Fashion and Satire

Making fun of fashion? Never! 

Debating the notion of fashion and how satirical views have shaped and changed it, undermine, yet constantly reference social ideals and historical culture as means of our stylistic evolution.

Although there are obvious links between fashion and individual identity, one might create subsections within these two themes; class and the tensions between social hierarchies and individualism in particular. Fashion can be a means of portraying ones self, beliefs and taste, as well as even ones career or status.

   Social hierarchy in terms of fashion is extremely integral to the development of trends through emulation. Historically, the literal expression of social standing became mandatory as sumptuary laws were introduced in the fourteenth to sixteenth centuries, encaging ‘by legal means what individiuals might wear’. Meaning that, legally, fashion was a direct label indicating profession or social standing. This created tensions as the regulations that were reflected in dress began to break down and were the catalyst in fuelling the rise of the urban bourgeoisie. This early resistance to the laws regarding dress gradually manifested itself in the form of emulation as lower classes echoed styles from the upper classes, creating similar garments as a way of breaking free from their typecasting and in turn generating new, socially elevated, identities for themselves.

Tensions between cultural ideals and the lower classes manifested themselves as satirical views of society. As one of the most influential caricaturists of his time (the late 18^th Century), James Gillray continues to influence satirists today. According to his profile on the Tate website, The Art of Caricature,  ‘satire has often been seen as the disposable art of an urban, commercialised culture, one of the plethora of consumer goods which are continually outdated and replaced by new offerings’, the writer talks about how, not dissimilar from many art forms, satire is a fleeting commentary that lasts no longer than the trend or subject matter at hand. This means that as with the consumer goods sold to society as a whole, satire is a momentary (albeit, more often than not, humourous) criticism. These criticisms outline the tensions between social ideals and the lower classes as, by making a mockery of those in power within society (the elite), the caricatures comment on the identity of class from an alternative perspective; simply perusing the archives of fashion advertisements or back issues of Vogue, we are given a slightly bias account of the fashions of the time.

   Satire provides means for interpretation of social ideals and therefore creates a more open and two-sided colloquy between fashion and class.

   Frequently satirised, the aristocratic subculture regarded as the Macaronis were a group of men who studied effeminacy. This caused social uproar as the identities of these men shown through their clothing, strongly opposed that of the more traditionally dressed Bourgeoisie. Referring to the work of Valerie Steele, noticed that of the Macaronis’ fashion, ‘many critics suggested that the Macaroni had ‘a good quantity of hair… for his head produces nothing else’, but one writer used a more devastating image that associated external appearance with internal corruption: ‘Their toupees imitate their high elevated thoughts, which, teeming with maggots of various kinds, display to the world their humour’. This is a form of caricature, varying only slightly from the artistic examples of James Gillray, showing that a written or spoken caricature is probably more powerful and subjective because of the reader/listener’s license to embellish.

Another example of satirical fashion (clothing satirising culture and society surrounding the wearer) was found in punk fashion. This subculture, originating in the 1970s, was heavily portrayed through fashion. A uniform corresponding to the punk mantras of resistance was created, extremely comparable to Duchamp's Dadaist 'ready-mades', the punk movement made fashion out of the most mundane daily objects such as a pin… a razor blade, a tampon - distinguishing punk as the movement of (un)fashion. The practice of elevating everyday objects became known as bricollage and was an easy and cheap way of punks adorning their bodies in a shocking and outlandish way (to the rest of society), commenting to the rest of society that having taste was not the be all and end all of fashion. 

  

Punk also made more noticeable links between fashion and historical culture. The image of a jacket worn by a member of the punk subculture in 1977, with the iconic symbols, not unfamiliar to members of the public, of the union jack and the swastika, shown side by side one another is unequivocally aimed to shock. This jacket is evocative and

references the Nazis. With the end of the Second World War being only thirty-two years prior to when this photograph was taken, the experiences were still ripe within a great deal of the older members of the British public. As the swastika is paired with the union jack, viewers are presented with the image of British patriotism, memories of a war that caused destruction and devastation within communities. 

   Despite the motto of “punk” being the notion of anti-capitalism and controversy, its visual representation was soon adopted by fashion designers; the political connotations dispersed and elements of the style are still widely used. In a sense, the exterior of the punk was plucked by designers and clothing lines, disassociating the fashion from the meaning behind it, satirising a subculture which had previously satirised the very elite who were being sold such designer garments. "Punk" has become more of a trend rather than a subculture with social antitheses. 

One may draw from more extreme examples of satirising fashion to create new identity by commenting on social division linked with modernity. In an interview written in Vice, the Comme des Fuckdown designer, Russ Karablin, referred to his

brand as a ‘kind of slap in the face to all the high fashion stuff they wear. You know, like calm the fuck down’. This reference to a “slap in the face” adds pungency to the already satirical play on words alluding to the famous brand by Rei Kawakubo, Comme des Garcons. The brand Comme des Fuckdown has been popularised by the hip-hop band fronted by A$AP Rocky; an example of differing sects or the pop culture industry work together in unison, creating a new viewpoint and connecting with a new audience of both the two industries. This ‘clash of lifestyles’  means that fashion has become more unpredictable and has dissipated the old hierarchies of the industry, we are no longer accepting that we must be dictated to us regarding what we
wear, but instead creating our own rules with regards to identity and status; creating a Postmodern view on fashion, elevating both fashion and music industries with the connection of the designer brand. Simultanaeously lowering the tone of Comme des Garcons in this instance and therefore subjecting the brand to being questioned as to whether the price tag really does mean that designer labels elevate ones social status if other brands can satirise it and make it almost meaningless.

The conclusions we may draw fashion and satire are that the tensions have shifted frequently between admiring and emulating the elite.

   Historical and more modern examples of satirical fashion act as a narrative towards social views on fashion trends, in terms of how different classes (primarily the demographic who cannot afford high fashion) reacte towards followers of fashion who have the power to control their identities in a flexible manner. This dissipation of hierarchies have resulted in fashion that was far more ambiguous, playful and freeing. 

   Fashion design as a process and industry is naturally aspirational and involved with updating and changing identity, for the individual and gaining respect or power from others while being associated or accepted into a class or social group. 

Sweet Dreams are Made of Tulle / GUISE Magazine

Hello all!

My third article for Guise magazine is now online! Where I discuss how fashion designers and cinemas have helped modernise ballet drastically.

Click the link below to read on…

http://www.guisemagazine.com/theatre/sweet-dreams-are-made-of-tulle/

E x

Is music becoming fashion's new darling? / GUISE Magazine

My second article for Guise magazine! Is the music industry suddenly emerging at the forefront of popular culture?

http://www.guisemagazine.com/music/music-fashion-s-new-darling/

Mad Men Countdown / GUISE Magazine

Hello all! Sorry to be a bit MIA recently!

Exciting news! A recent article I wrote for GUISE magazine has been published - talking about the costumes in store for us in the new Season of Mad Men!

Read all about what costume designer Janie Bryant has in store for us here: http://www.guisemagazine.com/tv/mad-men-countdown/

I have been asked to contribute to the magazine more regularly as well as posting on here! So stay tuned for more articles! 

For news on both my blogspot and GUISE contributions, please likemy Facebook page! 

E xx

DAVID BYRNE'S "BIG SUIT": POSTMODERNISM, POWER AND PROFESSIONALISM

The suit, an ensemble which conveys the notion of the traditional businessman; the icon of the London rush hour. However, if we delve deeper into the development of how the suit came to be such a template for the serious worker, rushing to work on the 7:35 train, there are some hidden meanings...

A suit that is particularly interesting as a starting off point was worn by David Byrne, lead singer of Talking Heads, in 1984. Designed by Gail Blacker for the film “Stop Making Sense”. It was exhibited at the V&A in the Postmodernism exhibition in 2011­‐2012, paying tribute to the cultural movement that created a pastiche of the past, present and future. Exhibited in a room, which contained costumes from the film Blade Runner and Klaus Nomi’s music videos; all garments displayed reflected the overall mantra of postmodernism and the suggestive narrative designers presented to society.
   The suit David Byrne wore, appears to be oversized, however, only in terms of how broad it is (rather than elongated, vertically); the last button is closer to the hem than usual which also suggests this. It seems to be heavily padded, yet, in the video there is no evidence of this, as it drapes quite freely.
   As the suit was worn as a performance piece, Byrne wore an outfit that emphasised his every movement, creating a prominent stage presence. The designer, Gail Blacker was faced with the task of creating a garment that would be suitable for this purpose (with all the exertion that goes into captivating an audience) but that was also structured enough. Blacker described designing the suit as “more of an architectural project than a clothing project”, because of all the engineering involved.

The suit was an iconic garment associated with Postmodernism (which suggests irony and humour). Holm Hudson said, of music performance wear, that “many bands appropriated an image in a cool, ironic way, reminiscent of 1960s pop artists”, which demonstrates the playfulness of stage costumes. With regards to this, one must ponder that a suit is not necessarily something a performer would usually wear because of how restrictive they are, however, “the late 80s and 90s saw the suit worn in a new way by some acts and in an old way by others... Eric Clapton donned glasses and suits as though sponsored by Armani – looking wide shouldered and very corporate eighties in a way parodied by the Talking Heads’ stylised nerd David Byrne and his outsize stage
 
suit”. One theory is that Byrne wanted to create a satirical image of the businessman (usually connoted with a suit), by changing and creating an extremity of clothing usually worn by this type of person, Byrne is undermining it slightly to the amusement of his audience (whether they are businessmen or not) in order to gain their admiration, almost.

During the 1980s, power dressing had come into full fruition as a primarily feminist movement; a stance on equal rights, equal pay and female professionalism. In reference to the psychology of garments for performance, Janice Miller expressed that “it is the part that dress can play in representing both the inside and the outside – of the body and mind – that resonates with music and performance” and that “art rock bands... emphasised the visual aspect of music”. So perhaps one could think that, in wearing the suit, Byrne was supporting and partaking in such a movement as the role of a performer to gain the audiences attention but the detail that holds this attention is their ability to empathise with what he’s wearing and relate to it. Suits are almost like a uniform for professionals, and uniforms act as an equalizer, everyone can visualise someone (of any sex) wearing a suit of some form, meaning everyone has some sort of memory or connection to a suit.

The feminist aspects of the suit also lie in the fact that for a long time, women were encaged in corsets, and so when designers such as Chanel and Yves Saint Laurent introduced the possibility of wearing more loose clothing, trousers and suits (previously only worn by males), they saw it as liberating and also an equaliser of men and women's rights. Vogue said of the “power suit” that “the idea that fashion could empower women... undoubtedly reached its apogee in the 1980s, with the rise and the eventual world domination of the power suit”;  this outlines not only the part the coined term “power suit” played in empowering women, but also the impact that it had on the fashion industry.

Power dressing is said to be a way of conditioning the self (the familiar term “dress for success” is a derivative), and in terms of female dress, a way of managing “one’s sexuality so as to acquire ‘authority’, respect and power at work. The result is a ‘uniform’ for work". In terms of

balancing out both opinions on gender attitudes, worn by a male, “the suit is a symbol of masculine sexuality in terms of broadening the shoulders and chest and connecting larynx to crotch through collar and tie”. The conclusion to be made from the two quotes are that, from the latter, men portray themselves as powerful and successful by wearing sexually suggestive attire (whether conscious of this symbolism radiating from a simple suit, or not); whereas, the former quote makes it clear that in order to be powerful within their workplace, they must oppress their sexualities by wearing a similar outfit to men, thus looking more manly and “blending in” so as not to “distract” colleagues.

Historically, in terms of fashion, scale and proportion have been altered continuously. The female version of this, was carried out by accentuating hips and cinching in the waist, in a way that was emphasised and symbolic of a woman's fertility. Similarly, menswear has always been symbolic or suggestive of other things, such as authority and masculinity; clothes have the ability to create a persona for the wearer, whether their true character lives up to it or not.

Throughout the late 15th Century (the Tudor period) men would wear bulky garments on their torso as a way of conveying power and strength, in order to court a lady or simply to demonstrate his ability to work or fight in battle. According to Johansen, “the great display of virility that this age witnessed is typified by the tight fitting sleeves and hose, designed to show off strong limbs and muscles, and the padded shoulders that

suggested a sturdy frame... the more voluminous the dress, the more important was the person”. This clothing would be padded with horsehair to create a broad silhouette, while Byrne’s suit was constructed with the use of a canvas interlining. Both methods being used for a similar purpose, to bulk up the clothing. This proposal of volume and power being interlinked connotes that the scale of the costume suggests the body of the wearer is of equal proportions (eluding to sexual references, such as his “manhood” being large and therefore quite possibly, his ego/virile power). In terms of more modern fashion (Byrne’s suit), style has become a lot more understated; although, such a topic could quite easily be transferred to the earlier debate on stage wear as the performer must exude confidence, take command of his surroundings, control the atmosphere around them and suggest that sexuality can be used as a tool to convey all of those key themes.

The structure of the suit is easily comparable with Joseph Beuys’ felt suit (1970), displayed in the Tate Modern in 2009. Preceding Byrne’s costume only by a decade, the felt creation holds a very similarly oversized and rigid shape, from a distance, it looks like a smart tweed suit because of the colouring, however, the change in materials allows the artwork to look sturdier and more hard wearing than a similar garment created in cotton or polyester (for example).

Objects that exist from the past can fuel inspiration for future designs, shown clearly from the very early costume of the late Fifteenth Century, to performance wear and artwork of the late Twentieth Century, right up until present day. Creating parodies or satirical versions of earlier works, altering, undermining, adding to and creating your own interpretation or putting them into social context are all ways of evolving garments (or objects in general). We visit museums to view objects that “play in the creation of knowledge”, they are not merely artefacts behind glass, they act as symbols our cultural history, and consequently, signifiers of our future design. 

"Stop Making Sense", Talking Heads (1984)

BRIAN DUFFY

FASHION PROFILE: BRIAN DUFFY

"David Bailey, makes love daily,

Brian Duffy, bald and scruffy"

- Joanna Lumley

One third of the trio of photographers who helped define the 60s as an iconically fashionable era. 

Born: 15th June 1933
Famous for: Photographing in a more youthful and urban way - breaking free from the "neat" styling of the 1950s. 
Style Characteristics: His style of photography included iconic portraiture, voyeuristic editorials and album sleeves (most notably for David Bowie's "Alladin Sane").

Fashion

As a young art student living in London, Brian Duffy became less and less enthusiastic about his chosen pathway, fine art. He became transfixed on clothing, fashion was becoming more and more outrageous and exciting as the 1950s were coming to an end, as was the last of wartime rationing. 

   The most obvious "jump" from painting to fashion was to become a fashion illustrator, Duffy was employed by Harper's Bazaar. At his time there, however, he accidentally stumbled on another art form which would be the medium to drive him into a household name. These unsuspecting contact sheets from an editorial shoot caused Brian Duffy to become a fashion photographer. He later joked in an interview that taking photographs of clothes was the easier option; be that as it may, he became a master of his craft.

Duffy's photography catapulted models into stardom as he began capturing the change in British fashion that was happening in the 1960s. His most notable clients at this were Jane Birkin, Joanna Lumley and Grace Coddington. However, as he began to become more well-known internationally, he began to take portraits of icons such as Brigitte Bardot and Ursula Andress. Brian Duffy was proudly recording all of these fashions and muses, which are now so evocative of the 60s. 

The Photographic Trio

Fashion changed in the 60s, as we all know for obvious reasons - such as the end of rationing fabrics in the war; children from the "post war baby boom" were growing into teenagers and wanted to differentiate themselves from their parents etc - it had evolved into a more innovative business. Fashion (womenswear) transformed from being primarily glamourous, feminine, accentuating and demure to graphic, 

So you would have thought that a business that had become so fast-paced and innovative would evoke competition between all those in the same field. Not the case with the photographic trio! These photographers came to define the Swinging Sixties and managed to become well known as friends rather than opponents. They all came from similar working-class backgrounds and were known as the "terrible three", which definitely suggests mischief! 

   One of Duffy's favourite models, Joanna Lumley recited a poem in a recent interview, "David Bailey makes love daily, Brian Duffy, bald and scruffy" - emulating their notoriety as fashion photographers. The formality of the 50s was abandoned and the spirit of the 60s was captured on their film, Duffy's studio became the centre of swinging London and although the poem suggested David Bailey was the most promiscuous of the three, they all encouraged the well known bohemian motto of "free love".

Bailey became known as the womaniser, Donovan, the wit, however, Duffy was the enigma - hard to please, afraid of no one, with a seemingly underwhelming exterior. 

"If you're going to have a best friend, he may as well be a shit-head."

- Brian Duffy talks about his relationship with David Bailey

Bowie

Although, by the 70s, David Bowie was already nearing the height of his fame, Brian Duffy's vision catapulted him into a new realm of success. As Duffy was a fashion photographer, he knew that Bowie needed an image that would shock and evoke intrigue. Fashion photography is basically advertising, advertising clothes, a lifestyle... So an album cover was pretty much the same thing, advertising Bowie, projecting his music, image, clothes and lifestyle to the world.

The pair were visionaries, and continued to work together to create three album covers, each of them as iconic as the last. 

Pirelli
In 1965 Duffy was asked to create the second annual Pirelli calendar, it was shot in Monaco and was filled with extremely sexual images of women - to be sent out to very select clients of Pirelli. 
   It featured nudes and glamour photographs of the elite models at the time. A position which, today, is reserved for controversial/celebrity photographers such as Terry Richardson, Karl Lagerfeld and Patrick Dermarchelier.

The calendars celebrate the female form, and the ways in which photography and fashion changes drastically over time, it is an excellent way of seeing how our perception of the perfect female body has adapted - androgyny in the 60s, voluptuousness of the 70s, to "heroin chic" of the 90s.

The ninth issue of the calendar, again shot by Duffy in 1973 was the result of a collaboration between him and British Pop Artist Allen Jones. This resulted in quite a lot of tension between the duo, as their chemistry wasn't as jovial as the dynamic relationship demonstrated by the terrible trio.
   Jones was an artist, not a photographer, so he expected Duffy to create the images from sketches he had done. And as I said previously, Duffy wasn't afraid to stand up for himself. He did eventually shoot versions of Jones' artwork, however, it wasn't as exact as the illustrator would have liked!

Brian Duffy carried on creating extremely successful pieces of work in all areas of his photography career (fashion, music, art and advertising); despite that, he decided to give up photography in a very final and abrupt way. Duffy burnt all his old negatives and film in 1979. 

Although a large portion of his images were lost, the pieces that remain showcase his talent impeccably - they are a definitive collection which capture the changes in British fashion and culture spanning twenty-five years.

Duffy resumed photography in 2009, recreating images of models and celebrities he had shot in the 60s and 70s, possibly as a way of reminiscing and trying to reconnect with his past. He died a year later.

Brian Duffy directed the music video 

for Spandau Ballet's "Gold" (I wanted to leave you all with something a bit more cheerful!)

Facebook Page!

I created a facebook page to make it even easier to stay up to date with my blog posts! 

Please like! I've added photo albums of previous blog posts for you to look through easily, and more will be added as I continue to blog! 

https://www.facebook.com/ellefrancesblogspot

Thank you, E x

17 Must See "Fashion" Films (Part 2/2)

Part two of my list!
-Read Part one here if you haven't already-

Not strictly about fashion, however, we all need to get inspiration from somewhere, and films are the perfect starting point as they contain so much (fashion, music, imagery, symbolism, writing).

10. Beyond Biba
A biographical look at Barbara Hulanicki and the rise and fall of Biba.

11. Romy & Michele's Highschool Reunion

Mainly known for it's comedy and the fact that Phoebe from "Friends" is one of the main characters. I have a thing about 90s fashion, and this is the 90s at it's best (or worst, depending on how you tolerate tackiness). Nevertheless, it's daring! and Lisa Kudrow can pull off anything (referencing back to the days of Friends). 

(I wish there were more stills, 

the costumes are gloriously tacky!)

12. Valley of the Dolls
Sharon Tate stars in a film about show business and taking happy pills, all very dramatic and glamourous...

13. Rosemary's Baby
Just an excuse for Mia Farrow to famously debut her new Vidal Sassoon pixie cut. Kidding, to put it simply, a fashionable couple have a demonic baby.

14. Paris, Texas

(I just can't get over the fluffy jumper...)

15. Belle de Jour (1967)

Catherine Deneuve did it way before (and way better than) Billie Piper.

16. Natural Born Killers

A funny man's Pulp Fiction (an even funnier than funny man). 

17. The Fifth Element

All costumes designed by Jean Paul Gaultier and Milla Jovovich speaking her own language, need I go on. Must. Watch.