water in Central Park with the skyline of New York City as the back drop (The Creators Project, 2014). Lauren Commented, We returned to Central Park, a place I love, and captured the spirit of Polo with a truly innovative mix of fashion and technology (The Creators Project, 2014).

The appearance of the holographic show highlights the progression of technology within the fashion industry and its ability to transform fashion performances

into

cinematic

experiences

for

audiences.

These

performances are appealing to individuals and attract media attention, as they are innovational and groundbreaking moments that become memorable to the public.

However within a virtual fashion production there are negative views on the absence of reality.

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The body in effect is the site for the creation of and communication of meaning whether that is a narrative, a concept, an emotion or a character (Bugg, 2011).

This highlights the factor that within any performance, the body is essential to the communication of fashion suggesting that without it the audiences loses a vital connection to the clothing and the overall spirit of a memorable moment in time. Although this is true in some cases, the growth of technology creates experimentation, surprise and allows designers to showcase unforgettable productions.

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Conclusion In order to conclude, it has to appear evident that there is a clear significance for fashion in both performance spaces, being that of its appearance in everyday life and in the practice of performances staged for an audience. In the relevance of everyday life, fashion allows us to appear as an identity of which we have chosen to perform and in which case help others identify our personality, character and style. It is significantly important to acknowledge the relationship between theatre and fashion performance in everyday life. Fashion does what costume is used for in theatre, a significant part of the creation of a character. Without the use of clothing and costume it would be difficult to understand a certain individual in everyday life and in understanding a concept and theme in a staged performance. In other circumstances it is evident that fashion provides a disguise for individuals who choose to hide there true identity and perform in a way that is not true to his or her self. This refers back to the idea Goffman proposes that we are all actors in the stage of life instigating that life is full of individuals pretending to be something they are not. Due to the impact of social media we are able to perform an identity that is desirable to others proposing the strong link everyday life has to the practice of performance. It is apparent that fashion is exceptionally important to the desire of staged performance for an audience. Fashion shows are an ephemeral moment for fashion followers. With the development of extravagant showpieces and also the abstract concepts chosen by designers, shows are inspirational and have the power to express new ideas and fashion trends. The appropriate visions of the designers are brought to life by the character portrayal and the fashionable trends and movement presented by the body. The development of digital technology enhances the designers ability to present new innovative ideas in fashion performance and through this instigate fashion trends which is important in the fast past world of fashion. With the increased growth of technology it seem evident that the boundaries of performance are being pushed and the possibilities are endless.

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Overall for fashion itself to be truly expressed, it is performed to demonstrate a designers desired concept and to enhance an individual’s style. The evidence concludes that fashion is continually performed from its appearance on the catwalk to the streets of society in everyday life.

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References ALMOND, K., 2011. Masquerade in Clubland: A safe space for Glamour.

Visual Culture and Gender, 6, p60-71 BOLTON, A., 2011. Alexander McQueen Savage Beauty. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art BUGG, J., 2011. Designing the Performance Space [online] [viewed 29 December 2014].

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alexander-mcqueen-savage-beauty ENTWISTLE, J., 2000. Fashion and Identity. In: anon. The Fashioned Body.

Cambridge: Polity Press, pp. 112, pp.126 EVANS, C., 2003. Fashion at the Edge. New Haven and London: Yale University Press FERGUSON, H., 2009. Fragments. In: Elliot, A, ed. Self-Identity and Everyday Life. Oxon: Routledge, pp. 182.

KAMITSIS, L., 2009. An Impressionistic history of Fashion Shows since the 1960s. In: J.BRAND and J.TEUNISSEN, eds. Fashion and Imagination: About Clothes and Art. The Netherlands: ArtEZ Press, pp.93, 96, 97 KHAN, N., 2012. Cutting the Fashioned Body: Why the fashion image is no longer

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LEUNG, L., 2008. Digital experience design: Ideas, Industries and Interaction [online]. Chicago: Intellectual Books [viewed 25 November]. Available from: https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=Nz24fcwb6JYC&pg=PA30&lpg=PA30&d q=the+performance+of+fashion+blogging&source=bl&ots=UAzjYzfNw3&sig=O nqqHF4uZ7aY7OhUXjx1dw4B4mk&hl=en&sa=X&ei=sGmdVOH4HI35aquNgugB &ved=0CEoQ6AEwBg#v=onepage&q=the%20performance%20of%20fashion%20 blogging&f=false LYNCH, A and STRAUSS, M, 2007. Fashion as Performance [online].

Bloomsbury: Anon [viewed 13 November 2014]. Available from: Berg Fashion Library MECHELEN, M., 2009. The tete-a-tete of performance in fashion and art. In: J.BRAND and J.TEUNISSEN, eds. Fashion and Imagination: About Clothes and Art. The Netherlands: ArtEZ Press, pp.106 MCLNERNEY, N., 1998. John Galliano for Dior Spring/Summer Couture show [digital

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http://adelethiel.blogspot.co.uk/2013/04/the-fashion-show-as-spectacleof.html PEARSON, E, 2009. The Performance of Identity online social networks [online]

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http://firstmonday.org/ojs/index.php/fm/article/view/2162/2127 POLHEMUS, T., 2005. Street Style. A-Z of fashion [online] [viewed 27 November 2014]. Available from: Berg Fashion Library.

QUINN, B., 2002. Introduction [online]. Techno Fashion [online][viewed 30 December 2014]. Available from: Berg Fashion Library

Page 19 of 2

THE CREATORS PROJECT, 2014. Watch Holograms strut the catwalk for Ralph Lauren [online] [viewed 03 January 2014]. Available from: http://thecreatorsproject.vice.com/en_uk/blog/watch-holograms-strutthe-catwalk-for-ralph-lauren THE CULTURAL STUDIES READER, 2012. Judith Butler/Gender Trouble: Gender Performance and Performativity Summary. In: The Cultural Studies Reader [online]. Saturday 2nd July 2014 [viewed 22nd December 2014].

Available from: http://culturalstudiesnow.blogspot.co.uk/2011/07/judithbutler-gender-trouble-gender.html TILLET,S., 1997. Performance. Leigh Bowery: The Life and times of an Icon.

Great Britain: Hodder and Stoughton, pp. 195 TILLET,S., 1997. Fashion. Leigh Bowery: The Life and times of an Icon.

Great Britain: Hodder and Stoughton, pp. 97 TITTON, M., 2000. Styling the Street – Fashion Performance, Stardom and Neo-Dandyism in street style. In: S.BRUZZI and P.GIBSON, eds. Fashion Cultures: Theories, Exploration and Analysis. 2nd edition. Oxon: Routledge.

RIDGERS, D., 1986. Leigh Bowery and friend and Taboo Nightclub. [digital image]

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http://fashionsoundtrack.com/2013/07/10/club-to-catwalk-va-exhibition/

Page 20 of 2

Bibliography ALMOND, K., 2011. Masquerade in Clubland: A safe space for Glamour.

Visual Culture and Gender, 6, p60-71 BOLTON, A., 2011. Alexander McQueen Savage Beauty. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art BUGG, J., 2011. Designing the Performance Space [online] [viewed 29 December 2014].Available from: http://ualresearchonline.arts.ac.uk/4942/1/FINALPaper_Prague_bod y_and_site_JUNE_2011_word_2003.doc.

CATWALKING,

n.d.

Shalom

Harlow

in

spray-painted

dress

No.13

Spring/Summer 1999 [digital image] [viewed 27 December 2014]. Available from:http://www.vogue.co.uk/news/2014/10/10/suzy-menkes---alexandermcqueen-savage-beauty ENTWISTLE, J., 2000. Fashion and Identity. In: anon. The Fashioned Body.

Cambridge: Polity Press, pp. 112, pp.126 EVANS,C.,2003. Fashion at the Edge. New Haven and London: Yale University Press FERGUSON, H., 2009. Fragments. In: Elliot, A, ed. Self-Identity and Everyday Life. Oxon: Routledge, pp. 182.

FINKLESTEIN, J., 1991. The Fashioned Self. Cambridge: Polity Press GIL-CURIEL, G., 2013. Dancing Tragedy: Alexander McQueen’s aesthetics of Spectacle

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Page 21 of 2

HETHERINGTON, K., 1998. Expressions of Identity Space, Performance, Politics. London: Sage Publications KAMITSIS, L., 2009. An Impressionistic history of Fashion Shows since the 1960s. In: J.BRAND and J.TEUNISSEN, eds. Fashion and Imagination: About Clothes and Art. The Netherlands: ArtEZ Press, pp.93, 96, KHAN,N, 2012. Cutting the Fashioned Body: Why the fashion image is no longer

still

[online]

[viewed

03

January

2014].

Available

from:

http://www.academia.edu/2560017/Cutting_the_Fashion_Body__Why_the_Fashion_Image_is_no_longer_still LEUNG, L., 2008. Digital experience design: Ideas, Industries and Interaction [online]. Chicago: Intellectual Books [viewed 25 November]. Available from: https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=Nz24fcwb6JYC&pg=PA30&lpg=PA30&d q=the+performance+of+fashion+blogging&source=bl&ots=UAzjYzfNw3&sig=O nqqHF4uZ7aY7OhUXjx1dw4B4mk&hl=en&sa=X&ei=sGmdVOH4HI35aquNgugB &ved=0CEoQ6AEwBg#v=onepage&q=the%20performance%20of%20fashion%20 blogging&f=false LYNCH, A and STRAUSS, M, 2007. Fashion as Performance [online].

Bloomsbury: Anon [viewed 13 November 2014]. Available from: Berg Fashion Library MECHELEN, M., 2009. The tete-a-tete of performance in fashion and art. In: J.BRAND and J.TEUNISSEN, eds. Fashion and Imagination: About Clothes and Art. The Netherlands: ArtEZ Press, pp.106 METROPOLITIAN MUSEUM OF THE ARTS, 2011. Alexander McQueen Savage Beauty

[online]

[viewed

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2014].

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http://blog.metmuseum.org/alexandermcqueen/dress-no-13/

Page 22 of 2

from:

MCLNERNEY, N., 1998. John Galliano for Dior Spring/Summer Couture show [digital

image]

[viewed

28

December

2014].

Available

from:

http://adelethiel.blogspot.co.uk/2013/04/the-fashion-show-as-spectacleof.html PEARSON, E, 2009. The Performance of Identity online social networks [online]

[viewed

21

November

2014].

Available

from:

http://firstmonday.org/ojs/index.php/fm/article/view/2162/2127 POLHEMUS, T., 2005. Street Style. A-Z of fashion [online] [viewed 27 November 2014]. Available from: Berg Fashion Library.

QUINN, B., 2002. Introduction [online]. Techno Fashion [online][viewed 30 December 2014]. Available from: Berg Fashion Library S. NETTLETON and J.WATSON, 1998. The Body in Everyday Life. London: Routledge THE CREATORS PROJECT, 2014. Watch Holograms strut the catwalk for Ralph Lauren [online] [viewed 03 January 2014]. Available from: http://thecreatorsproject.vice.com/en_uk/blog/watch-holograms-strutthe-catwalk-for-ralph-lauren THE CULTURAL STUDIES READER, 2012. Judith Butler/Gender Trouble: Gender Performance and Performativity Summary. In: The Cultural Studies Reader [online]. Saturday 2nd July 2014 [viewed 22nd December 2014].

Available from: http://culturalstudiesnow.blogspot.co.uk/2011/07/judithbutler-gender-trouble-gender.html TILLET,S., 1997. Performance. Leigh Bowery: The Life and times of an Icon.

Great Britain: Hodder and Stoughton, pp. 195

Page 23 of 2

TILLET,S., 1997. Fashion. Leigh Bowery: The Life and times of an Icon.

Great Britain: Hodder and Stoughton, pp. 97 TITTON, M., 2000. Styling the Street – Fashion Performance, Stardom and Neo-Dandyism in street style. In: S.BRUZZI and P.GIBSON, eds. Fashion Cultures: Theories, Exploration and Analysis. 2nd edition. Oxon: Routledge.

RIDGERS, D., 1986. Leigh Bowery and friend and Taboo Nightclub. [digital image]

[viewed

10

December

2014].

Available

from:

http://fashionsoundtrack.com/2013/07/10/club-to-catwalk-va-exhibition/

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Appendix Appendix 1: RIDGERS, D., 1986. Leigh Bowery and friend and Taboo Nightclub. [digital image] [viewed 10 December 2014]. Available from: http://fashionsoundtrack.com/2013/07/10/club-to-catwalk-va-exhibition/

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Appendix 2: MCLNERNEY, N., 1998. John Galliano for Dior Spring/Summer Couture show [digital image] [viewed 28 December 2014]. Available from: http://adelethiel.blogspot.co.uk/2013/04/the-fashion-show-as-spectacleof.html

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Appendix 3: CATWALKING, n.d. Shalom Harlow in spray-painted dress No.13 Spring/Summer 1999 [digital image] [viewed 27 December 2014]. Available from:http://www.vogue.co.uk/news/2014/10/10/suzy-menkes---alexandermcqueen-savage-beauty

Appendix 4: This is a fashion film from Nick Knight’s SHOWstudio made by Jez Tozer in collaboration with the designer Omir Asim for his Spring/Summer 2015 collection ‘Zar’.

Zar, 2014 [online video]. Directed by Omir ASIM. Jez Tozer Studios [viewed 02 January].Available from: http://showstudio.com/project/zar

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Practical Piece Description – Film Everything we do and the actions we take become it’s own spontaneous performance.

My Practical piece focuses on the idea of our movements in everyday life reflecting the practice of performance. Every movement, gesture and signal with make with our bodies is one improvised performance that changes depending on the people, problems and emotions we encounter on that day.

Throughout the film, the performer chooses to mimic the people he observes on the streets, studying their movement and reactions and from this using his improvisational skills as a contemporary dancer, to create a dramatic performance. The choreography offers a more exaggerated version of the movements he notices in everyday life.

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