Blog Post #2
As part of my learning on the Better Lives unit, I was made aware of the many themes the unit has explored. This included power, sustainability and social responsibility – all of which, I’ve discovered, can relate/connect back to fashion through different perceptions I’ve never actually considered until now. As a student in the BA Fashion Journalism course, I could heavily relate to these concepts as it is something I believe a good journalist should stand for. These 3 themes/concepts not only allows a journalist in the fashion industry to work better/produce content that can benefit society, but also influencers readers to see through the same lens, thus creating an even bigger impact.
In terms of power, it is important to be aware of power in terms of consumerism and the huge role pricing plays in the fashion industry. In Julia Crew’s lecture, she noted that its a matter of ethicality and morals to weigh and consider whether clothing is just a momentary matter or something we actually need. If we actually think about it, the desire to buy something will pass if we fight the urge to consume products we simply find attractive or products that are trendy so that it will satisfy our needs to fit in/join the bandwagon. We, as consumers, have the power to decide what to do with the money we have. We decide whether we want to spend our money on things that matter/things that don’t. As a fashion journalist, I also have the power to tell people who follow my content what matters and what doesn’t – this will give me the opportunity to not persuade, but get people thinking about what they stand for. This can hopefully shape the way people behave as consumers in society, which might change the way the fashion industry functions, or how some brands choose to produce/sell their products. I personally believe there’s no right or wrong, as different people have their own respected opinions. This, I thinks comes along with the theme of social responsibility because it is up to the responsibility of the people, and their choice as to whether they want to give in to their materialistic needs or not.
One of the bigger problems in the fashion industry, in my personal opinion, is sustainability. It is mentioned in one of the lectures that many of the sustainability issues come from fast fashion, which is a massive part of the overall fashion industry. Again, bringing awareness to this topic and educating people on this matter will give people the power to decide what to do with their lifestyle; whether to change it, adjust it, or keep it the same way. In my reports or writing in the future, I could incorporate/consider social issues in many of my content to deliver this message in order to leave a social impact. Assimilating these themes into my writing in fashion journalism is something I aim to do as a result of attending lectures in the better lives unit.