Women around the world follow fashion, some looking across the globe for inspiration. They are subscribing to countless style magazines, immersing themselves in every article. The technologically savvy readers are finding an infinite number of fashion blogs at their fingertips. Many overworked, under or over paid women are in search of the new item that will change their life. It may not change the work schedule, or inspire a raise, but that new Chloe bag might just make her feel like all of her hard work was worth it, And by that, her prayers have been answered. Shallow as it may sound, our society is searching to fill a void within itself. According to the Encyclopedia Britannica 921 million”non-religious” people populate the world. With conventional religion becoming more of a personal choice, many are left to find self fulfillment in other arenas. Clothing our bodies has become something dare I say, spiritual.
The fashion culture is constantly growing and inspiring the next generation. For those who do not understand the true thrill of making a coveted piece your own, I’ll explain. Those elusive pieces like the pair of jeans that hug you in all the right places, or the deliciously charming peep-toe bootie that you have been envisioning for months. The moment they finally materialize on the shelf it’s like finding the Holy Grail. This makes the hunt worth every step. Seeing a person spending so much time, let alone hard earned “green” devoted to the coming, and goings of trends can seem ridiculous. That is for those that have not seen the fashion light.
“Fashion is religion”
If fashion has become religion for us I can’t help but wonder; what impact has conventional religion made on trends throughout the years? Over time we have seen many a nod to biblical times. Spotting not only holy inspired trends on the streets, and on the television, but also walking down the runway.
Who doesn’t remember the first time they saw “hit me baby, one more time.”? I remember it like it was yesterday. Although the catholic school girl uniform has been fetishized for many years, Britney launched a new bubble gum frenzy of plaid skirts, and pigtails. This craze came, and went only to be brought back again by Gwen Stefani, and her Harajuku girls in 2005.
High fashion designers are also following the influence of religion when creating collections, whether it be conscious, or unconscious. Yves St. Laurent designed its fall 2007 collection that seemed to resemble a hip convent style (one to conjure images of chic nuns replacing the actress’ of Sex and the City.)
The Hussein Chalayan, Spring/Summer 1998 Collection show featured models in what resembled Muslim garments. One group of white full length garments, with only small sections for the eyes to be exposed. The other half of the models were in black garments. The garments alternated lengths, from below the knee, to the waist, and finally a nude model, with nothing but a black mask.
The fashion industry always looks to the future, and the unknown. With its tendencies to push boundaries, fashion has given us the tools to fill the voids left by conventional thinking. With progressive thinking taking hold, we can only expect the industries importance to grow within ourselves, and our culture. With the ever changing views of society, and the natural drive of self exploration in humanity, it’s only fitting that fashion is becoming more than an excuse to shop.
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