Fashion And Fashion Design

In the past, buying a simple white tee or a luxurious plaid skirt was a mindless purchase. However, as the reality of how these items are made comes to light, it raises the question: what are the true human costs of the fashion industry? Well, the fashion industry comes with a serious price: the workers producing these fast fashion items work long hours in horrific conditions, are treated unfairly and inhumanely, and are left behind economically and educationally. The first human cost that comes with the fashion industry is the dangerous conditions they work in.

Over the past two decades, the fashion industry has adopted the practice of social responsibility and addressed the duties societies must serve in order to conserve the environment and treatment of labor around the globe. Throughout the documentary film, “The True Cost,” Andrew Morgan travels around the globe on a journey to discover the hidden realities that lie behind the people and places that produce the clothing of today’s fast-fashion demands. Morgan embarks to the slums of countries such as India and Bangladesh, as well as the affluent districts of the United States and Britain, in order to gain deep insight on the standards presumably represented throughout the industry, as well as the inverse effect these standards have on foreign

Fashion is everything to society and the media. The fashion industry has transformed into a necessity in the life of people. Everyone wants to look good, feel fabulous and feel as if we belong with everyone else. The envy and desire to wear certain things and look a certain way all come, from wearing the latest fashion handbags, accessories, dresses, shoes, and the list goes on. But, when is considering fashion into an individual’s life going too far to the extreme? Many do not consider the whereabouts of fashion materials and how the environment is affected by the mere existence of certain garments. Some may believe these objects grow on trees. But that is clearly not the case. Even though it would be nice. The fashion industry as a

Case Study 1.2 “Geoffrey B. Small is Big on Quality, Customers, Community” is about a leading fashion designer that does not want his customers to think about the brand name, color, style or price of the fabrics they wear. Small’s wants his customers to be “thinking about the quality and origins of the fabrics you wear, their impact on the environment, and your own view of social responsibility as a customer.” Even if the customer cannot afford his clothing he wants them to understand his mission as a designer.

In this revealing and thoughtful look at clothing and consumerism, author Elizabeth Cline sets out to reform how we look at fashion and how we shop for clothing. She approached this topic with a series of anecdotes and statistics to back up her findings. I became curious about sustainability in fashion through reading this book.

Rachael Cassar’s clothes are very unique and eco-friendly. Her clothes are all made out of 90% recycled materials. She transforms them into something edgy, spectacular and creative. She is one of the most forward thinking designers of all time. Rachael says that in order for eco-fashion to ‘succeed’, designers need to replace cheaply made fashion with equally appealing sustainable items. This is good to the environment. Sustainable clothes are important because it reviews what we use to manufacture them in the first place (eg. soak them in chemicals). Eco-fashion is much better for the environment, people and animals. Rachael Cassar’s work on eco-fashion is truly exceptional.

This piece entitled Why You Should Know Where Your Clothes Come From is one published by a niche sustainable fashion and lifestyle online magazine called Who What Where. It sets out to do just what the title promised by trying to educate readers about the importance of knowing the process by which their clothing is made and distributed. In order to achieve this task the author, Jessica Schiffer, interviewed Maxine Bédat, the co-founder of Zady, an increasingly popular sustainable fashion and lifestyle brand. Together they assessed the current state of fast fashion, the large and frantically growing market for clothing and accessory items, as well as the popular mega chains that fuel this system. The article as a whole sets out to inform more than persuade and is divided into pockets of information given by Bédat based on the interview questions the author asks. Essentially, this piece seeks to convince through providing information. The target audience for this piece is broad; it is us, the consumers who buy these clothing, and unknowingly, or unwillingly supports this system that is described as having devastating effects both socially and environmentally.

“The impact of CAD software is linked to 3D printing technology” (source 3). Technology also advanced and carried on with the manufacturing of clothing. Without technology references, there wouldn’t be any machines. Living in the late 20th century and early 21st century has given today’s fashion designer a more free variety to explore, express and create because of this feature. Though some people have argued that large production of clothing causes loss of personality. Technology in the development in clothing creation has brought a positive incline to economic issues. Women are now spending more leisure time rather than staying home and making clothes. Ready-made products led to a study conducted by the U.S department of agriculture in 1937 examining for women’s body measurements. “Not all modern companies follow the same size chart but nearly all have standardized which types of measurement determine their sizes” (source 1). This makes it easier for the consumer to buy a ready-made product when in need of an emergency date dress or outfit. It makes it convenient for both the producer and the

It’s become easier than ever to turn a blind eye in order to enjoy a cheaply made, materialistic pleasure. However, keeping an extra dollar in your pocket may be costing someone their life. Unethical fashion, an umbrella term to describe ethical design, production, retail, and purchasing, is a growing problem in today’s society. With the increasing demand for cheap and affordable clothing, the background of fair trade and sweatshops is often overlooked, as well as the disregard for the waste that goes back into the environment. Consumers benefit from lower prices but at the cost of unsafe conditions, poor wages, and environmental damages. In order to address this problem and inform the masses on the source of their products, brands should accept responsibility for educating consumers, and non-governmental organizations and government legislation should add fashion sustainability to their agenda. Although the problem may be oceans away, it is a fundamental issue that we still need to address.

This papers purpose is to teach fashion heavy consumers on the real price of fast fashion and how buying it affects the environment. This type of audience can be anyone who partakes in the buying of well-known cheap retail stores that have a large audience of being fast and obtainable. These consumers should have the information on how fast fashion effects are environment so it could possibly alter their buying habits to be eco-friendlier but buying either less or more sustainable clothing instead of the cheap alternatives. This audience should care about this purpose because this will affect the world now and for future generations as their environment is being mistreated because of these fast

Fashion is a clear reflection of the social, economic, political and cultural period. More and more people are becoming concerned with their style and more importantly, how it affects their wallet. This mindset has paved the way for the fast fashion industry to flourish. Fast fashion is “clothing [being produced] at increasingly low prices, prices so low that many consumers consider this clothing to be disposable… the clothing equivalent of fast food.” (Claudio) Consumers are so caught up on the fact that they are getting a bargain, that they totally disregard the uncomfortable reality surrounding the dark side of mass-consumer fashion. The fast fashion industry has created a culture of mindless consumerism.

Fashion tends to work in cycles, much like the technology industry: every designated cycle, a new innovation on a previous product or new reinvention is revealed to overshadow past generations. In fashion, rather than being met with a new smartphone every year, one is met with new collections twice a year: one for the fall and winter, and another for the spring and summer (i.e.- FW and SS). However, this cyclical behavior tends to reinforce a wasteful attitude towards products and textiles within fashion. For instance in 2010, despite the fact that almost all textiles are recyclable, Americans disposed of 13.1 million tons of textiles, and 11 million of those tons found their way into landfills (690).

Generations ahead of us only had a tiny wardrobe, where clothes were not washed every day. In our generation, fast fashion is in. It’s ok to have multiple shirts or shoes of the same color. It’s actually ok to throw away unwanted apparel. Apparel companies are beginning to focus on sustainable fashion, also known as eco fashion. Apparel, fashion, and textiles is the most polluting industry in the world. Every stage, that a garment goes through, uses up and threatens our resources.

Fashion designers create differentiated products that allow people to create an image through fashion and express their personal style and look through the clothes and accessories they wear.

Clothes can be labeled in two categories. The first is functionality. This is the physical quality and intrinsic value of wearing a particular garment. An example of this may be pockets, or durable material type and quality. The second category is expressiveness, which is defined by psychological responses and the beauty of clothing. Expressiveness is important to communicate the identity of the wearer. Consumers have identified that expressiveness is the more important of the two categories. Maintaining an in-style appearance is more important than having functionality (Niinimäki, 2). As a result of fast fashion, the functionality of clothes has decreased while expressiveness has increased. Luxury styles can move from high-end fashion show to low-end bargain clothing rack in a matter of weeks. In order to do so, clothes are mass produced overseas for as cheap as