IS FASHION MODERN ?!
I’ve been asking myself this question ever since I saw the exhibition ” Items : Is Fashion Modern ? ” at the MoMa in January, their first fashion retrospective since 1944.
Can Items be(come) modern?
This is the answer I wanted to find after exploring the 111 items of clothing and accessories from the 20th and 21th century.
They have stayed in our collective memories for a reason.
We are talking pieces like The Little Black Dress, the Levi’s 501s, the Jumpsuit, the Parka, the Swatch Watch, Dr Martens Boots, Capri pants, the Breton shirt.
These names live their own life and we all know what IT stands for.
But why does one Item become ” famous ” or ” wanted ” and another hardly survives its launch period ?
Is some luck involved ? The right time at the right place ?
I’ll take my Swatch Watch as an example. When the very first collection came out back in the 1980s, I bought one with my pocketmoney.
The concept of the shop was very colourful and inviting, the watches had a very different design and they used new materials other from the classical watch. Plus they were affordable. It was one big hit. All of a sudden everybody wanted a Swatch.
It made you cool by association.
Therefore I would confirm that the fashionable Item watch became modern overnight.
And many others of the 111 presented Items belong in that same category.
But as modern as it is, it’s also identified as a classic.
So modern and classic go hand in hand ?
Yes, I think that’s what happens on a daily base in the Fashion world driven by objects and frocks.
Because fashion and history are related.
Because fashion is represented in prototypes, stereotypes and status symbols.
Because fashion is part of life.
Because fashion embraces all kind of cultures.
Because fashion involves all genders.
We all have profound memories of Items we possess.
Based on global trends we gather, our Items represent a certain vibe, a chosen lifestyle , an emotional connection.
They will look modern.
They will become a classic.
They might disappear and all of a sudden be very popular again.
These are the dynamics of fashionable recognition.
That’s why Fashion is Modern, why Fashion is fascinating.
To be continued…
TeDe
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