Reflection of Lecture 1: Power and Fashion
Julia Crew began the presentation by alluding to the fact that we as a society are generally drowned in fashion’s positive side – its creativity and beauty, however with this also comes a dark side to fashion that maybe isn’t as noticeable.
Who holds the power in the fashion industry? And does this equate to responsibility? These are some of the questions I walked away with following the lecture, as “blame culture”, which has only arisen in recent years, ensures that every party holds responsibility for their own actions. However, does the majority of this power lie with the brands themselves? The designer? The consumer? I’ve learnt that it is primarily held within the consumer, as we are able to decide where and how to spend our money, and that can ultimately aid or destroy a brand and their image as there is influence in economic power. We are the driver of trends, therefore able to unconsciously decide what brands come out with next. This is also apparent with the rise of new brands that are pushing for sustainability, within the construction of their clothes and other practices within the industry, this is due to the rise of consumer knowledge of harmful processes that are used in the process of making garments, whether that be harmful to animals, workers, or the climate itself. What we choose to consume can help shape the fashion industry into one that is better for the planet and the people around us.
The idea of power and money being interlinked was an interesting idea for me, as it was pointed out that six of the worlds 20 richest people run companies that sell large volumes of clothing, with garment workers and other employees earning not nearly enough to live comfortably, leaving them stuck within an endless cycle of poverty. And as fashion consumption increases, mass production escalates with workers’ wages staying the same or possibly even decreasing in order to hire more, which only builds upon the immense wealth of the company owners. Workers are also forced to work unpaid overtime in order to produce more in order to feed this overconsumption. However, it is not as simple as just raising workers’ wages as this will just drive companies to produce their clothing wherever is cheapest, and with fast fashion brands still widely popular amongst consumers despite the knowledge of unfair working conditions, it is likely there will not be significant change any time soon. Because of this, I will make an individual effort to stop supporting fast fashion brands because of the detrimental consequences they have on our planet and also workers overseas, as although my own individual boycott of these brands will not result in the termination of their production, it is a step in the right direction and hopefully, I can educate others by doing this.
As a result of this lecture, I am now left to reflect on the power I hold as a consumer, my own individual role within the industry that is part of a much bigger picture, and also how my choices affect the people around me and the future of the industry that I want to be a part of.