We are One but not the Same - Scenario by helen gras

The book ‘We are One but not the Same’ holds the twinrelationship as metaphor. The search for belonging to a communal whole, and at the same time trying to be yourself by differentiating yourself from others, creates ambivalence. This is what the book to left of you is about; the constructing of an identity through self and other - how others are constantly been taken into consideration though visual culture and society.1 The ambivalence that derives from this search for the balance between being unique and being part of others is suggested by various authors to reflect the ambivalence in society. This is what drives fashion on and this is what creates changes in fashion. These changes are what I investigate in this book. Through fashion theorie I came to understand the outline of this book, namely devided through subjects in cahpters:class, gender, physical beauty and race.2 My findings are based on current events concerning these topics, group discsussions, and (fashion) theory. This, to create a new prognosis. I decided to communicate this new prognosis through a story line because information is easier to grasp when communicated in a story. Not all the information is through a story though, for theoretical information is becomes quite boring when being forced to be read in a dialogue. There for the group discussions are translated into dialogues. These are spoken out through a twin, Sam and Sophie. I noticed that the group discussions I organized where quite easily extracted into two different opinions.3 Through theory I understood this to be something quite natural; people always think in oppositions. By doing so we try to understand reality. And so, this information from those discussion is told though a twin, Sam and Sophie in their dialogues. Through the twins persona’s the inner

dialogues are translated into open thought. These dialogues acknowledge the ambivalence within the individual concerning the various topics I address. The twin relationship stands for this opposition, for this binairy thinking and the process of coming together. For it is natural in the twin relationship to think in terms of we, and it is a constant search in being together while trying to feel unique. The scenario (prognosis) describes a future based on this new we-feeling. My scenario is about taking the other, or otherness in consideration. This is becoming more important because our world is becoming more transparent. We are now coming to the point where our direct actions are becoming visible beyond our personal living situation. I have combined my essay and my project in this book. I investigate the ambivalence within the individual and what effect it has on constructing an identity in the book to the left of you. In this book I translate this to ambivalences that occur in society. Together, this creates a prognosis, or a new forecasting. Its purpose is for creative people to seek inspiration, without being told what to do. This is why I chose to name it scenario. In order to keep the information open and interpretable, while flowing and sequenced, I’ve decided to use dance as a metaphor in creating images that fit the scenario. The dancers dance the coming fashion. The open pages in this book are meant to write your own ideas. The images arre pictures from the dance that can be seen on the dvd included in this book. Enjoy!

Helen Gras 2008

It’s a sunny Sunday. Sophie and Sam are working on their book together. The book is mainly about their vision on how they see current events that occur now effect the future. Sophie has written an essay on the twin relationship as a metaphor for how women relate to the fashion world, and they have decided to use this as their starting point. Sam and Sophie are going through the essay to see how they can translate the first steps into their vision. Through the metaphor the theory emphasizes the search for the balance between belonging and differentiation, which creates ambivalence. Sam and Sophie are now trying to find a way to communicate this into a way where the ambivalence is acknowledged through the presentation in their book. Sam: “You say here that the ambivalence that occurs through searching for that balance between belonging and differentiation is reflected to the ambivalence in society.” Sophie: “Yes, Fred Davis, a fashion scholar said that, that’s not really mine. So, any ideas on how communicate this?”

Sam: “Well, we tend to take a different view on various topics. Maybe we should just tape our discussions and use that to acknowledge the ambivalence.”

Sam answers: “storytelling, like our future story.” And Sam starts the computer to find words that would describe this. It takes while, but then she comes up with the word scenario, and the girls decide to take it from there. Sam is very good at structuring and keeping a certain overview. Sophie on the other had likes to get into different theories which they then together try to translate. But now Sam is structuring, and then she says: “Ok, so listen, the essay is quite hard stuff, like serious theories. But basically what you are doing is investigating the ambivalence within the individual to see what for effect it has on creating an identity. Then this Fred Davis man comes by and says that this reflects the ambivalence in society. This is what the link is between these two topics, because then we look into what kind of ambivalences occur in society. But we should narrow it down.” “Eh.. yes ..” “Well, Sophie proceeds, that Fred Davis guy had more interesting conclusions. At a certain point in his book he explains how fashion always interacts with four different topics in society. Those are class, gender physical beauty and race. We could just make four chapters out of those. That means we should investigate what is happening in those fields.”

Sophie: “So we never agree?”

“Ok, Sam answers, but I do think we should keep an overview of some kind where the information comes from.”

Sam: “That sounds normal in our ways of discussing, doesn’t it? I think it could work. But then we should name it differently too. And I don’t really like the word vision or prognosis anyways.”

“And explain everything step by step?”

Sophie: “ Well, if we would write in dialogues, it implements a story line.” .. nah .. ambivalence is not really one truth or logic, while often these prognosis things are. Maybe we should use that given to find a name.” Sophie thinks out loud.

Well, no but the book should be an inspiration, and we can’t give all the information but then people could investigate the topics more themselves, you see?” “Oh yeah good one.” Sophie answers. And so the girls start the making of their book: “We are One but not the Same”

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“Is it actual freedom?”

physical beauty It is then when the sisters realize this is their first topic in their book. And it is Sam who now fully understands that the case study Sophie has actively taken part of in this last year has addressed this problem: Is it possible to distance yourself from the effects of visual culture (from the pressure of society) ? And if so, what are the effects? The girls know each other well enough to see where either of them are coming from; Sophie is trying very hard not to be smug, while Sam still perceives her in being so. It’s a cat and dog situation.

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class As explained in the first text of this book, I use ambivalence as one of my main concepts. Because of this I continue doing so through the scenario parts. Class consists out of an image series of a dance where the choreography is based on the words mirroring, repetition, entangled, controlled, process. These words are inspired from the scenario text below: Class represents the PROCESS of becoming a consumer instead of a citizen. The citizen (the centered dancer) is a comfortable, confident individual that knows what he or she wants to show as identity.1 She knows what she wants to look as a person herself, the emphasize on how she constructs her identity is based on herself instead of visual culture. The consumer on the other hand dances around the citizen in an ENTANGLED way. But the citizen dances the same dance slower and more CONTROLLED. She knows what she is doing. In the dance she mirrors herself towards society. The citizen uses society’s signs to communicate it’s construction of identity.She herself interprets what happens in order to create the image of herself through dress which is also known as identity. 2 By creating an image of your own identity merely based on visual culture, it only represents visual culture. Whereas an identity implies to hold the perception of self (This is what the consumer does). As Vivienne Westwood explains in

her quote at the top of this page, visual culture (marketing) guides people into a limited choice of presenting themselves. The consumer will follow advertising blinded by it’s misleading promises. Whereas the citizen follows her personal interpretation of who he or she wants to be while regarding the new developments in society. The consumer envies the citizen while MIRRORING herself to the citizen; he or she holds what marketing promises.3 Namely, the balance between belonging and differentiation. Because the balance between norm (belonging) and deviation (differentiation)is such a personal one which we seek in fashion, it cannot be found in marketing. It is a personal search between belonging and differentiation. It’s a constant search, based on repetition – for we as people always fall back on what we know.4 We live in a context where visual culture is strongly present, so that taking complete distance is simply not possible. In the construction of a personal identity it will always on some level refer to the intertextuality quoted above. This is what creates belonging. But it is possible to become more aware of personal beliefs and taste in a way where the construction of an identity is based on the emphasize of personal interpretation,5 which creates difference. In holding the other, or otherness in consideration this is reflected into purchases based on sustainability and fair trade.

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â&#x20AC;&#x153;Despite the fact that she has no idealized image of woman, women, or rather, people, do intrigue her. She empathetically refuses to talk about women as a separate group; that is stupid, she says.â&#x20AC;?

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The dance of Gender consist out of a man and a woman that shift roles. The choreography is based on the words female, masculine, switch, a new whole, merge together. The binary oppositions concerning gender in society are known by Pierre Bourdieu, 1998 Masculine Domination, p. 10 as: Masculine: Looking Free Strong Angular Dominant Public

Feminine Being looked at Not free Weak Rounded Dominated Private

One of the dancers wears a mustache; she represents the role of the man. Her dance is translated into masculine movements which are broad in movement (public), large in gesture, strong and trying to dominate. The dancer that represents the woman stays fixed, in one place (private) while she dances, and she uses soft flowing movements to represent the role of the woman in society. Women however, are ‘taught’ how to address their bodies.1 But mostly people feel the freedom to design their appearances themselves, which they do, but strongly influenced by visual culture. In order to become part of others and to fulfill the need for belonging, there is a strict set of rules to live up to. To take the other into consideration means to follow the influence off visual culture. But in visual culture the gaze is gendered 2 the images are built up through the gaze of the man – this means that for a woman to

identify with an image in visual culture means to identify with the male gaze on women in visual culture. Women get taught to look at themselves through the eyes of a man. And in doing so the woman gets taught to look at other woman in the same way as men do. 3 A woman is merely a woman because of what a man thinks her to be. The male gaze in visual culture is constantly repeated and in time comes across as something natural and normal. Identifying and dressing accordingly towards these images creates not only belonging but also places women within our structure of society. 4 Although these analysis dates from the seventies (Laura Mulvey), the insights are still of considerable relevance for fashion today, the spectacle of fashion shows is almost totally constructed around looking at fetishly sculptured female bodies. Women’s bodies are objects because of the fact that man hold the gaze - the male gaze and women automatically hold a passive role. 5 However, some things have changed since the seventies and now we see a more playful and active role for the female body. Women will always keep addressing this issue with fluctuating passion. But in order to create a real difference the man needs to adjust it’s position within society. The male body is already slowly turning into the object of the voyeuristic (looking at without being seen) gaze. And a change is being seen on the catwalks, male models are wanted in a size 46 instead of 50, 6 and they are becoming more and more androgynous. This can be quite easily answered to by designing clothing for men that hold masculine and feminine characteristics.7 But in order to take on a truly different approach towards gender imbalance in society it is necessary to design differently, namely to start designing for women without taking the male gaze into consideration. Female clothes hold different values compared to male clothing. (for futher reading Jennifer Craik) Playing with these values in design creates a new whole; the merging of gender. In fashion a lot of inspiration comes from the gay community.8 One of the strongest movement in the lesbian community is a whole new outlook on gender, having only two distinct genders in society is seen as something restricted and outdated.9 In the dance this is translated by the shifting of the gendered roles; the dancer with the mustache takes over the role of the woman and ‘he’ dances on the same place. The dancer that previously danced the role of the woman now takes over the role of the man. Genders merge together, expressing or becoming whatever it is you want to be.

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group discussion

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“You would?!” Sophie answers. She is a little more awake now, and slightly shocked, and annoyed. “Why would you do that?” She continues. And that is not at all about how you started this conversation, you are young, you still sort of fit that image of blond happy thin 20something girl. You started talking about being older. I think plastic surgery is ridiculous, I’d never go there. I want to grow old all naturally and flabby.”

“You know what, I started wondering. All advertisement and movies are filled with young beautiful women. And I don’t mind so much, but I’d hate being 40 something or 50. It seems a little mean actually.” Sam tells Sophie while sitting at the kitchen table over coffee and a cigarette.

“Yes, well you’re this strange old feminist woman in a young body and way to proud. You don’t even dress up for a date. You’re hardly interested in fashion although you do study it. I like dressing up. I like feeling beautiful, it makes me feel better about myself. So, if bigger boobs make me feel better who are you to judge? I think I’d actually feel more me with a C cup, it fits the mental image of myself better. And I don’t want to look old or grow old. So, no indeed nothing wrong with plastics.” Sam answers her sister, a little harsh but then she does feel a little insulted. And she leaves.

“Eh..” Sophie answers Sam while rubbing her eyes trying to wake up. She doesn’t function as well in the mornings as Sam does. “They could always go for plastic surgery. No one needs to look old anymore.”

“Yes, indeed that is true.” Sam answers. “I’d like to have my boobs done. Just a little bigger, like a small C. Then my bikini would look better.” Sam tells Sophie while looking very serious.

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Physical Beauty consists out of a dance that looks synchronized but is slightly off. The dance represents the interpretation of ideal images in society; going for plastic surgery to live up to those ideals while growing older or to just grow old graciously, naturally and with pride. There for the movements are the same, almost synchronized and inspired on women, so graciously soft and flowing. For it is mainly woman in society that get taught through visual culture how to behave feminine. 1 For the gaze is gendered and dominated by men. 2 The more precise, controlled dancer represents the woman that chooses to go for plastic surgery; she cultivates and controls her body. The other, slightly messy dancer represents the woman that grows old graciously, accepting her body as it is, no longer part of the way society expects her to be. Because they are both situated in the same society, with its same visual culture, dealing with the same problems, the dance is almost synchronized. 3 Aging women being ignored is quite shocking, considering that 50 percent of the population in Great Britain (and other European countries)

will have crossed the line of 50+ by 2020. 4 Considering the fact that these boomers are the first generation to grow up with and within fashion, why shouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t the fashion industry answer to their needs? 5 While shopping main streets are bright colored, unkindly lit, loud music venues for the average teenager I noticed in my group discussion with a group of women over 50 that the retail ambiance does not fit their needs. 6-7 Our negative images of old age are constantly reinforced through film, television and newspapers, where representation often represents caricature. Within marketing slowly a realization is occurring, these baby boomers have money to spend, more then most youthful people.8 Once this is settled into visual culture enough, it will create a variation on the current ideal image of the blond- 20 something year old tall and skinny girl. In order to approach these â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;new seniorsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; a new ideal image must be created to communicate accordingly towards them. But above all we must need to rethink our attitudes towards aging. This generation, who made youth synonymous with fashion,9 now have the responsibility of changing our attitudes once again.

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“I wonder what it feels like for women in living in society’s where the need to live up to strict dress codes.. “

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Race consist out of a dance where the choreography is based on the words contact, duet, race, together. This topic holds strong binary oppositions, namely: Normal Us Western Modern Progression Secular

Different They Eastern Traditional Stagnation Religious

A religious person is often perceived as traditional and therefore cannot be seen as modern. This keeps us from seeing similarities in stead of oppositions.1 The image that we have created in the west towards various races is based on oppositions, in fashion this means it is hard to perceive the non-modern individual in being modern; for in fashion design is at the core of creation of the image of the modern individual. The binary oppositions in the beginning of this text explains there is an opposition between the western capitalist consumer culture (modern) and the traditional eastern cultures (traditional). But what I find most interesting is that in today’s ‘Global Village’ fashion from cultures that do not (yet) belong to the western consumer culture (– or Mc culture) are often seen in fashion as delightfully fresh and inspirational.2 While the capitalist culture rips up through out the world and people live and act more and more alike, fashion is a domain where these cultural differences are expressed most fervently.3 For fashion constantly negotiates with socioand cultural topics, as to be read in the introduction of this book.4 So in fashion it is very interesting to study ‘foreign’ dress, for it (in)directly asks questions or criticizes the West’ way of dress. In Islamic dress, for instance the female body is often seen through the eyes of western fashion as controlled, submissive and covered.5

Where as there are some interesting theories about how else wearing veils or burka’s can be interpreted.6 The freedom women have in the West’ discourse of dress is perceived as a form of emancipation (which can be questioned in itself, but that is not what this chapter is about). This is seen as emancipation trough the structure between male and female by Boudrieu theories (chapter gender imbalance) where the masculine side of society holds public and the feminine side of society holds private. In the West, women are ever so present (perhaps even more so then men) then man are in the public domain. In visual culture this is made explicit.7 Ariel Levy the writer of this book, Female Chauvinist Pigs does not truly believe women are ‘free’ by being able to express themselves with in the public domain of society.8 For fashion negotiates common ambivalence within the domains of gender, race, class and physical beauty. Ambivalences within the individual and within society. So it is ‘free’ within the context in which we live - western kapitalist culture. And it is through dress designed by the values of non western culture were we get do see the critique on the way of the capitalist consumer culture, or West’ dress. Now I’m not proclaiming here that we should all wear burka’s or veils. But I do believe it is interesting to keep questioning sociologic and cultural beliefs systems, all of them, including the one(‘s) in the West. This is one of the stronger upsides of a multi cultural society. It gives people (us people in the West) the opportunity to see our way of dress (and living) through the eyes of the other, through a different logic. And as Joris Luyendijk explains in his book ‘Het zijn net mensen’ there is no one way of communication or truth.9 Given this as a starting point asks designers to take the outside (eastern) view on clothing (and fashion) into consideration while giving people the opportunity to negotiate between the East and West cultural and sociological belief systems.10 This gives an actual and new twist within the integration debate, and it works both ways; for eastern and western people within the same society. Or how Taweek Ramadan put it: “Stop talking, start acting. For we already live together in this society.”11

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