An altered and remodeled view of the fashion world
The Mode Museum in Antwerp was waiting for us on December 10. Fashion and shopping stores everywhere, in every single street. The city amazed us with its buildings and delightful Christmas decorations.
“Fashion changes, but style endures” — Coco Chanel
Could we say that style endured when talking about our outfits in the bitter cold of Antwerp? — Not really. Even though this cold weather cost us our styles, the city still paraded for us, dressed up with its most marvelous diamonds and style.
Antwerp, the diamond city where fashion has been showing off and exhibited like a piece of art. When we think of designers, we portray them as perfectionists, always eager to dare and tickle us and our minds. Microscopic details always make the difference and make the piece stands out to achieve perfection. However, how could we define “perfection”? It is quite unfeasible as it relates to subjective perception, what can be perfection to some people can be chaos to others. Simpleness may be perfection or an outset to rethinking.
We all know the conventional white shirt as a simple piece. However, a few designers such as Yuima Nakazato tried their hands at the deconstruction of the white shirt and rethought it. Yuima Nakazato is originally from Tokyo and graduated from the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Antwerp in 2008. His work with the white shirt is astounding as it benefits from a mixed culture, the Japanese designer completely restructured the shape of the shirt into a kimono.
Fashion has been changing, evolving, and adapting through centuries and centuries. Designers and fashion shows are a place where luxury and wealth rule, many expensive pieces are being presented to a few “wealthy” people and usually are unreachable for others.
We are living in a changing world, although creations in the fashion world are luxury, high fashion and designers must adapt to the global economy and its influence. Nowadays, the recent democratization of fashion manifested itself in designers launching more affordable collections for high-street labels such as H&M. Fashion has also increasingly embraced streetwear and athleisure as new carriers to display logos and branding.
E/MOTION — FASHION IN TRANSITION
Fashion is often a way for people to express themselves, and the changes in the fashion sphere are a way to express society’s point of view. The exhibition E/MOTION — FASHION IN TRANSITION in the Mode Museum is a visual signifier of contemporary instabilities and explores social, political, and psychological change.
In a world where fashion is major and has a considerable impact on people’s lives, change can be precious. This exhibition offers insights into critically dark truths about the world, whilst some others provide amusing portrayals of what it is to be human in the world today.
These days, the fashion world is not a place where women can blossom yet. In this world, perfection and beauty ideals are always being sought. Height, weight, hair, makeup… Everything must be perfect and in accordance with the fashion world. Nevertheless, the fear of imperfection is fading away as the world is evolving and changing, helped by social movements around body positivity and neutrality.
The lingerie brand Victoria’s Secret paid the price of their desire for “perfection” in the fashion world with a year of controversy and backlash. Indeed, the brand was only campaigning with sample-size models, a choice that is no longer adapted to the present day. How can fashion brands live on without changing? Change is hope for the future. On October 4, 2019, the American brand and the U-K-based lingerie brand Bluebella announced their collaboration: the first Victoria’s Secret plus-size model campaign emerged.
Nowadays, the world is changing, social movements are breaking out worldwide, some to support women’s rights and body positivity, and multiple fashion brands are being accused of encouraging a fear of imperfection. Fashion can magnify raw emotions within society, and bright things can come out of it. Plus-size model campaigns, more accessible fashion to everyone, and other changes are demonstrating that alteration is possible, to make this fashion world up to date.
