A fashion is a mode of dress or adornment, such as apparel, hair accessories, or jewelry, worn by a person or group. The Oxford English Dictionary defines it as “a style of speech or of a person’s behavior or way of performing.” Fashion can also refer to the arts, design, manufacturing, retailing, or advertising.
Regardless of the context, fashion can be a powerful medium for spreading ideas. It can help individuals to define themselves, and it can be used as a tool to improve health, well-being, and urban environments.
Fashion is a complex industry that consists of many separate but interdependent sectors. These include designers, manufacturers, distributors, contractors, and retailers. All these different entities must be able to operate profitably in order for the industry to be successful. This requires an understanding of the dynamics of human movement and behavior. In addition, fashion must be able to satisfy consumer demand for apparel.
The fashion industry can be viewed as a multibillion-dollar enterprise. In 2014, the fashion industry accounted for a major share of world economic output. Despite its significant contribution to the world economy, however, the supply of global textiles and clothing is often limited.
The fashion industry includes production, distribution, and promotion of all types of apparel and fashion goods. For example, a designer’s latest collection may look completely different from the mass-produced sportswear you see on the street.
According to Frances Corner, a pro-vice chancellor at the University of the Arts in London and author of the book Why Fashion Matters, there are many positive benefits to wearing fashion. Among them, clothing can be a form of heat-control. Fabrics can be created with many different effects through weaving, dyeing, and printing. They are also durable and stain-resistant, conferring protection against hazards.
As Frances Corner has pointed out, clothing is a tool for defining yourself socially. If you wear clothing that is appropriate to the occasion and reflects your personality, others will understand your sense of style. However, clothing can also play with the idea of space and form, influencing how people use the space around them.
Using fashion as a tool for change is one of the main missions of the Laudes Foundation. Founded by the Brenninkmeijer family as part of its philanthropic activities, the foundation works to influence all garment industries. Their activities include funding special projects and engaging with COFRA group companies as thought partners.
With the aid of Professor Helen Storey MBE and designer Tony Ryan, the Catalytic Clothing project explores the relationship between textiles and the natural human body. Using pleating and other techniques, fabrics can be made to change shape, enabling them to respond to the movement of the body.
The exhibition, ‘Herself’, toured the world, raising the profile of the Catalytic Clothing project. By asking individuals to select clothes that had meaning for them, stories about the clothing became part of the exhibition.
Many people associate pearls with grandma or the pearl necklaces worn by Pete Davidson. But the term has also been linked to Hilary Clinton and Harry Styles.