Cultural production of "real" fahion. The rhetoric of "authenticity" in contemporary "slow" fashion magazines
Abstract
The key feature in ((fashion}} always have been rapid changes of styles. It was perceived as a manifestation of modernity characterised by constant forward move- ment, artifice, transitoriness, and idealised images.
But in recent years fashion in this understanding is becoming no longer ((fashionable}}. The paper discusses the new practices of representation of fashion as ((real}}, ((long-lasting}}, and ((authentic}}.
The emerging new paradigm, which could be termed post-prêt-a-porter, is characterised by a rejection of trends, a focus on the ((relevant}} sides of garments and an alteration of the fast fashion cycle. The newcomer biannual fashion magazines, like analysed in this paper Fantastic Man and The Gentlewoman, mediate new practices of trans- formation ((fashion}} back to ((clothing}}.
The idea is that people are tired of ((fake}} fashion and are looking for ((real}} fashion. What does it mean, ((the real fashion}}? To attempt to answer, this paper rereads Roland Barthes' classic text on representation of fashion.