Material Culture by ev writes

material culture by Evanne Kok

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material culture category: written workload: individual status: completed in 2015

Part One: How is the idea of fashion implicated in design in general, and in the design of what we wear in particular? Do designers of clothing want to reflect culture, create culture, or do they seek to do both? Fashion is mostly prevalent in the design of what we wear; this idea of fashion is so central to our being, that it becomes something that is second nature. Freud believed that the human psyche could be categorized into three levels, namely conscious, pre-conscious and unconscious.i To majority, ‘fashion’, at a conscious level, unassumingly brings to mind fashion in clothing. (i)‘What is fashionable this season’, (ii)‘how one should dress at an event’, (iii)‘does this garment suit one’s style’, are examples of questions one might ask when talking about his/her conceived notion of fashion. Here, fashion is not equivalent to properties of clothing, but instead meanings of these garments in relation to various time and space.ii ‘(i)’ depicts the idea of newness or change. ‘(ii)’ depicts the existence of cultural codes and portrayal of one’s ‘image’ at a particular time and space. ‘(iii)’ depicts the notion of identity and taste. These ideologies of fashion do not only apply to clothing alone, but also other objects one acquires. People hence see fashion as a constant chase for “the new”iii as well as a form of expression, at the pre-conscious level. Fashion strives for change, a chase for something newer, more innovative, unique and exciting. We therefore start to question if this notion of newness one that seeks to push forward and improve previous models, or according to Svendsen calls for “change for the sake of change”iv. I see this notion of newness in fashion as a device that seeks to eliminate boredom. It is this avoidance that led us to seek the new and constantly create or refresh. We however cannot look at this idea of newness without considering changes in meanings of it through time. Before post modernism, the pace of change in fashion is much slower and more in sync with that of innovation. Novelty hence comes with accordance to objects or garments produced. The pace of fashion from one stage to another, at that time, was a process of replacement. Taking the mobile phone for example, in 1983, Motorola DynaTAC 8000Xv, was the first mobile phone introduced, however it was too bulky to be carried around. In 1989, Motorola MicroTAC 9800Xvi, was the first truly portable phone. The progression from a phone that was cordless to one that could be carried around revealed a great deal of research and innovation. However, as mass production and the need to satisfy our crave for ‘the new’ became more prevalent, this meant that

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kok yu wen evanne more could be produced within a shorter period of time; the pace of change therefore was able to progress at a faster rate than before, while that of innovation remained the same.vii The progression from Apple iPhone 4s to iPhone 5, was a mere change in appearance, ‘the bigger screen’, and function, ‘a better camera’, ‘retina display’. There was marginal difference between the two models, ‘5’ could be said to be a refreshed version of ‘4s’. At this stage fashion has shifted from mostly replacement to mostly supplementation, where reasons for change from ‘4s’ to ‘5’ was simply because ‘it was newer.’ Replacement still exists in fashion now, however, between stages of replacement, supplementation happens more often. With the constant chase for newness, fashion in design is always in the “state of becoming”viii, where the end never draws any closer. Although fashion in design of clothing shares attributes of that of fashion in general design, the growth of fashion in clothing in the recent decade is cyclical, while that of general design remains linear. Taking the progression of BMW’s car design as an example of fashion in general design, the linear progression is prevalent from 1968 BMW 3.0 CS to 1998 BMW 3 Series to the recent launch of BMW’s hybrid car, i8ix, in 2014x. Car designs every decade since the 1940s have constantly been improved in all aspects, the design, the engine, and the material. Taking the style of crop tops as an example of fashion in clothing, the cyclical progression is prevalent here. The crop top style was introduced in the late 1990s, music acts such as Spice Girls and Britney Spears dawned this stylexi. The crop top made a comeback in 2013 to now. Unlike that of fashion in design, fashion in clothing borrows ideas from previous styles. The cycle was also shortened through the increase in accessibility of fashion articles and the media, where consumers purchase clothing or objects due to a desire to associate with others. Fashion is also seen as a form of expression for the individual or social group within various time and space. Fashion can reflect many things about an individual through objects consumed. A person using Beats headphones (signifier) in 21st century may signify that he/she has an interest in music that has heavy emphasis on bass (signified). The individual consuming this brand may suggest their desire to associate with celebrities that act as spokespersons for Beatsxii (signified). Hence fashion could also associate an individual to a certain social group. These interpretations however are only assumptions made and might not reflect reality. Fashion can thus act as a mask, where people could curate a personality they wish to portray through objects acquired. Since clothing’s are said to be “extensions of the body”xiii, the identity and taste of an individual is exhibited out to a greater extent as compared to general design. Fashion in clothing is subjected to cultural codes within a society, a particular event or place. These codes can be used to portray certain image of a person; which is prevalent in situations such as a job interview. Another example are places such as fine dinning restaurants; diners are required to dress according to the smart ca- sual dress code, where men are required to wear collared shirts or denied entrance. An individual’s choice of clothing may be governed by these codes, acting as a basic guideline for people. Fashion in clothing can therefore reflect societal norms and culture through various codes of dress. Fashion in clothing, being such an influential phenomenon, many designers seek to reflect or create culture through their designs. We can see how designers influence culture through the spread of fashion.

Through recycling of fashion from the past, designers seek to reflect cultures of the past by reviving a certain style. As mentioned above, fashion in clothing is cyclical and moves in constant series of “forgetting and remembering”xiv. Yet while one style is made fashionable, the previous style goes out of fashion and is quickly forgotten by patrons. The act of supplementation therefore reflects a certain culture but diminishes another culture. During the 1970s, punk subculture emerged in various countries. They were categorized by their views on anti-establishmentxv and individual freedom, and recognized by ripped clothing and leather jackets heavily decorated with various metal wares such as spikes, and studs. Designers of high fashion later adopted punk fashion, known as a form of street fashion, in an attempt to put forward a style with an alternative voice reflecting punk subculturexvi. However, as this style shifted from an identity of subculture to the masses, it started to be “taken at face value”xvii and looses its original meaning within the subculture. Designers seek to create culture through introductions of revolutionary styles. The introduction of women’s suit by Yves-Saint-Laurent in 1966 represented gender equality and portrayed wearers as strong, independent women.xviii The introduction of a single style however cannot create culture by itself; this revolutionary culture was ignited by Yves-Saint-Laurent but created through a collective behaviour of consumers and designers of clothing. Designs from high fashion are then adopted and altered by the masses. Although fashion designers seek to reflect and create culture, they however do not have the power to dictate what happens after these designs are purchased and worn by the consumer, and its implications within society.

(Berger, 2014) pp. 32 “Clothes have meaning which are not properties of garments but of the garment-in-a-situation.” (Dant, 1999)pp. 97 iii (Svendsen, 2006)pp. 28 iv (Svendsen, 2006)pp. 29 vii “Naturally no one is able to create radically new styles at such a rate.” (Svendsen, 2006)pp. 31 viii (Svendsen, 2006)pp. 28 xiii (Dant, 1999) pp. 30 xvii (Dant, 1999) pp. 90 i

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Part Two: Show how we can apply specific theories of “Material Culture” to analyse either two similar or two contrasting objects in fashion design. Objects we possess according to semiotics are said to contain certain meanings. The object is said to be the signifier, while implications it posses are the signified. A single signifier can have several signifieds.xix Clothing being an object closest to our body and is always exhibited out to others, therefore containing various implications that reveal existence of cultural codes, wearers socio-economic status and prevalence or absence of authenticity. Signifieds of a garment derived from these implications therefore form an understanding of the various roles the garment plays, at the same time revealing “social relations and society.”xxThrough application of theories of material culture in my analysis of two contrasting garments, namely Dress Pants and Jeans, I seek to reveal the above points.

Dress Pants Dress pants came into prevalence around the 1930s. Design of dress pants unlike other clothing of fashion remains somewhat similar throughout decades; its emphasis was not on that of the name of the designer or brand, it was however focused on its craftsmanship. It was all about details, such as stitching, the fit in relation to the wearer and the right balance of the overall look. This balance includes pleats, cuffs or buttonsxxi sewn on dress pants as well as accessories such as the shirt or tie it is paired with. The dress pants’ rigid fashion and predictability thus results in the wearer wanting to distinguish his style from others. To create a distinguished style, it is advised, “one should base their decisions on practical knowledge, rather than personal opinion or ephemeral fashion.”xxii Stylings of the dress pants being void of individual choices reveals existing cultural codes surrounding the garment. Craftsmanship of dress pants also reveals the wearers high regard for tradition.xxiii Dress pants were commonly paired with dinner jackets; we know this attire as suits. Suits are worn by men to various formal events or business meetings, and are hence the “most articulate garment”xxiv in clothing. The formality of dress pants therefore requires its make to be of “sartorial eloquence”.xxv Strong emphasis is placed on details, they were thus traditionally tailored made to fit the wearer and are hence expensive piec-

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kok yu wen evanne es of garments to own. Due to the formal context in which they were worn and the cost of the garment, only the upper class saw a need for it and could afford the steep price. Hence dress pants are seen as elite and reserved for men with high standings. It therefore reflects a certain class denomination within society revealing the wearer’s status, role and membership within the elite lifestyle.xxvi During postmodernism, white collared man acquired dress pants in their work wear; these became mass-produced, traditions and details were ignored. However classics are still tailored, worn and regarded highly today.xxvii Dress pants thus retained its authenticityxxviii in its craftsmanship, tradition and its aura to a large extent.

Jeans Jeans shifted from work wear to a garment youth adopted signifying their views against bourgeois culture. Since then many have adopted jeans as a leisure garment and in recent years, people started wearing them to work on days such as ‘dress-down Fridays’. Jeans thus blurs the line between attire of work and play, challenging cultural codes at work. Since jeans were introduced, guidelines distinguishing not only cultural codes at work, but also other codes within society started to diminish gradually. Jeans unlike that of dress pants are mass-produced, the only distinction between one pair of jeans from another is the leather label sewn on the outside of the waistband revealing its brandxxix, the look thus creates uniformity between wearers. As masses started to adopt jeans as a staple in their closets, it became difficult to distinguish the class within society. Jeans therefore creates a mask for people to “hide their socio-economic status”xxx and an outlet to curate their identities. Jeans according to Marxist perspective creates a false consciousness in which the signified led masses to believe that society is void of distinguished class.xxxi While dress pants were seen mostly as a man’s garment, before woman’s suit was introduced, which required a different tailoring, jeans were seen as a unisex garment, where the cut fitted both men and women. Jeans reduces gender distinctions in clothing, hence signified gender equality. Each piece of garment exhibits individuality of the wearer through fading or wear and tear of its material, creating the uniqueness of each piece. With reference to cycle of jeans earlier mentioned, original meanings of jeans was lost when it shifted from its origins of youth culture to that of masses and high fashion. Recent fashion of ripped jeans reflects its lost in authenticity, as brands try to replicate the natural wear and tear of jeans in that of unused jeans. Jeans has thus fell victim to post-modernist thought, where “technique of reproduction detaches the reproduced object from the domain of tradition.”xxxii

(Berger, 2014) pp. 78 (Flusser, 1996) pp. 89-91 24 (Flusser, 1996) pp. 89-91 xxv (Flusser, 1996) pp. 89-91 xxx (Berger, 2014) pp. 144 xxxii (Berger, 2014) pp. 94 xx

xxii

Conclusion Fashion is a highly influential phenomenon that surrounds our lives, in which it is inevitable; it includes those for it and even those against it. Fashion is prevalent in our architectures, objects we acquire and clothes we wear. It is thus in our nature to seek the new and to reveal or find our identities, values and believes within objects we acquire. Our motives may vary from that of rein-forcing ones status and identity, fitting in to a social group, portraying status or attainments that are beyond us, or seeking a feeling of satisfaction when acquiring something new. These motives as realised from above do not stand-alone, instead stands in relation to time, space, culture and taste. Fashion ultimately plays two contrasting roles within society. Fashion especially in clothing is public, in which what we acquire is open to opinions and views of others. Fashion can also be private, in which people use it to hide their true self, through portrayal of an alternative character through objects and clothing. Although designers of clothing seek to reflect or create culture, fashion is ultimately influenced by collective behaviour of people. Their views could be altered or influenced by critics of fashion, through magazines and commentaries. However, what becomes fashionable in a season is deter- mined by collective taste and preference of the public. It is thus beyond the control of designers and fashion critics. Through analysis of contrasting objects in fashion design, the dress pants and jeans, it reveals various aspects of society and human behaviour in relation to the garments. These meanings we often derive from the garment is however a portrayal of society and culture. The various signifieds derived from the signifier is in fact in relation to time, space and wearer of the garment. With dress pants and jeans lying at opposite ends of the spectrum, dress pants being a garment worn during formal events while jeans being a garment for leisure, analysis of the two in relation to their con- texts formed an understanding of society as a whole. The pace at which dress pants moved through change was relatively slower than that of jeans, in which its authenticity and regard for tradition still remained while that of jeans has long been lost when it was acquired by masses. Fashion within formal situations still continues to withhold rigid cultural codes while that of leisure blurred distinctive line between gender, work and play, and class. It is due to these codes that definitions of style within these two situations start to diverge. Uniqueness and style when wearing dress pants is decided based on knowledge while that of jeans is based on personal expression. Dress pants emphasizes on craftsmanship, while that of jeans emphasizes on the designer or brand.

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Dant, Tim. Material Culture In The Social World. Buckingham: Open University Press, 1999. xvii

Curtain, Jane. A Woman In Tuxedo. 2014. http://www. fashionculte.com/fashion/woman-tuxedo (accessed January 5, 2015). xviii

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xxi

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