BLOG 2 Themes Reflection

Looking at the Better Lives themes I was struck by Julia Crews lecture on power in the field of sustainability. Lecturer Julia Crew argues that it is only the power within society that sustainability can become a reality but also arguing that is one does not take the initiative by themselves this could never grow, she compares power as a whole with power with one. As one and single person, you are the only one with the power to control your thoughts and ideas, you can only move and think for yourself she argues that when a person decides to think more sustainably there is power with that because now can control who to support, where to buy and advocate to for a more sustainable industry.  The fashion industry is one of the biggest culprits in regards to the environmental downfall, therefore as consumers and fashion students there is a power in the roles we play in society, we have the knowledge and the money to choose and advocate for a more sustainable future. Crew also presented the power behind companies and their propaganda in hopes to sway consumers to believe into spending and buying more sustainable products when that is not the reality. The power behind bradding and marketing psychological tricks that are used to deceive the public, also the idea of fast fashion and it toxic concept that everything can be gained with cheapness, quick and ready in the palm of the hand when desired. Just looking through the streets of London one can identify at least one fast fashion retailer, cheap and ready-made clothing is shoved down our throats on a daily basis from what we are surrounded by, this marketing can also be identified virtually with these same companies spending more in advertising to generate more uniquely generated ads to reach a larger and more specified audience. Furthermore, to fully decipher the growth of large industrial companies one to has to first look at demographics and audience, we can see that globalization and industrialization have further propelled these entities from companies to monopolies and this due to the underlining factor that the spending demographic has changed and so has our outlook on clothing and fashion, their functions have managed to shift within our culture by slowly permeating our minds with fashion, through the aforementioned marketing ploys. In conclusion, power is the everything in the fashion industry which money and spending are its fundamental driving force, fashion will always be an industry made for consumers whether it be masqueraded by artistry and haut couture, the only way to get be a sustainable business is though money, and the power will be with who has the most, and who spends it where.