Gucci, Goodwill, Gone?
Fear has struck in the fashion community! Across the internet, there has been talk of fashion disappearing before our eyes. No one wants to lose an art they’ve dedicated their lives to, especially when fashion is universally appreciated. Fashion has been around too long to just vanish in a day. The true stressor is whether Gen Alpha and future generations will maintain the finesse of our current stylists and designers. Times have changed, and some changes in particular are said to challenge the beauty of fashion. The rise of thrifting, consumerist trends, and influencers at runway shows has the fashion community worried, but will fashion ever actually leave?
Origins and Answers
In short, my answer is no. Fashion has existed since the beginning of humanity, even if its intentions were different. Clothing has held meaning since ancient Egypt, but it was used well beforehand, simply for survival. Ancient Egypt gave fashion its title when clothing began to represent status. In the modern world, fashion is often seen as a symbol of success, displayed at big events like the Met Gala and even on the streets. The financial opportunity to wear classic luxury brands like Chanel, Louboutin, and Hermès is the dream of many. As shown in the image, just a simple brand statement can represent status. These brands insinuate wealth and appreciation of the so-called origins of fashion, regardless of how inaccurate that statement may be.
Importance of Expression
Although wealth is a natural desire of humanity, fashion is often misconstrued as a privilege of the wealthy. Vanity and self-expression are just as natural as financial ambition. People want to be pretty in their own quirky ways, while others want to feel pretty based on trends. Influencers, as controversial as they can be in the fashion world, have been around just as long, but just like modern trends, they get more outreach. Influencers have been watching fashion shows for decades; the average person’s definition of an influencer has simply changed. Old influencers were just people who, as seen in the world, influenced something new. One of the first was a man from all the way back in the 1800s, Beau Brummell, globally known as one of the first fashion influencers. Now fashion influencers are simply taking advantage of technological advancements to spread their ideas.
Personal Interpretation
These new influencers may occasionally encourage thrifting alongside trends. Some, like Macy Aleni (as seen in the image), have even been deemed king or queen of thrifting.
To some, thrifting is contradictory to the luxurious definition of fashion. Things have become more expensive, and people have become frugal, but the self-expression aspect in fashion remains. Financially struggling people not only deserve but have always had their own fashion opinions. Money does not equal fashion; creativity does. Fashion is an art; it is simply what you make it. You can want it stagnant, but art evolves. Regardless, fashion will always be around us, whether we get our clothing and accessories on 5th Ave. or at the local Savers. Fashion doesn’t disappear simply because its definition has altered. Alter your mindset instead and realize that fashion is created by the change the fashion community fears.
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