Blog Post 1: Reflection on Julia Crew’s “Power” Lecture
“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed, citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has” Margaret Mead once said. Coming from a highly conservative country where minorities are inhibited by the government, people raise up their voices and try to influence reigning thinking by showing their objection and fight for equal rights. Although this particular example is associated with politics, Julia Crew’s lecture about “Power” made me reflect on who is in a power in the fashion system and how as creative individuals we can translate our resistance into art activism through our work, actions and choices.
Respectively, Julia Crew distinguished six crucial interdependences between power, fashion, money, media, consumer, protest and most importantly – us, humans. Focusing on the relation between money and power, I was surprised by the disproportion between the salaries of CEO’s of the top global fashion brands and ordinary workers as well as the increase of consumption. It leads to work exploitation and violation of article 25.1 of United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights which says that “Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and of his family, including food, clothing, housing, medical care, necessary social services, and the right to security.”
Following these phenomena, we might think that only those who have the money are in power but conversely, I think that although we live in times of consumerism and fast fashion, we live in a democratic state and our voice and choices have a direct impact on those in authority. “Resistance is, first of all, a matter of principle and a way to live, to make yourself one small republic of unconquered spirit. You hope for results, but you don’t depend on them” Rebecca Solnit wrote in her book “Hope in The Dark”. As we live in a conviction that our choice or opinion don’t matter, we need to remember that as individuals we constitute a bigger group. Consequently, we are the people that choose what values we share and support. Me, You, Us – can resist to enslaving people, harassment, fast-fashion, inequality and become responsible and accountable practitioners and consumers. But the question is – how?
Starting from building awareness through undertaking the subject of the reality of the fashion system in social media to the physical acts of protest, we also have a choice – a choice that drives industries. Consequently, we can think more about ethics represented by brands and independent designers. In a world that is dominated by politicians, fashion corporations and media, we can take responsibility and turn our choice into meaningful and sustainable – a choice that will support change and progress towards a better future. One step, one person at a time.
References:
Crew. J (2020) ‘Power’ [Lecture]. Better Lives, London College of Fashion, 10 February.
Solnit, R., 2016. Hope In The Dark. 3rd ed. Haymart Books.