A Reflection on Cultural Sustainability Through Clothing
A lecture that strongly stood out to me was cultural sustainability with John Lau. Not only have these lectures made sustainability itself a prevalent issue, but cultural sustainability and the western world. How do we adapt cultural traditions into western society while still keeping the ideal well represented? And how can we be sustainable humans in preserving our planet, while also sustaining culture?
So, culture as John Lau puts it, is associated around ideas, customs, and social behaviours, but he interestingly highlights two subcategories within culture: objective culture (visible); subjective culture (invisible). These two definitions allow the determination between physical customs, like clothing, décor, and food verses the ideals, values and attitudes. The elements of clothing that John spoke about in terms of culture I found intriguing as he touched base with not only the way clothes can be presented, but also their subjective meanings within culture. He used the famous Marie Antoinette as an example. Highlighting her exaggerated fashion sense, adapted from her French husband, ended up being her downfall. But in the present 21stcentury, we adapt this cultural trend of the nobility in 18thcentury France and use it to fuel creativity today. A perfect example being the recent Moschino Jeremy Scott directed show, evidencing elements from Marie Antoinette’s style and well-known exaggeration.
Not only did I find this influence of culture through clothing interesting, being a big fan of the time period, but also John’s mention of political stance within dressing. When he addressed the stark difference between fashion pre and post revolution in France, clothing’s cultural role switched. Not only did the French people want to make a statement about how the country had changed through minimalizing the fabrication of clothing, changing its subjective culture from hierarchy based to politically based, but also took influence from the Greeks. This realisation that individuals and nations have been using influences to build their own objective culture has always been happening. Especially speaking from a cultural sustainability standpoint, by the French taking influence from the Greeks, it allows a cultural ideal to live on. But it begs the question, do both objective and subjective cultural traditions then become claimed by other cultures?
We live in a society today where all elements of culture are celebrated, and often used as influences in design and style. Culture not only exists within nations today, but I feel exists on a much more personal level. Individuals today are able to take influences from other cultures to celebrate everyone and everything through creative outlets. Culture is something that not only can be expressed personally, but also as a community. This is something that will always be sustained, but I believe cultural will constantly be being adapted, with trends from history often reappearing over the years, especially in clothing.
References:
Lecture by John Lau
2020
Cultural Sustainability