I d magazine issue

issue 343

i-D society and fashion

gender-fluid fashion The world of fashion around us is forever changing with new looks, new designers and new trends developing every day, but have you ever thought how fashion has influenced society or how fashion reflects society?

So how has fashion reflected and changed society? There are many examples to choose from but possibly the most prominent and current at the moment is the transgender movement. There has always been an interest in gender-fluid fashion but never more so than today, as transgender issues are finally being taken seriously and society is slowly but surely waking up to these issues. This has caused a surge of interest in gender-fluid clothes.

Because of society slowly accepting more transgender issues nowadays, more men are taking an interest in more feminine types of tops for example crop tops, leggings, skirts which are all stereotypically worn by girls and more women are interested in suits, baggy jeans, jumpers and flannels which are stereotypically worn by men. More celebrity figures wearing genderfluid clothing has also had a positive impact on gender fluid fashion, such as Ruby Rose who is probably best known for her acting role on Orange is the New Black had this to say “I am very gender fluid and feel more like I wake up every day sort of gender neutral” This raises the question that the “his” and “hers” clothing is just

Katherine Hamnett What about designers? Which designer out there has been the most prominent about airing social issues on their work? the answer to this is katherine hamnett.

If you don’t know who Katherine Hamnett is then she’s an English fashion designer who is best known for her political tshirts, she gained fame with her “CHOOSE LIFE” tshirts that was aimed at drug abuse in the 80s, in response to the Cold War nuclear fear Katherine designed another tshirt similar to the “CHOOSE LIFE” tshirt but instead “WORLDWIDE NUCLEAR BAN NOW” being on the tshirt in bold black writing. In response to the AIDS crisis a shirt slogan “USE A CONDOM” appeared on the runway worn by iconic Naomi Campbell which gained attention due to the high profile figure of Naomi Campbell

It’s clear to see by all of this that Hamnett uses her work to respond to ongoing social issues in her fashion in the boldest way possible, it’s a brilliant and genius way to get her message across through fashion.

How has fashion affected society now? Well to start of one of the most major ways fashion affects society is of course the trends, the old and the new, they all come around and fade but then a new trend pops up and you see it everywhere. We’ve seen them all from shell suits to bandannas and mood rings, once a trend starts you start seeing everyone sporting the latest must have.

However there are negatives to the fashion industry that affect our society, the way some clothes are made and advertised throughout the media especially with the female market, the clothes are showcased on dangerously skinny models, This has caused a much more serious issue to arise and that’s anorexia. It’s clear to see that anorexia and bulimia have been much more publicized and are reaching epidemic proportions.

There are of course also positive effects and in my view it’s the way you can expression yourself through your wardrobe, the clothes you wear can almost identify you as a person, being able to express yourself through the clothes that you wear is probably one of the biggest ways of freedom of expression in this age.

issue 343

i-D society and fashion

gender-fluid fashion The world of fashion around us is forever changing with new looks, new designers and new trends developing every day, but have you ever thought how fashion has influenced society or how fashion reflects society?

So what fashion has reflected society? there are many examples to choose from but possibly the most prominent and current at the moment is the transgender movement, there has always been an interest in gender-fluid fashion but never more so then today, as transgender issues are finally being taken seriously and society is slowly but surely waking up on these issues this has caused a strive of interest in gender-fluid clothes.

Because of society slowly accepting more transgender issues nowadays, more men are taking an interest in more feminine types of tops for example crop tops, leggings, skirts which are all stereotypically worn by girls and more women interested in suits, baggy jeans, jumpers and flannels which are stereotypically worn by men. More celebrity figures wearing genderfluid clothing has also had a positive impact on gender fluid fashion, such as Ruby Rose who is probably best known for her acting role on Orange is the New Black had this to say “I am very gender fluid and feel more like I wake up every day sort of gender neutral” This raises the question that the “his” and “hers” clothing is just stereotypes now?

How has fashion affected society now?

Well to start of one of the most major ways fashion affects society is of course the trends, the old and the new, they all come around and fade but then a new trend pops up and you see it everywhere.

We’ve seen them all from shell suits to bandannas and mood rings, once a trend starts you start seeing everyone sporting the latest must have.

However there are negatives to the fashion industry that affect our society, the way some clothes are made and advertised throughout the media especially with the female market, the clothes are showcased on dangerously skinny models, This has caused a much more serious issue to arise and that’s anorexia.

It’s clear to see that anorexia and bulimia have been much more publicized and are reaching epidemic proportions.

There are of course also positive effects and in my view it’s the way you can expression yourself through your wardrobe, the clothes you wear can almost identify you as a person, being able to express yourself through the clothes that you wear is probably one of the biggest ways of freedom of expression in this age.

Katherine Hamnett What about designers? Which designer out there has been the most prominent about airing social issues on their work? the answer to this is katherine hamnett.

If you don’t know who Katherine Hamnett is then she’s an English fashion designer who is best known for her political tshirts, she gained fame with her “CHOOSE LIFE” tshirts that was aimed at drug abuse in the 80s, in response to the Cold War nuclear fear Katherine designed another tshirt similar to the “CHOOSE LIFE” tshirt but instead “WORLDWIDE NUCLEAR BAN NOW” being on the tshirt in bold black writing. In response to the AIDS crisis a shirt slogan “USE A CONDOM” appeared on the runway worn by iconic Naomi Campbell which gained attention due to the high profile figure of Naomi Campbell

It’s clear to see by all of this that Hamnett uses her work to respond to ongoing social issues in her fashion in the boldest way possible, it’s a brilliant and genius way to get her message across through fashion.