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Does the Fashion Industry Have an Ageism Problem?
The discussions surrounding diversity and inclusivity in the fashion industry are now commonplace. Yet these discussions tend to rarely extended to include the lack of age varied representation, particularly the older generation. Ageing is a process of life, so why is it that this process, through the older generation, less represented than the younger counterparts? With the lack of representation through advertising and targeting clothing brands, there could be a gap in the market. Fashion can be about self-expression and inclusivity. Fashion cannot be fully diversified whilst a demographic of customers are not seeing themselves represented and reflected within the industry. Is fashion catered towards young people? There is a…
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True Diversity: Normalising Disability
Fashion’s importance in expression and mainstream culture has always put it at the forefront of cultural evolution. For the last decade, diversity has been a driving force in the industry. This core value has seen positive change when considering issues of gender fluidity, sexuality, body type, and ethnicity. Yet for all its achievements it still has a long way to go in solving the long-standing issues of diversity and some demographics still feel under-represented. Under-represented but not uncommon Disability is often considered something “out-of-the-norm,” or “uncommon” and the lack of representation in media certainly speaks to that. However, research suggests this is an incorrect assumption to make. Roughly 13.9 million…
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How Fashion Can Cultivate Positive Mental Health
What we wear can say a lot about who we are as people; the styles, patterns and colours we choose represent part of our personality. Whether this is done consciously or subconsciously, we are projecting ourselves to those around us through the clothes we wear every day. If someone favour’s clothing that connotes a specific style or trend, they are reflecting interest in that subject/culture to the outside world. The same applies for merchandise from media and pop culture we enjoy. Fashion is a form of self – expression and can be used to increase self – confidence. Clothing can also have symbolic meaning. Certain pieces may represent a positive…
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Fashion Runways & Body Dysmorphic Disorders
Runways have been the centre of focus when showcasing fashion, each detail serves a purpose for the designer and the observer – professionally and personally. Runways are the mechanism to encourage sales; to demonstrate the fit of a garment on beings and to provide a perception of how they look to the viewer. But should they be influencing how one interprets their own body? With the lack of diversity within the body types exhibited, how is one supposed to mirror a representation that withholds no resemblance to theirs? Therefore I ask. For you personally, do you believe fashion runways are an active catalyst for self criticism and hatred or do…
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Instagram and Mental Health: an Endless Cycle
Instagram is arguably the most used social media platform today. Yet what are the consequences of our casual obsession with Instagram on our mental health? Why is Instagram useful? Instagram is useful for several reasons. From that one app we can stay in the loop with friends, keep up with fashion trends, follow our favourite celebs and even grow our own platform. The limits are endless when it comes to Instagram, that’s why we tend to not get bored with the app compared to others. Over recent years, Instagram has become a useful tool to those trying to gain a large following on a social platform. The use of hashtags…
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Perfectionism: Fashion and its Impact on Body Dysmorphia
Perfection is found in accepting your imperfections Bridgett Devoue The way that we perceive our bodies is vital to our levels of self-confidence, self-worth, and the way that we interact with others. In today’s world, a mental illness known as ‘Body Dysmorphic Disorder’ is an alarming concern. According to the NHS, “Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD), is a mental health condition where a person spends a lot of time worrying about flaws in their appearance”. One of the factors that can trigger the obsession with a certain body part is fashion. Within the fashion industry, there are many aspects that could induce anxiety or worry in certain consumers. For example, if…
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No Secret that Victoria’s Secret Was Desperate for a Change
Calling for Change We live in challenging times when almost everything is being questioned and asked for change. It does not matter whether we look at politics, sport or simply just the way of living, everything seems to be facing an important question. Is this enough? Are we doing it right? Not even the fashion industry got spared when it comes to big changes. Maybe it is because fashion is something that is more or less accompanying us for our whole life. Some might not realise that, but fashion and lifestyle are affecting the way others see us as a person, the way the society is accepting us. Yes, it…
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Diversity on Catwalks: A Remedy for Toxic Beauty Standards
Over the years, diversity on the catwalk has become a growing theme to challenge beauty standards in the fashion industry. Models have always been a reflection of the ideal shape, size, height, and colour that societal norms have reinforced. Since a young age I have always been inspired by fashion and catwalks, I admired the looks of many models and dreamed that only one day I could be as beautiful. Needless to say, the models I desired to look like were thin, tall and mostly white. I am not tall nor as thin, surely this was harmful to the way I see myself at the age of 14? If I…
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#Instascam: Influencer marketing and diversity
There is not one standard definition of beauty or one perfect size. Ashley Graham In the fashion industry, lack of diversity has always been a concerning topic. However, in the current digital age of social media, this issue is more apparent than ever. We are constantly exposed to outfit posts that all look very alike, which is often fuelled by something called ‘influencer marketing’. According to Forbes, “an influencer is someone who helps other people buy from you”. #TheConsumerDemandForChange Over the last few years, Instagram has really taken off. Research has shown that there are now at least 1 billion users of the platform each month. Although this is a…
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Social Media Influencers Helping to Drive Diversity
Social media influencers Fashion was advertised in magazines such as Vogue and on catwalks. But since 2018 platforms such as Instagram have taken over, with fashion being presented on social media platforms by influencers. Of Instagram’s total audience, 200 million users follow at least one fashion account. In Britain, 45% of these followers claim they follow fashion accounts to gain inspiration. On Instagram #fashion is mentioned 13 million times a month and #ootd (outfit of the day) has featured in 140 million posts up to 2018. Social media has allowed fashion brands to interact and communicate with their customers. Instagram has become the biggest platform for fashion brands to connect…
