Fashion is a force – a powerful force of constantly altering patterns of change and
growth. Its constant movement affects the fate of the designers and manufacturers
who distribute it, and of course, the lives of the consumers, who follow what it
dictates. All of its facets taken together add up to a multimillion dollar industry.
Fashion today means mega bucks.
Fashion is also a science. Surprising, isn’t it? However, it is well known that it
involves known facts and basic principles, and its actions and reactions can be
predicted, as these are based on those facts and principles. Fashion is one of those
distinct and unique trades that is highly dependent on the environment and the
changes that are continuously taking place in it. These have to be understood by
the designers if. they want to become successful.
For one to make it to the top in the fashion business and stay there, one has to
continue to discover and innovate to fulfil the needs and wants of the customers.
For this, most of the top designers such as Yves Saint Laurent, Karl Lagerfeld,
Clairborne etc all rely upon their creativity backed by years of invaluable
experience. In this line of work, instinct and intuition play a very major role besides
the knowledge of past successes and failures.
As the power of fashion to influence our lives grows, a number of misconceptions
retailers dictate what the fashion will be, by accepting or rejecting the styles and
trends that are offered. They are truly, as one ‘fashion guru’ once said, “Variety
vultures”. However, it is not so – actually customers dictate the trends.
The second misconception is that fashion acts as an influence on women only.
However, actually, men today are as much influenced by, and responsive to,
fashion, as women. In point of fact, the male fashion industry has been growing at
a dizzying rate. Yes, there was a time when menswear was not exactly worth talking
about. It was staid and unimaginative. But that does not mean that men did not
dress up according to the latest trends of the day.There were changes in Western dressing that followed the dictates of the designers
and the fashionable elite trend-setters. These were the drainpipes in the ‘60s, the
popular safaris in the ‘70s, the denims in the ‘80s and the ethnic wear that has
caught on these days.
Fashion today is more lifestyle oriented and quite practical. The modern male and
female want to dress differently for office and leisure. Designers are becoming
more daring so that the women as well as the men have a wide choice. There are
different designs for every moment of a busy social schedule – from work, lunch to
afternoon tea, cocktails, dinner and gala banquets.
Lastly, fashion is the force that causes women to raise and lower their skirt length,
straighten or fizz their hair and change from sportswear to dressy clothes. Fashion
is also that force which influences men to grow or shave off their moustaches and
beards, choose wide or narrow ties and lapels, and change from casual jeans into
three-piece suits and tuxedo. It is indeed this dynamic and varied force that adds
spice and colour to our life.
(a)On the basis of your reading of the above passage, make notes on it, in points
only, using recognizable abbreviations (minimum four), wherever necessary. Use
a format you consider suitable. Supply a suitable title to it. (5)
(b)Make a summary of the above passage in about 80 words.
Answers
(a) Notes
I. Constantly Altering Patterns Affect
(i) dsnrs
(ii) mfrs
(iii) lives of consumers
II. Fashion means Multimillion Dollar Industry
III. Fashion-A Science
(i) Facts & basic principles
(ii) Action & reaction predicted
(iii) Dependent on envt
IV. Fashion – Discover and Innovate
(i) Continue to fulfil needs and wants
(ii) Instinct & intuition play major role
V. Misconception that Designers and Retailers Dictate Fashion
(i) it is consumers who dictate
(ii) influences both women & men equally
VI. Fashion-Western Dressing
(i) Trend setters
(a) Drainpipes in 60s
(b) Safaris in 70s
(c) Denims in 80s
(d) Ethnic wears today
VII. Fashion-Changes
(i) Life-style oriented and practical
(ii) Every ocsn diff dress
(iii) Adds spice and clr to our lives
Key to Abbreviations
Abbreviations Words
dsnrs - designers
mfrs - manufacturers
envt - environment
ocsn - occasion
diff - different
clr - colour
& - and
Title Fashion – A Life Force
(b) Fashion is a force which keeps changing and affecting all related people. It is a science as it is based on facts and principles. To remain on top in this business, designers have to continually innovate and discover to fulfil people’s needs. Fashion is not dictated by designers and retailers but by consumers. Both women and men are equally influenced by it. Western dressing gave us drainpipes, safaris and denims but now ethnic wears are fashionable. Fashion has become more practical, as people want to change dresses for every occasion. Fashion adds spice, flavour and colour to our lives.