Fashion Is Art
Written by Holly Chamberlain
The Met Gala is a prestigious and highly anticipated event in the yearly fashion calendar. Each year the upper echelon of society gather at The New York Metropolitan museum of art, in a dress code that links to the theme of the costume institute for that year. This year, the dress code was ‘Fashion is Art’, a nod to how fashion sits in the artistic space.
The irony of the theme this year is telling in so many ways. One that I think stands out the most is the direction in which fashion has taken in recent years. As with everything, fashion has fallen victim to the current economic environment. The rise of AI within the fashion industry is the most obvious example of this. In recent vogue publications, AI generated campaigns were used. Anna Wintour being the organiser and chairman of The Met Gala and global editorial director of Vogue, just highlights this double standard. It is blatant that many brands are putting profit over craft and don’t actually care about the art of what they are creating. In the late 1900s, brands were beginning to realise that solely creating runway collections was becoming unsustainable. This is when the idea of incorporating marketable items, that were more affordable and desirable to the masses (fragrances, bags, scarfs, accessories), was introduced. Designers like Alexander McQueen, were challenged for their out of the box ideas and un-marketable designs. Being forced to think more realistically, slowly drained the art out of fashion.
In more mainstream fashion, micro trends have taken over the industry. With manufacturing and shopping becoming quicker and more readily accessible, so has the turn over of products. With sites like Shein and Temu introducing a new level of ultra fast fashion, the expectation that the general public has on clothes has completely flipped. It doesn’t matter to a lot of people if it breaks after one wear, because it was cheap. This idea of disposable fashion has completely distorted how people view their clothes, not as something to be appreciated, but as something they can discard once it loses its temporary novelty. Not to mention, the event was also funded by Jeff Bezos, billionaire founder of Amazon, the leading marketplace in over consumption. Celebrities like Zendaya actually chose not to attend for this very reason. How can the event be funded by someone who has single-handedly lead the spiral of consumerism when it is exactly that, that has caused fashion to detach from the art that it once was.
On the flip side, we are seeing many fight back on this. The work of many current designers like Yohji Yamamoto, Rick Owens, Jonathan Anderson, Miss Sohee and more, show that the concept of fashion as an art form is not all lost. Matthieu Blazy’s recent work for Chanel takes a slightly different approach, he highlights the simple, yet incredibly skilled processes that make fashion art. No crazy concepts, just high quality construction with subtle flares of genius, making nods to the skilled artisans behind the craft. These designers are finding new and innovative ways to keep the art alive. It is just unfortunate that they are having to compete with an increasingly technological environment.
I have hope for a reversion to a more thoughtful and slow paced industry that prioritises and appreciates craftsmanship. The true art of fashion is in the careful processes that go into making clothing, something that has been lost in mainstream fashion due to companies prioritising speed and profit over quality. It is more important than ever to do your bit to support this change to a more sustainable industry. Support smaller designers where possible, learn how to sew/ mend your existing clothes and educate yourself on the effects that fast fashion is having on our world.