Nisha Landa – Society lecture reflection
I had entered the better lives project not knowing what to expect, I was sceptical on how I would approach the module as I don’t really engage in ways to help the environment like I should do. I was most interested in the society lecture because I know that fashion is very interconnected with someone’s identity and social factors. While in the lecture, I had been exposes to the different ways in which society affects fashion, and also the other way around. I had overlooked the way in which dressing is a considered a social act due to the fact that we dress to be creative to express our identity; and communicate of taste, wealth and sex appeal
As well as this, before attending the lecture, I was very unaware of the term ‘throwaway culture’. Due to the fast fashion model being a social issue, popular fast fashion brands such as prettylittlething and boohoo manufacture cheap clothes which are usually disregarded after a few weeks. I had also disregarded the fact that fashion is not just clothing however all that comes beneath it, the way that you dress and the clothing that you buy allows us to become one with society as it is a reflection of their wealth, religion, style and creativity. This also determines your acceptance within society, as many poorer communities have no choice but to shop in high street or local stores, due to living in low income areas and having low income jobs. However due to their society, some make best of how they live by being creative with their fashion.
The lecture had really allowed me to open my mind to the real figures of how the fashion industry affects the environment and the affect has on society also. I had researched the affect the industry has on the environment and had realised that the fashion industry is the ‘second largest polluter in the world, just after the oil industry’ (Environmental Impacts of the Fashion Industry — SustainYourStyle, 2020). I believe that in order to make the fashion industry more environmental and help the sutainable future of the fashion platform, different ways of distributing and manfufacturing clothing needs to change. As well as this, new ways of recycling clothing can boost creative ways of showing your identity, for example, H&M has come up with ways to borrow clothing and some people also like to up cycle clothing instead of throwing it out and creating unnecessary waste.