Fashions have always been an influential tool in culture, far being just a natural manner of self-presentation but also a symbol of cultural identity. Dinaj u prošlosti, kroz istoriju, nakit i clanaka kao i devizije opsežno se membruti kroz smerove posebno kulturu, tradiciju i vrednosti. As we are experiencing the highly-globalized world, fashion plays the significant role in terms of pointing us out to difference and celebrating cultures. Through this essay, the connection between fashion and the way in which people exhibit their cultural identity will be cast into spotlight, and how variety amongst different fashion styles is what distinguishes humanity.
1. Fashion as a Cultural Expression:
Fashion is a tool which is used by individuals to reflect their ethnic roots as well as make an overall style statement. Every ethnic group has it own tradition in clothing, color, pattern or fabric which is unique to their people's value, history and uniqueness. To exemplify, traditional clothes like the kimono in Japan, the saree in India, the kente in West Africa are the material symbols of the respective cultures, because they do not only represent the national garment but also create patriotism among the wearers. When it comes to fashion, people can use their attire and accessories to demonstrate their national identity, faith, or social rank, and be confident in their ability to flaunt their cultural background.
2. Fusion and Adaptation:
In a increasingly interconnected situated fashion has turned to a vibrant environment for cultural exchange and interaction. Fusion of cultures is a common trend where new styles of art emerge from combining practices of several cultures which are celebrated as an act of inclusion. Such mix are evident in the clothing trends that are all over the world today, capturing the breathtaking mix and color of various cultures like bohemian, streetwear, and athleisure wear including diverse elements from multiple cultural origins. Thus, through those customs, fashion becomes a means to the appreciation and understanding of dissimilar cultures and perhaps even eliminates barriers, in a vital way to unite the glory of the different groups.
3. Fashion and Social Movements:
Besides being a mere outreaching of cultural identity, fashion has also been a medium for social change and activism. Tailoring is one of the things that has remained to be political and social forces for a long time, which has formed people's ideas up to our days and are being used to fight for equality of all. From suffragettes adopting white to symbolize their struggle for women's rights to the Black Panther Party donning black leather jackets as a meal of solidarity and resistance, fashion has played the role of symbolism of social changes many times. Currently, fashion is more and more linked to activism and designers are bringing up issues such as the environment, integration and body-acceptance, as some of the examples.
4. Fashion and Cultural Appropriation:
It cannot be denied that if fashion is expected to be a representational tool for diversity that the problem of cultural appropriation has to be addressed. The cultural appropriation involves the colonization of cultural elements of the minority culture by the dominant one without taking into account the authenticity of the adopted way and adequate respect. This way, the cultural symbols become symbols of commodities and might be misinterpreted. The evil is going to be in the wrong significance which is going to be served by people and communicated to others. To bring art of fashion into a celebration of thougt diversity, it appropriately should put interchange rather than appropriation to the frequency people would like to understand.
Fashion definitely serves as an instrument which is very important in embracing a variety and interpreting diverse cultures. As a form of self-expression, fashion provides the individuals with many ways to reflect their cultural identity and to integrate it with the various elements that are being present around them. There are also many fashion statements that could awaken the social consciousness among people. Nevertheless, it should be remembered that fashion has to be treated with profound sensitivity thus avoiding the foothold for the doubt of the appropriation, which should be applied to appreciation. The racial diversity can be embodied in fashion through style. In doing so, we will be living in a world where thanks to the beauty of people‘s uniqueness will be the medium for all cultures.
