15.3.10

fashion: art, or necessity? discuss.



I am increasingly coming to feel that 'fashion' - as a concept - is a form of creative expression that is increasingly capturing the public's imagination. These things go in waves, I feel. Music, cuisine, painting, theatre, literature, film.. each creative form is valid, and important, and I can get excited about each of them. But right now.. part for me is the unexpected delight in finding a 'civilian' on the street with a strong sense of personal style, or perhaps it's because I've finally - better late than never - discovered the multi-sensory experience that is The Catwalk - but I'm just finding 'fashion' such a creative art form.

Case in point: this performance piece @ Somerset House on Day Six: The Boys.

Is it just me? I'm curious: what do you feel? Is Fashion 'Art'? Or Necessity? First in a series.

10 comments:

the style crusader said...

i think fashion is a necessity for the masses and an art form for the privileged or those with enough time for the creativity of self-expression.
xx

Susan said...

I totally agree with you! high fashion is art. high street fashion is a necessity for people. but also, fashion is a form of self-expression and as such, it is art for everyone who uses it :)
xoxo

San said...

Well, I think that fashion is both art and self-expression. I don't think of it as a necessity. Clothing is a necessity, but not fashion. What I realised when I dived into the street fashion blog world is that there are so many more approaches to it, so much more fun and possibilities in it than any darned fashion mag can cover, even when it tried. And they don't even try.

I never liked fashion until I stumbled over The Sartorialist and even then it took me 2 years to come up with what I think will be my personal style, winter and the unbelievable bad shoes in german shoestores put a hold on it. I never felt that these clothes and magazines were made for me. Thanks to Scott, weardrobe, you and all the other bloggers and the books of Nina Garcia I see fashion and fashion mags in a different light.

Maybe it's a trend or maybe it's just through all these street style blogs, that we (common women and men) realize that we are allowed to express who we are with our clothes and that we don't have to wear exactly what the fashion mags tell us to wear.

Cheers

Matthew Spade said...

bazaar and amazing glasses

Primrose said...

I think alot of people these days see it as a necessity. They either dress for comfort, or what other people want to see. I see a huge amount of it coming from a small, rural area, so whenever anyone dresses differently to everyone else, they gain a huge amount of looks. I think most people struggle to see the difference between current fashion and self expression and art. Fashion, along with music, acting and painting amonst other things, is simply a form of expressing yourself and creating something beautiful; The reflection of you upon others and how you feel. :-) x

http://ThroughRoseTintedSpectacles.blogspot.com

UnoCosa said...

i really think our world is changing - for the longest time we often say that fashion is a self expression - but, i think it is not until now that this expression has been given its full meaning .... and a simple definition of art:

Art is the process or product of deliberately arranging elements in a way to affect the senses or emotions -

doesn't this sound familiar? deliverable arrange our daily clothing elements in a way to reflect our sense and emotion ...

so, what would be real difference between art & fashion?? or is there??

thanks for bringing this topic - xx

The Photodiarist said...

I've always fashion as an art form and a form of self-expression. I think that those two go hand in hand as art is another form of human expression.

the nyanzi report said...

Fashion is nessesary art.
Clothing is a nessesity, style is art.

jill said...

Wow, everyone, this is amazing, and so how I feel! Will be doing more on this series. Thank you, great food for thought to wake up to. xx

Style Odyssey said...

While fashion may be considered one of the APPLIED arts (sorry for caps, no itallic option here), it's not one of the FINE arts.
Wikipedia says it well: "Whereas fine arts serve as intellectual stimulation to the viewer or academic sensibilities, the applied arts incorporate design and creative ideals to objects of utility."
I can't believe I'd missed this post!
xoxo