When the first human being, in Eden or on earth, covered his body
with leaves, or later with an animal skin, the fashion industry was
founded at that time. Though we are not familiar with the style and
attire of that time until the ancient civilizations preserved few images
in the solidity of rocks, through cave paintings and through rock-cut
sculptures. Terra
Cotta figurines of the oldest Harappan Age show interesting headdresses
that can be compared with any modern hairstyle with a heavy look. The
Dancing Girl of Mohenjo Daro with bangles in her arms is not behind any
fashion sculpt of any age. While no one can deny the allure and glamour
of Cleopatra; a woman with great political skills and a long nose, who
crafted many fashion styles from jewelry to outfits of the great
Egyptian Empire of Scissors.
But fashion is not only associated to
women always! In ancient times of Cleopatra, Scissors always wore
clothes that were royal, expensive, stylistic, attractive and special.
At the same Egyptian soil, the Pharaohs were never behind. The great
Biblical Character of Moses, if taken as an Egyptian Prince, was always a
portrayed, in tales and later in movies, in a charismatic outfit. While
in the Western part of the globe, the Greeks and Romans not only marked
high standards in Art, Architecture, and Warfare, but their unique and
intricate concepts of a perfect and godlike human body, especially of
males, supported the appealing army uniforms and court-wears.
The
supernatural characters of illustrious Greek, Egyptian and Indian
Mythologies did provide extraordinary range of apparel; well preserved
in the form of painting and sculpture. These ancient models are
still the greatest sources of inspiration for modern day fashion
designers and the origins of the evolved form of cultural trends
prevailed through continents from Australia to America and from Asia to
Africa. Cultural influences are stronger when we consider the
economic aspect of the fashion industry. Business needs market where it
can present fresh ideas and products in every new day. Although in this
global age, acculturation is very much on. But even then there are many
cultural aspects that can instigate or impede certain trends. A colorful
bikini is a great fashion market item in Western or secular and modern
cultures, but it is almost a taboo in some rigid and fundamental areas.
Contrary to that, a veil is popular in fundamental countries, but has no
market in secular or modern world. However, so many fashion articles
could get the status of cross-cultural ambition. Especially in
ornaments, there is not much difference across the globe with exception
of little diversity in shape, material and style. Earrings, bracelets,
pendants, bangles and rings are always, and everywhere, in fashion since
ages having big market scope in all societies and cultures.
On
the individual level, fashion is not just a simple word or an
uncomplicated attitude, or even an overwhelming desire. Fashion is a
multifarious dogma that can influence an individual in many ways.
"As
process it is [fashion] sustained through some complex amalgamation of
inspiration, imitation and institutionalization, all of which seem
necessary, even though the nature and degree of their fusion is, as we
can infer from fashion history, quite variable." (Fred Davis. Fashion,
Culture and Identity. P. 123) Therefore, the multifaceted
incorporation of fashion, where force an individual at the same time, it
also institutionalize itself on many grounds. This institutionalization
is not only at the academic level, but due to its capacity of holding
an individual, society, or even the whole world has created a huge
market for investors.
This feature has made fashion, throughout
past decades, an industry with small to bulk product possibility that
can be marketed all around the world. It attracted many business tycoons
and groups of companies to invest in fashion industry, or to label some
of their products as fashion products. This idea initially covered the
clothes brand but soon after, it encompassed every utility of everyday
life. From earrings to pendants, from watches to glasses, from shoes to
wallets, from perfumes to hairstyles, everything was produced and
marketed, exported and imported on such a huge scale that it actually
influenced the economy of various countries. Apart from the individual
fashion, bathroom accessories, kitchen, bedroom and bathroom décor,
landscaping of gardens and lawns, furniture, automobiles, electronics or
even language accents, everything got under the broad term of fashion.
Products singularly and brands collectively helped and polished
lifestyle across the continents. So, inevitably fashion market got
vitality.
Despite quality, comfort and durability the exclusivity
of a product and its luxurious look are the reasons that produce scope
for a product to be marketed. That is the market policy of almost every
fashion company revolves around these features. Simultaneously,
the marketing and availability of various products have developed the
customers' sense of selection and exposure with a comparative buying
power. Fashion is not always brand conscious; it is item based as well.
Sometime, the need for a particular item may force us to go beyond the
brand-range and select something less popular. This is a challenge all
the famous brands have to cope with. Ian Griffiths and Nicola White, in
their edited work: The Fashion Business- Theory, Practice, Image,
commented on item shopping as: "Item shopping is still very much
part of our lives, but market saturation has taken its toll and
replacement purchases of core product continue to decline. Added to this
is the changing profile of the customer, who, through constant
exposure, is becoming wiser, more astute, more confident in mixing
products and consequently, likely to be less brand loyal."
The
customer satisfaction is very important in the fashion industry; either
it is attained by making customer needful for an upcoming product
through advertising, or by providing him what he is striving for. The
former caused the creative and design department to experiment with new
ideas and shapes while the latter forced the quality controlled
production with maintained standards. Modern day fashion is rapid,
short lived, more corporate in its structure, and psychological than
ever before. Due to better and quick sources of communication and
information, the international or external markets are open for every
fashion company to do business, multinational companies can be found
with variety of products in all the continents with complex network and
appropriate marketing policies according to the socio-cultural
requirements of a certain country. Especially, when we talk about the
couture and cosmetics, contemporary trends are getting more and more
cross-cultural due to viewership of various fashion channels on TV. This
is far quicker source than the print media. So, the skills and concepts
are also crossing the geographical and ideological boundaries of
different parts of the world regardless of ethnic rigidity and
conventionalism. That is one reason that fashion is also taken as the
reflection of the progress in some developing countries. Fred Divis
described clothing as a visual metaphor in his compilation; Fashion,
Culture and Identity: "As visual metaphor the clothing that is
dress (one should perhaps distinguish between the two) is capable of
communicating many things including something as subtle, for example, as
the wearer's reflexive awareness..."
This is what has made
fashion companies responsible for customer care at the same time, when
they were thinking to be profitable. You can find friendly policies of
such companies towards its employees, suppliers and customers. Together
with the advertising campaigns, Fashion Weeks with new designs and
colors, serve additionally to promote new concepts. These Fashion Weeks
not only display an array of new products, but also serve to communicate
with the audience visually. Dresses and accessories worn by models
doing catwalk, are more lively and enthralling than the mere display on
mannequins. Normally with a range of Fall, Spring, Summer and Winter
collection, Fashion Weeks boost market demands and promote its
associated businesses as well. Fashion Shows now have become cultural
events which are happily sponsored by the corporate sector.
At
modern day fashion companies, there is an underlying and long standing
commitment to ethical trading, based upon the belief, that business can
be both profitable and responsible. So, fashion companies believe that
building meaningful long term relationships with employees, suppliers
and communities is good business practice for them and is what the
customers expect popular brands. This is, and always has been, the
founding principle of different brands as Corporate-Social
responsibility. Fashion is not only a phenomenon for luxurious
life, but this concept deals with humanity as well. True meaning of
fashion is to put life at ease and to facilitate humanity with its
respective life style. That is why, modern fashion companies are
conscious for the fact of supporting special people of society with
special needs. This phenomenon is causing fashion to be responsive
towards special people.
Therefore, the market and its demands may
vary from community to community. For example, the range may get
different in a London store in comparison with the variety at a
Singapore or China store. No doubt, in the modern world, 'East meets
West' but climate, culture, sociology and psychological needs can force
fashion designers and companies to provide a vast canvas for the
diversity of customers worldwide. But there are few items that are
evergreen. Jeans and Bags are such commodities that are always in demand
and ask for the latest styles and comfort at the same time.
Modern
day fashion is global, human, culture and society friendly. At one end
it emphasizes collective psychology and trends of a society, and at the
other end, it deals with the individual needs of customer care. Healthy
trends, balanced life, and busy lifestyle are, what the modern fashion
companies have to consider deeply. It is no more a matter of looking
good and attractive, true fashion and accessories join comfort and trend
together. Fashion companies are somehow, have become institutes that
are shaping behaviors, psychology and healthy and innovative thinking.
The concept of being relaxed and making others too, by wearing good
looking, comfortable, trendy and eye-catching outfits in soothing or
energetic colors, is the order of the modern day.
