Fashion is a multibillion-dollar global enterprise devoted to the design, manufacture and sale of clothes. The industry is a major employer and source of economic growth in many countries around the world. The industry often distinguishes itself from the broader apparel industry by the emphasis placed on trends and glamour. Fashions are largely dictated by popular culture, which in turn depends upon a complex mix of cultural, social, and economic factors.
Fashion changes quickly. Designers create styles that are influenced by new ideas and techniques, and these styles spread rapidly. The fashion industry is also a highly globalized one, with clothes often being designed in one country, manufactured in another, and sold in a third.
A person’s choice of clothing reveals much about him or her, and can give insight into the person’s personality. For example, a person’s choice of clothes may reveal that they are rebellious and outgoing, or conservative and shy. Fashions also help define and differentiate groups of people, such as goths, skaters, preps, and herbs. People within these groups usually dress in the same way to show their belonging.
Fashions also change over time, from season to season and from one decade to the next. The exact reason for the ebb and flow of different styles is a mystery. However, it is speculated that changes in fashion are influenced by social and economic change, as well as the marketing efforts of designers and manufacturers. Fashions also tend to be recycled – it is not uncommon for a faded style to suddenly reappear in a completely different form.