Modern fashion is always evolving, highlighting new trends every season. For an item to be considered “modern fashion,” it must reflect the latest styles the great majority of people are wearing. Since trends constantly change, examples of “modern fashion” change as well; however, despite this constant change in trends, there is a recurring fascination that encompasses many trends dating back to the 1960s. Such fascination is working class culture.
Working class culture’s sizable impact on the fashion industry is consistently present on the runway. Oversized t-shirts, destructed clothing, sneakers— all made their appearance on the runway more than a fashion fanatic can count. High fashion has a deep history of utilizing references to working-class and lower-class people without being criticized. However, in a more socially aware world, monetization of these references can reflect another exploitive relationship within the fashion industry. The lower-class adopts a style and high fashion designers use the style as inspiration and elevates it to high class standards.
While finding inspiration is inherently creative, many designers seem to confuse that inspiration with class appropriation. At its core, high fashion stems from authenticity; however, designers taking inspiration from the working class is not only rooted in authenticity. It’s oftentimes rooted in an unfair power dynamic. According to Emma McClendon, assistant curator at the FIT Museum, “People in the upper classes of society feel that they can pick from anything; that everything is available to them, and that there aren’t necessarily consequences” (Garage). This mindset within the upper class creates a different level of injustice. They are concerned with profiting off authentic items, which have their roots in the need of the lower class. One of the biggest trends originating from the lower class is deconstructed or distressed clothing. Rips and tears in clothing signify a struggle. From the lower-class perspective, that struggle symbolizes labor or financial instability . The distressed clothing is an authentic lower-class symbol of work, and designers look to adopt this authentic symbol.
