Fashion is a way of dressing that influences the way people look. Fashion changes over time and differs between cultures. It can be seen in the styles of clothing, makeup and hairstyles. It is also seen in the way people interact with each other. The fashion industry includes designers, manufacturers, and retailers. It is a global industry.
In the past, fashion was used to display social status. Rich and powerful families would wear clothes that were designed and made by their personal dressmakers. These were often embroidered, embellished or adorned with precious stones and materials. People who were poor and lower in social standing would only wear rough and simple clothes.
Today, fashionable clothing is generally influenced by trends and popular culture. People who follow fashion are called “fashionistas” or “fashion victims.” Fashion is more of a medium of self-expression than it is a form of social class or status. When celebrities or people in the public eye wear new or different types of clothes, they can inspire a fashion trend. Other people will then copy this style to show solidarity or to reflect their own personality.
As technology and fashion merge, we are seeing more fashion that is eco-friendly, sustainable and ethically produced. Fashion designers are also collaborating with scientists, engineers and technologists to produce innovative clothing like Professor Helen Storey MBE’s Catalytic Clothing, which uses photocatalysts to purify air. As fashion changes, one thing remains constant – it always comes back around!