Blog one; Society in relation to fashion and sustainability
For a while, I was rather confused about the Better Lives unit and what to expect. I was unsure how to approach it however Katelyn-Toth Fejel’s thought-provoking lecture on society in relation to fashion and sustainability has had an influencing effect on my way of thinking towards this subject. I chose the society lecture because the way fashion connects with society and the social issues faced within the industry, that Fejel discusses, has really opened my eyes and exposed me to the different ways and aspects society can affect fashion. She begins her lecture by asking “what do you think when you hear social and fashion together” and personally I think of social media, political change, rights and equality within the fashion industry that are considered as social issues and should be explored more often. Fejel then goes on and asks, “who do you think has influenced the way you dress the most”, “are there any specific celebrities and designers you follow that influence your style?”
Throughout this lecture I was very interested at how fashion interacts with us on a daily basis and how we are influenced by the smallest things in everyday life.
Fejel explains that how we dress is based on experiences and histories and describes how we identify ourselves to the world. How the small act of dressing everyday can impact and shape our day and even lives. It is our way of communicating to each other such as communicating your own aesthetic, beauty, sex appeal, wealth and status or religion. However, as Fejel explains, there are various social issues related to fashion which include fair and living wages, safe working environments, access to education and equal opportunities.
Nevertheless, the most problematic social issue that not only affects humans but also the environment is fast fashion. Being a strong advocate towards shopping second hand myself, I have always been appalled by how garment workers are treated within this industry. During this part of the lecture, Fejel tells some astonishing facts such as only 7% of large brands know about their supply chain. Also, this lecture made me think that a lot of people are aware of fast fashion and how demeaning it is for garment workers however continue to buy from these brands. Having already known quite a lot about fast fashion, this lecture did open my eyes even wider to the harmful industry that is fast fashion and how destructive it is for basic human rights.
Fejel’s inspiring lecture has made me think about how I would like to change society in relation to fashion and sustainability therefore I believe that by changing the way we consume fashion and clothes to a lot less and asking yourself more frequently, “who made my clothes” perhaps more people will choose to be more ethical with the way they consume. As well as this, rather than throwing away unused garments, different ways of recycling clothing can improve creative ways of showing your identity and how you communicate yourself to the world.