The Intersection of Fashion and Feminism Through the Years
To a lot of people, fashion and feminism would not necessarily go hand-in-hand, the past has shown us this. But recent years demonstrate a use of the fashion industry as a platform for social change.
Cover image credit: Emily Ratajkowski
What does fashion have to do with feminism? What is the association between something that is often considered superficial and superfluous and a political movement that strives for equal rights for all?
Meaningless, frivolous, useless, these are just a few of the attributes that are used to describe fashion. Until the 1980s, and sometimes it still happens, the predominant feminist attitude towards fashion was one of hostility. The reason for this is that fashion was seen as an instrument that contributed to oppress women and perpetuated the male gaze and the objectification of women’s bodies. Before proceeding with further exploring the relationship between fashion and feminism, it could be useful to clarify what is meant by “male gaze”, namely the heterosexual male perspective from which women are viewed and represented in different contexts as objects of desire.
Some may argue that this latent hostility that feminism holds against fashion is well founded. Taking into consideration the nature of the fashion industry, it is quite common to question the advantages of this system. As any other industry, the fashion one strives to make profit and, in order to reach its goal, it leverages oppression and deception. Apart from the oppression that exists within the industry to the detriment of the workers across the supply chain, the fashion industry also apparently contributes to oppressing women, manipulating their choices, that should be made in freedom, but are actually controlled.
Despite some of these statements are undeniable, because it is common knowledge that this industry stands on a ground made of exploitation and injustices, and that it can provide a negative influence on people, it is equally undeniable that fashion has also always been an effective means of communication and of political activism. As a matter of fact, past history, as well as more recent events, are filled with examples that support this argument.
As explained by Caroline Rush, chief executive of the British Fashion Council, a relevant example of how feminists used fashion as a means to an end can be traced back to the early 1900s. During that time, the political activist group The Suffragettes, greatly relied on their own image to carry out their protest. Specifically, they adopted a precise colour scheme which contributed positively to their image; these colours were purple (signalling loyalty), white (purity) and green (hope). Moreover, they paid a lot of attention to their appearance and choice of clothes; such dedication could be considered as contradictory because it could just be seen as an act of conforming to the same ideals that they tried to subvert, instead it was the opposite. Feminists’ attention to their own appearance led and to this day leads to the common question: ‘how can a “feminine” woman support feminist ideals when her very habitus is the performative embodiment and reification of male desire, oppression, and the resulting normative ideals of beauty which continue both to subject and to subjugate?’(Trott, 2020). The Suffragettes wanted to challenge the typical standards posed by society; whereas those who were considered “strong women” were often pictured with a masculine attire, they chose to represent fashionable, and feminine women to prove that they could be just as strong and that “feminine” does not equal “weak”.
More recently, there are many other examples of fashion being the central instrument in political protests. This is especially true for the protests regarding violence against women and consent, because they actually call into question the way women dress; protesters make statements in mini-skirts or revealing dresses to promote normalization of freedom of dress for women and to try and reinforce that no outfit is ever an invitation for sexual violence or harassment.
Confirming the ever-growing intersection between feminism and fashion are the powerful statements made during fashion shows. An example that leads the way is the famous T-Shirt by Dior with the sentence “We should all be feminists” printed in the front, which was part of the first collection designed by Maria Grazia Chiuri at Dior in 2016. Soon after, many other brands, including high street ones, followed invading the market with their own feminist slogan tees. Moreover, in the last few years it has become even more explicit that fashion shows are used as a platform to shed a light on social issues and carry out protests through particular pieces of clothing.
This article tries to convey that being feminine and caring about fashion is not a synonym for agreeing with and supporting patriarchy. Fashion can also be a place for subversion, for social change and for challenging assumptions. It is so much more than a bunch of garments, fashion shows and models. Fashion is an instrument through which anyone can express themselves and it can act as a form of empowerment. In the words of aforementioned Caroline Rush “A love of fashion does not make anyone anti-feminist” (2018).
Written by Francesca Travaglio.
Sources:
https://blog.apaonline.org/2020/01/15/fashion-and-philosophy/
https://www.vogue.com/article/charting-the-influence-of-politics-on-fashion
https://www.proquest.com/docview/2153694326?accountid=14987&pq-origsite=primo
https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1057/9780230617186_3#citeas
