Long-lasting fashion as an ethic and aesthetic distinction. Untangling representational strategies of new and "more sustainable" fashion brands
Abstract
There are many new "more sustainable" ways of approach to fashion: new fabrics, recycling, new hi-tech design, and, most importantly, the new attitude. This paper focuses on representational strategies of recently launched fashion brands that operate in accordance with the "new attitude": "buy less, choose well, make it last".
These fashion brands do not necessarily "move fashion forward" in terms of creativity, new materials and technologies, but persuade us to slow down, choose quality and "timeless" style, care about garments and make them last. Buying less meaning also buying more expensive garments.
The conscious choice of the "better" clothes can be the latest form of status seeking. The strategy here is to represent the "more sustainable fashion" as not only the better ethic choice, but first of all the better aesthetic choice.
The paper scrutinises representational strategies of "more sustainable" fashion brands (from launched in 1993 Filippa K to recently launched brands NATALIJA, ENVELOPE1976, Bite Studios, AMU). Using tools of Multimodal Critical Discourse Analysis (drawing on the work of Kress and van Leeuwen) the paper explores verbal and visual strategies of the aestheticization employing by these brands and searches for the key themes and patterns in the applying representations.
The paper analyses how particular semiotic choices signify "more sustainable" style as more aesthetically pleasing style. Responsible consumption of fashion could contribute to our self-awareness and self-growth.
The image of woman that analysed brands construct is the modern, independent, sincere, and opinionated woman. Imperative "make it last" stands for a "good taste", personal style, ethical and aesthetical elitism.
It represents the belief that when we make conscious choices and choose fewer clothes, we have intimate attitudes to clothes and the clothes "truly" represent who we are. As the paper argues, to represent and promote "more sustainable" fashion as aesthetically valuable, fashion should be approached in the dimensions of feelings.
The paper introduces list of characteristics of verbal and visual representations of aesthetically valuable ethical fashion and critically discusses the notion of "sincerity" in fashion brand communication.