Influences of the Fashion Industry
Fashion is a form of autonomy and self-expression in a certain time and occasion, in a certain context and milieu, and with certain elements. The word itself indicates a style defining what is popular at a certain time. Therefore, in defining fashion, it would be fair to say that there are no fixed styles or trends among the many different fashions or “schools” of fashion. Indeed, the art and practice of fashion itself is constantly changing as time goes by.
There has been a recent proliferation of websites like Fashion Marketing Cabo, Fashion Hotlist, and Fashion Now all providing up-to-date information on the fashion industry, its players, new and upcoming fashion trends, and all related aspects and facets. Fashion magazines like Vogue, Lucky, InStyle, And Allure, along with numerous online fashion magazines provide a wide-ranging information on fashion as well. The fashion industry itself has also taken advantage of social networking and websites like Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, and YouTube to stay abreast of current fashion trends. For instance, the fashion website Hype posted a video showing celebrity fashion consultants Leighton Meester wearing the same brand of jeans on the red carpet at the 2021 Vanity Fair New York conference. This was followed by bloggers, actors, and fashion designers posting videos of themselves sporting similar brands of jeans or voguish tops/dresses/pajamas.
Aside, from having actual humans feature in fashion blog posts and such, fashion magazines also publish fictional stories based on real fashion. Examples of these are the fashion designs for Barbie. There are Barbie fashion collections from Italian designer Dolce & Gabbana, ranging from jeans to skirts and dresses, and Barbie’s friends, Ken and Phoebe, each sporting an array of stylish designs and colors. The fictional stories thus inspired many articles in fashion industry publications. For instance, one article in Vogue Magazine featured the story of a small-town Texas beauty salon called Westside Xcite, which showcases beautiful young models with unique retro haircuts.
Online publications such as Elle also have a huge influence on current fashion trends. They feature articles written by famous fashion analysts, stylists, and experts from all over the world. One of the latest articles is a post on how to find the best dress in a small town (the town in question happens to be named “Furilla,” according to the article). This piece features an interview with an “expert” who claims to know the secret of how to find a great dress: “the cut, the fit, the color.” The article then goes on to list several examples of great fashion pieces from all over the world. Some of them include a dress from the Philippines that has a pink rhinestone sash, a blue paisley dress, a plaid skirt, and a floral print top.
Another important aspect of fashion is advertising. Large fashion brands spend millions of dollars each year on fashion showrooms and ads on television to promote their brands. As more people rely on these mediums of communication, they are also beginning to form a new habit of reading articles online about fashion and beauty. One study found that more than half of internet users regularly browse fashion blogs. The article discusses the rising popularity of blogs as a way for fashion brands to make their products known.
Celebrities also play a big part in influencing fashion trends. Jennifer Lopez is infamous for her outlandish outfits, so much so that some of her articles on Glamour magazine’s Fashion Blog earned her the ire of some fashion fans because they thought her outfits were too over the top. Miley Cyrus also has a huge influence on teenagers’ fashion trends because she often appears on popular music channels on the television. Other celebrities who have been outspoken about their opinions on the fashion industry include Jane Fonda and Sarah Jessica Parker. They are both continuously criticized by many people for their opinions on the fashion industry, but they also have large amounts of influence over the way that teenage girls dress.
