| LIZZY PETERS |
| Fashion/clothing may well be the most significant way in which social relations are constructed, experienced and understood, it gives shape and colour to social and cultural differences. Clothes contain messages, they are telling stories. A story that doesn't begins and ends with the wearer, but there are many hands and thoughts that come together in one piece of clothing. Fashion is a reflection of what happens in society. Internet and telecommunication made the world smaller in a short amount of time. Every aspect of globalization is being discussed, by proponents and opponents. But how big is the influence of globalization on fashion? We chat with a friend in China, mail somebody from the jungle of Africa, send a text message to a friend in America and our backyard is seen in the Outback of Australia. By these developments a new language arises, the so called text message and chat language. A language that is faster and by creative use of symbols sometimes even international. But what about the language of our clothes? How much influence does globalization have on the way we communicate through our clothes? Is there a development to a 'Global Language'? Are there still differences between people on the streets of London and for example the streets of Tokyo? Gwen Stefani wears a Bindi and changes the context from religious to Western pop culture. Harajuku Fashion (Tokyo, Japan) has for example a Victorian style and a British Punk style. How much influence does these developments have on Cultural Identity? The fashion industry has always search the entire global for inspiration in colours, style and patterns but was, for the larger part, meant for Western market. Now we have internet and 'shop online', you can get everything you want from all over the world. With globalization the fear of losing our identity also arises. Is this fear founded and are we looking for our identity, a face, a hand and a story behind our clothes. Is there, just like in written language, a development to a global language? Or will we maintain our identity, after all culture is strong and people are different. www.lizzypeters.nl [email protected] |
