Blog 1
Lecture Reflection
The Better Lives lecture that I found to be the most impactful was the one on Power by Julia Crew. Power and its relation to fashion and sustainability has helped me in understanding this topic from various perspectives. This has made me realise that power is not always a negative force, but can also be positive. Being a fashion styling and production student, the relationship between ‘power and media’ has been a real eye-opener for me.
Malcom X, a human rights activist, rightly said “the media is the most powerful entity on earth. They have the power to make the innocent guilty and to make the guilty innocent, and that’s power. Because they control the minds of the masses.” In contemporary times, the power of media and advertising is unparalleled and this is driving consumption of fashion products to such an unprecedented level that it is not sustainable in the long term. Statistics show that we buy four hundred percent more clothing than we did just two decades ago, and of the hundred billion garments that are produced annually, it is estimated that up to seventy-five percent of these will eventually end up in landfill or be incinerated.(Arts Moodle: Log in to the site, 2020)
Instagram, the fairly young social media platform, with one billion active users per month, actively promotes unsustainable consumption of clothing which has further deepened the issue.
Approximately two hundred million users follow at least one fashion account, which they feel gives them inspiration for the looks they can create for themselves. Almost eighty four percent of Instagram users are influenced into making a purchase based on content generated by strangers who have experienced the product or service. .(Arts Moodle: Log in to the site, 2020)
Furthermore social media platforms tend to exert a subtle mental pressure on its users. Most of us avoid posting too many photographs wearing the same outfit. This further adds to mass consumerism.
However, media and communication have also played a huge part in the growing success of sustainable and ethical fashion. It’s ability to educate, share stories about brands, alert consumers about the vast choice available, both high end as also economical, is slowly bringing about a change in consumer behaviour. (How Social Media Is Driving Sustainability and Ethics in the Fashion Industry, 2020)
In spite of the fact that the problems in the fashion industry often tend to leave me feeling overwhelmed and a little powerless, this lecture has taught me that each one of us has the power and ability to bring about a difference. Instead of blindly following trends put forth by others, I intend to create sustainable fashion campaigns which emphasise restyling old outfits with different accessories to create a totally new look. Classic pieces with a touch of the modern thrown in can result in a very trendy look. ‘Mix and match’ is the phrase of the day. Refurbishing old outfits by tweaking them can produce an absolutely original look which keeps you ‘looking very much in fashion’ and at the same time ensuring that you do not drill a large hole in your pocket.
Fashion has been and will always remain an integral part of our lives because, as Bill Cunningham rightly said “ fashion is the armour to survive the reality of everyday life”.We just have to give it the power of sustainability!
Bibliography:
Moodle.arts.ac.uk. 2020. Arts Moodle: Log In To The Site. [online] Available at: <https://moodle.arts.ac.uk/pluginfile.php/881368/mod_page/content/33/Better%20Lives%20Lecture_Julia%20Crew_Power_2020.pdf> [Accessed 10 April 2020].
Magzter.com. 2020. How Social Media Is Driving Sustainability And Ethics In The Fashion Industry. [online] Available at: <https://www.magzter.com/article/Fashion/FASHION-AVENUE-NEWS/How-Social-Media-Is-Driving-Sustainability-and-Ethics-in-the-Fashion-Industry> [Accessed 10 April 2020].