Introduction

Simmel

◦ Fashion and the city

Fashion emerged

Link between music and fashion

Link between ideas from Simmel and

fashion/music

Focus: Madonna and Lady Gaga amongst others

Learning outcome 2:Develop in-depth textual

analysis skills.

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Simmel

1858-1918 Berlin

The Metropolis and Mental Life

◦ Distinctive fashion

◦ Identities in the metropolis

2

Individual/

Society

Individual/Society

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Fashion and Fashion brands

Recognisable global names

Dior, Gucci, Ralph Lauren, Prada, Calvin Klein,

Dolce & Gabanna, Versace, Paul Smith

Wilson (2003): before capitalism – in medieval

period dress was not fashion

3

(Europe)

12th -14th Centuries 15th and 16th Centuries 17th /18th Centuries

Began to have

symbolic

meanings

•Clothes discarded when out

of date

•Social stratification

identifiable through clothing

•Increasing turnover

of fashion

•Public displays of

fashion

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Industrial revolution

Manufacture of synthetic materials

Modes of transport

Mass circulation of newspapers

London, Paris, New York, Milan

◦ Hubs of fashion consumption

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The City

Faster pace

Impersonal

Creating individual

style to stand out from

the crowd

Fashion used to make

an impact on others

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Mask

Craik (1994)

◦ Fashion used as a mask

◦ Disguises true nature of body or person

◦ Suggests specific appearance to wider society

or themselves

Relates perhaps to Goffman (see list of

references at the end)

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Postmodernism

Postmodernism

◦ Body of thought concerned with breaking apart modernity

◦ Foucault, Guattari, Derrida

◦ Lyotard (1924-1998) key postmodern theorist

Kellner – identity fixed, solid, stable

Modernity – more mobile, multiple, personal, self-reflexive, subject to change and innovation

But still set roles and norms

Postmodern perspective – pace and complexity increased and identity more fragile and unstable

Passé but still influential

Fashion as means to construct self

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Pop Fashion

Malcom McLaren

◦ Fashion is the visual expression of culture...

Fashion is used as a means of sexual display,

status symbol and tribal code...

Music and fashion intertwined

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50s and 60s

Beatles links with professional tailors such

as Lansky Bros Menswear,

Epstein noted the importance of ‘the look’

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Fashion and Bowie

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Sex Pistols

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Duran Duran

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Adam Ant

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Motley Crue

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Madonna

Specific looks associated with specific albums

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Madonna

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Kylie

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Kylie on Vogue

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Kylie

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Kylie

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Rock Kylie?

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2014 Album: Kiss me Once - Glam Kylie?

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Christmas Kylie

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Lady Gaga

Self determined knowing use of fashion

Miller (2011:151) ‘Lady Gaga has become one of the most significant figures in global pop.... In the way she connects fashion and music in all performances and representations’

Berger (2011)

◦ Example of postmodern subject, how she employs fashion and props to re-invent herself

Self conscious construction

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Lady Gaga

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Lady Gaga

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Plastic Bubble Dress

Lady GagaThe Meat Dress

Lady Gaga

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2014 Lady Gaga

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Lady Gaga on Vogue (2011)

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Lady Gaga 2016 at Victoria’s

Secret Show

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Construction

Paglia (2010) – Gaga as a manufactured

personality

Fashion construct – to stand out from the

pop music crowd

Fashion and image intrinsic part of pop

culture

YouTube emphasises this

Continual adoption of striking fashions

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Marilyn Manson

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Gerard Way

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Rihanna on Vogue 2016

Hints at

Dior

Collection

Nicki Minaj

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Nicki Minaj

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Taylor Swift on Vogue (2012)

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Imitation and Uniformity

Fashion can extends careers

Team up with designers

Rihanna and River Island

Lilly Allen Clothing Range

Jay Z fashion range

Beyonce

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Summary

Simmel

◦ Fashion and the city

Fashion – definitions and emerging fashions

Link between music and fashion

Link between ideas from Simmel and fashion/music

Focus: Content analysis in relation to fashion images of a musician (and what this suggests).

Content analysis of number of music artists on the cover of Vogue.

Number of musicians with fashion ranges comparing male/female

Number of fashion ads in magazine: urban/rural comparisons.

Last year: Content Analysis on fashion advertisements within magazines

Learning outcome 2:Develop in-depth textual analysis skills.

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Bibliography Berger, A.A. (2011) The Branded Self: ON the Semiotics of Identity.

The American Sociologist. Vol. 42(2), pp. 232-37.

Craik, J. (1994) The Face of Fashion. London and New York, Routledge.

Goffman, E. (1990) The Presentation of Self in Everyday Life. London, Penguin (Reprint).

Kellner, D. (2003) Media Spectacle.

Miller, J. (2011) Fashion and Music. Oxford, Berg.

Paglia, C. (2010) Lady Gaga and the death of Sex. Sunday Times Magazine, 12 September [Online] Available at: http://www.thesundaytimes.co.uk/sto/public/magazine/article389697.ece [Accessed 4th November 2013].

Wilson, E. (2003) Adorned in Dreams: Fashion and Modernity. New Jersey, Rutgers University Press.

Simmel, G. (1971) On Individuality and Social Form. Chicago, University of Chicago Press.

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