A fashion is a custom or style of dress or manner of speaking that gains popularity and wide acceptance at a certain time. It often takes a very short period of time to become popular and then fades into obscurity again. Fashions may be initiated by a designer, a celebrity or even a group of peers. A sartorial statement can express emotion, solidarity and cultural identity. It can also be a way of displaying wealth and status, or a way of reaffirming a sense of femininity or masculinity.
Fashions can be found in almost every culture in the world, but tend to change faster in the developed world due to advancements in technology and increased mobility. It is also a major industry that encompasses designing, manufacturing and selling clothing and accessories. Those that work in the fashion industry are called stylists, designers or models and can be male or female.
The earliest evidence of fashionable dress can be traced back to ancient Egypt, where there is a depiction of a woman wearing a wig and an ornate headdress. Then the first tailors emerged, and later the couturier. In the modern era, the fashion industry has grown rapidly due to advances in fabric printing and weaving techniques, improved machinery and more awareness of health issues such as diet and exercise.
Initially, the fashion industry was very much an elite thing, but when the mass media began to develop, it became more of a consumer driven thing as well. People started to follow the trends set by celebrities and others in their social circles and then slowly incorporated them into their everyday wardrobes. This led to a huge expansion of the fashion industry and shifted its focus from couture to ready-to-wear.
Some critics have argued that fashion is often exploitative and exploits marginalized groups of people in order to make money. Many designers and manufacturers use poor labor practices, especially in China where working conditions are notoriously bad. In order to save money on production costs, they also cut corners on quality and safety. In the fall of 2022, Channel 4 broadcast a documentary that went undercover at the Shein factory in China where the workers were exposed to toxic chemicals and dangerous equipment.
In addition to influencing clothing styles and designs, the fashion industry has a significant impact on the environment and global politics as well. For example, the influx of cheap Chinese labor has changed the way that American brands produce their garments. Increasingly, they are sourcing their materials and outsourcing the manufacturing process to places such as China and Vietnam. This has had a direct effect on the local economies in those countries as jobs have been lost and wages stagnated. It is also a leading contributor to environmental problems like pollution and overfishing. These factors have led to some designers and consumers calling for stronger regulation of the fashion industry. In Fashion and Politics, author Djurdja Barlett explores how fashion plays a role in the political sphere.