Blog 1
After watching through all of the better lives lectures which I believe has significantly influenced my understanding of diversity, sustainability and social responsibility. Some of the lectures has also given a greater insight into the history of fashion which I believe is vital to know to understand modern fashion. However the lecture by John Lau about Cultural Sustainability was my favorite and I would like to write about it in this blogpost.
John has talked about what does culture mean, the influence of globalization on fashion, cultural diversity and misrepresentation which are all parts of cultural sustainability.
It was really interesting to hear that our culture can be subjective and objective therefore it is not only defined by our native country, it can be also be defined as how we feel and identify ourselves in the society. John has shown a picture of woman that combines different cultural elements in her dress. I believe this fact is the result of globalization, that often leads to the different culture clashes.
In addition to that, it is also fascinating how culture can influence our art perception. Linking this to the example of the work “The Great Wave off Kanagawa” by Japanese artist Katsushika Hokusai. If we read this work not from the western perspective (left to right) but from the eastern (right to left) the painting’s scene changes and therefore changes the meaning.
Moreover, cultural difference sometimes can lead to misrepresentation which is when people interpret another culture incorrectly. We can find numerous examples of that in fashion. Brands such as Gucci by Alessandro Michele, Gucci by Tom Ford, Prada, Dolce & Gabanna, John Galliano, etc. have been criticized for cultural appropriation in some of their designs.
Apart from that, John has also mentioned the influence of politics on dress which I found very helpful for my FCH research. As an example he took how France used fashion to mark the beginning of a new political structure.
To conclude, as a fashion public relation student I find cultural sustainability a vital thing to consider in order to work successfully in this field. PR’s strategies and campaigns are needed to be culturally diverse but avoid misrepresentation in order to attract a greater attention to the brand. This will help to construct a sustainable personality for the brand and will result in a good reputation and strengthen relationships with a wider range of customers.