Better Lives: Blog 1 Cultural Sustainability and Power (in Makeup Artistry)
Throughout the week I have attended numerous lectures, however two particular ones have stood out to me: Power and Cultural Sustainability. Both lectures were very inspiring and full of knowledge that I can use in my practices. The lecture about power was split into multiple sections. I was most moved by Power and Media.
As a student of SMC it is crucial for me to understand that fashion is a medium which visually demonstrates power. For example it can be by looking at military uniforms, particularly how these uniforms explore masculinity and using broad shoulders to symbolise respect, professionalism and conservatism. More recent example would be Beyonce’s garment for Super Bowl in 2020 which was directly inspired by the Black Lives Matter movement which demonstrates solidarity with this movement. Makeup, just like fashion can successfully deliver a strong message of power. As a makeup artist I need to be aware of symbolism and history of makeup. Famously, red lips embodies strength and femininity in equal measures, experiencing particular surge during the Great Depression. This resulted in the ‘Lipstick Effect’, a term used by economists to explain why costumers buy small goods such as lipstick during economic hardship. Moreover, during WW2, red lipstick was associated with political campaigns as red is often associated with power, strength and victory. As a SMC student I was fascinated with how advertisement works. It is believed that only 8% of ads are absorbed consciously and the rest is reworked into the brain and thus advertising is said to be quick and cumulative. This would mean that makeup is sometimes required to be bold and brave to attract attention and thus to be remembered to help the ad be reworked into the brain and therefore I believe that makeup artist has a power to make a statement and eventually to make a change. This lecture highlighted the importance of visual communication and how a creative practitioner can make a difference.
I dare to say that the Cultural Sustainability lecture was the best lecture I attended so far. It was centralised around globalisation, culture, costumes and representation. Culture acts as a filter through which people process experiences. As any creative practitioner, we need to be culturally sensitive and aware of how to avoid cultural misrepresentation and cultural appropriation. Misrepresentation of a culture is usually found in a lazy fashion, meaning the products are only designed due to its aesthetics with no further understanding of the culture. John Lau highlighted the importance of research and consultation with appropriate people in order to avoid cultural appropriation. An example of recent misinterpretation of Chinese culture can be seen in Dior and Gucci designs which focus around exoticism and eroticism, showing too much skin, often associated with the Western world. Additionally, zeitgeist, how current times affect ideas of today, helps me foresee future trends, keep up with the industry and to be an innovative artist.
In Conclusion, I really enjoyed these series of lectures as I believe that radical change in the fashion industry is required in order for us to move forward.
By Simona Svantnerova
References:
Crew, J. (2020), ‘Power’, [Lecture], Better Lives, London College of Fashion, 10th Feb.2020
Lau, J. (2020) ‘Cultural Sustainability’ [Lecture], Better Lives, London College of Fashion, 18th Feb.2020