Maria Gonzalez Paramo

MARÍA GONZÁLEZ – PÁRAMO

Before I attended my first better lives session on Emerging Technology, I was extremely unaware of all the existing different technological options that could turn the fashion industry around on a 360º turn. Even though me and mostly all of my classmates are millennials, we are amateurs to the world of coding, blockchain, bitcoin… We know how to work our iPhones and how to access runways, and shoots, nearby fashion events, Vogue youtube tutorials, etc,… yet, we are completely numb to the idea of advanced technology and the vast and remarkable influence it can have on the industry’s outstanding flaw’s such as: sustainability, diversity, equal rights in the work space… I have opened my eyes and seen the advantages of investing in technology in order to be able to control things that are overlooked by humans. VR has been a field in emerging technology which has always called my attention and I can recall wanting to know more about it a few times. In the sessions our teacher, Nick Almond, really opened my mind and talked a few times about Artificial Intelligence and Virtual Intelligence. Many ideas where starting to appear in my mind, and I was also making connections. Immediately, what came to mind was how one of my preferred sectors in the fashion world, runway shows, could be connected to AI, VR and the whole technological field in general. I had heard about young creatives at LCF creating computer designed models and runways in the past and was very interested and keen on seeing if this could be encouraged more and even practiced more. I wanted to reflect more and truly take the session’s information outside of the university room, so I started researching on the Internet in order to see what initiatives and actual projects where out there. Amongst my different findings, I found out that that there was had been many projects where designers would sell virtual online garments and gain a lot of money. On one hand, while this was an idea that excited me given its modernity and technologically advanced side, I was also a little disappointed considering that to me it looked like the hand knitted/woven/printed real life garments would lose their shine and value.
In my better lives project, Emerging Technology in the Fashion Industry, we decided on a final project which was about vintage trends and using data to analyse the needs in different focalised areas in order to produce the needed amounts and be more sustainable. Some methods we learned to use and explored where tools like google trends, social media options such as hashtags, google maps GPS options to situate where demand was coming from etc. I think overall, this project has opened my eyes to the infinite possibilities that lie within the use of technology and advanced engines. I believe that I will start to use these trend tracers in the future in order to find clothing to use in my shoots when using specialised garments so that I don’t contribute negatively by buying in shops and use garments that have already been worn. This could be one sustainable approach on my side based on what I have learnt throughout this project which is directly related to my field of study.

After watching the power lecture, I started to think about the effects that power had on the overall fashion industry. I did not agree with the fact that status in a way was more highly valued than creativity in terms of money, and in the future I would like to embrace the fact that creativity is harder to possess or reach than status as a position. I think this has affected me or opened my mind in the sense that I have started to value clothes for their creative/fashionable/original… qualities instead of just wanting it for its numerical and monetary value. Even though it may seem awful and embarrassing to say in a time like today, most of our self esteem for fashion fanatics, relies on the price of the garment worn. This is due to the fact that in modern society, there is a misconception that style means pricy clothing. As a stylist in formation, I obviously disagree with this belief. 

It is also worrying to me that young creatives do not get payed the money that they should be payed (only of they are fair prices). Making quality clothing is extremely expensive in terms of textiles, fabrics and other materials needed, and due to the lack of status or reputation that these creatives have, they will never be able to make up for all the costs payed in the production and possibly post-production process. A viable way in which I could help and avoid this barrier, is by purchasing clothes from young designers and creatives and waste “big” amounts of money when and where they are due instead of feeding into the extremely high fashion and high reputable industry, where a tag is considered more beautiful than the material within the garment itself. 

As for the way I will contribute with my power? I think my involvement would be political. I would make sure that my work space has an ideal or, evidently, almost ideal work ethic, considering equality, diversity and sustainable work ethics/practice. It is very important that everybody can add their own grain of a sand in today’s fashion industry and contribute with their insight. Being informal, I would say, “the more the merrier,” in the sense that regarding history and past times, the fashion industry has always included and considered voices all over the globe in order to strive to become a more neutral, equal and overall ethical practice/industry. I think power does not necessarily have to come from status, power can also come from the individual with a good set of values. An individual with fair, ethical, contemporary and considerate values represents strength and perseverance since they should be willing to stand up for these things. Being powerful in that sense, can allow for big changes to happen. 

The first lecture I viewed/streamed online was about POWER given by Julia Crew on the 10th of February. I really enjoyed this lecture because I was able to grasp properly how the concept of power was closely linked and tied to fashion. I have always agreed with the idea that clothes have the ability to acutely describe a person and speak to an audience. As the lecture proceeded I started to notice how not only the broad and general concept of fashion has power, but also the fact that the garments themselves hold specific levels of that power, and said levels withhold some type of authority. If one traces back to years or even centuries ago, the clothes which were most valued and wanted, were those of individuals who belonged to the royalty, suggesting that power in clothing had to do with the status of the person wearing it, as well as the materials used to make these garments which were exclusive given that royalty would be wearing them. Something I also found extremely interesting was the fact that clothes are symbolic and not just aesthetic. Military dresses, as described by Julia Crew, hold a deeper meaning than the one appearing on the surface. Military clothing serves as a portrayal of power, hierarchy, oppression, leadership or even dictatorship. Another example of this would be the classic business suit, which delivers a sense of professionalism and seriousness, making individuals seem to be more trustworthy and clean or put together. Additionally, not only do the garments which are inanimate objects hold their own power, but the people in the fashion industry itself who have a high and respectable status. A clear example of this is Anna Wintour, Vogue Editor. Wintour’s word will weigh much more than that of many other significant people in the industry because of the reputation she has gained across the fashion platform in general, using her own power as a tool for fashion’s success or failure. 

Another interesting “concept” explored by Crew in her lecture was the idea that power should lie in creativity and exist in the presence of original clothing yet in the 21rst century, power lies in economic power, suggesting that a handmade garment made out of precious materials will be less expensive than that of a brand known internationally throughout social media or in the fashion world. In my opinion, this is extremely damaging to the fashion industry given that creativity will decrease constantly and status will be defined by the monetary value of clothing. Another example in the industry of a person who has used the power that he/she has received and built up throughout the years, is Vivienne Westwood. Westwood traditionally uses her catwalks as an opportunity to express political concerns she shares with her audience. She uses activists as models and manages to blend in her fashion practice with environmental activism using her own power in the form of authority to raise awareness on different topics. I believe this is a great example of how power is used correctly instead of misused.