A fashion society.

Since antiquity, clothing has always been a means of identification for civilizations, beyond a necessity, in the same way as food and housing. Allegorically, according to Christianity, the origin of clothing began in the Garden of Eden after the "original sin", God taking the skin of an animal to clothe Adam and Eve because they were aware of their nakedness. We first dress ourselves so as not to be naked, then depending on the geographical location, social class, motive, and our tastes, we choose our clothes. The clothing chosen therefore depends on the occasion for which it is worn, which makes clothing an indicator of the lifestyle, culture, and norms established in a society. Don’t they say that “clothes make the monk”. Hence the concept of fashion, which is the clothing trend of the times in which we live.

People on Earth dress in different ways, which is an indicator of their geographic location. Which was originally not the case because primitive man only dressed to hide his nakedness (his private parts), the concept of clothing as fashion was not yet perceived in these ancient societies. Dressing at this time was motivated by the practical aspect that clothing provided, covering the body. In warmer regions, it was just a "cover blanket", and in colder or even icy regions, animal skin blankets were made. Although animal skins were different as animals lived in specific places—bison, polar bear, lion, tiger, etc.—they lived in various places on the planet, the pattern for using animal skins as clothing was the same in almost all of these prehistoric civilizations: humans wanted to hide their nudity while taking into account the climate. The climate therefore intervenes as the first factor that brings about a change in the way people dress and also the animals available in their habitat. From there, we can affirm that, the environment in which these peoples evolved contributed to creating the first particularity of clothing across peoples. Man being the product of his environment, the mode of dress is therefore one of the signs of identification for people.

Each people has its own way of dressing, which reflects its identity. From the Indians of the Amazon to the Vikings to the pigmies of Gabon, the style of clothing differs. The environment in which a person evolves influences their clothing style. This generality becomes a singularity within these peoples with the appearance of caste. The evolution of societies, with the appearance of materialism, which confers social status on the individual, has created a differentiation that is perceived by the way and type of clothing worn. This classification was introduced for the purposes of identification from one caste to another; clothing being a necessity becomes an identification; belonging to a class in society requires a way of dressing to correspond to one's social status. The nobles and the middle classes are therefore identified by their mode of dress. In India, where the caste system has been predominant for centuries, clothing is a way of recognizing an individual's place in society. This is established as a law in several societies, where the nobles and the classes below must dress in a certain way to be recognized as such. The insidence of clothing differentiation through the caste system, and then social status had a great impact on the appearance of clothing styles, which led to improving the fashion of clothing, hence the quality and manufacturing of clothes. This has led to improvements in the production of clothing, including the quality of the material, the cuts provided, and the design. An industry is therefore created around clothing, with the appearance of craftsmen dedicated to making these clothes for the different classes of society.

Innovation being characteristic of any industry over time, concern for quality and know-how generates specificity in the clothing produced according to market demand, and customer tastes; the fashion industry then appeared, subsequently dictating the way of dressing according to the new standards established in society.

A human being being led in his choices by his desires,  conditions his way of life, by creating new dynamics that build his society, according to his imagination. His creativity is manifested through his creations; in this sense, clothing is one of the elements reflecting the artistic side of man through the materialization of his tastes. His skill has allowed man to produce a variety of clothing according to his tastes and motives.

The quality and diversity of clothing reflect one's perception of what clothing can translate into society; we dress differently for different occasions and events. Behind the reasons for choosing our clothes and shoes are our tastes, which determine the type of clothing, its quality, and its color. This has produced diversity and pluralism in dress across continents and countries. The expression of one's desires through the clothing one wears has enabled the evolution of the clothing industry because each individual, country, and continent has its own particularity. Africans dress differently from Europeans and Asians, even within the continent, due to cultural and environmental differences, accentuating the diversification of clothing types and styles. The evolution of peoples, generating exchanges between them, allowed a diversity in the world of clothing through the influence that one people could have on another. We can therefore see similarities between certain peoples in their way of dressing. This standardization introduced the concept of fashion, which can be perceived as the trend to be followed by a decision-maker, an establishment, recognized as a benchmark by all.

Nowadays, it is clear that the suit and tie are decidedly the clothing of choice in business, although originally they were European. Whether in Asia or Africa, they are worn and established as a clothing standard in our current societies.

Art, being the concept of beauty and the materialization of creativity, applied to clothing created an industry that we call "the fashion industry". Fashion, an industry estimated at 1.700 billion dollars in 2023, has imposed itself on our daily lives since its origin because man must dress. The modern man dedicates a large part of his income to clothing; women are the main consumers due to the accessories created around clothing; fashion is no longer just the clothing but everything that goes with it: the shoes, the handbag, the watch, the makeup, the pairs of glasses,... We are therefore a fashion society where artistic quality, diversity, and innovation have no limits. The array of choices is so enormous that we dedicate considerable time to our clothing purchases, both in malls and online.

This fashion culture has been accentuated by the hegemony of renowned brands, whose offers are as beautiful as they are extravagant. Everyone has their own taste and budget, resulting in an industry that grows and transforms every day as our societies evolve.

From the Hermès bag of the classy lady to the schoolboy's backpack, the Francesco Smalto suit, and the Louboutin shoes, fashion is an art in its own right. That's why I prefer the name "fashion artist" instead of "fashion designer". 

Fashion designers and makers are artists whose talents are recognized and appreciated by everyone, given the enthusiasm generated around the fashion industry. Whether African or European fabrics, the creativity in the creations makes us recognize that fashion is the culture of beauty. 

The artistic side of fashion is also perceived by its timelessness; the men's suit appeared at the beginning of the 19th century by Beau Bumell, and the ladies' skirt in 1660, are still worn today and still trendy. Jeans created by Davis and Levi Strauss in 1870, are still worn today, even in remote villages in Africa. These clothes are part of our clothing culture, as are sneakers and pumps for women.

Fashion defines our culture and our aculturation, because it shapes how we perceive society. Clothing is a bodily language expressing our tastes, motives, and the times in which we live. From prehistoric man to modern man, clothing style has evolved to conform to the standards established in our civilizations. We have traditional clothing and those described as urban, imprinted from other civilizations due to their influences and colonization. We will see Africans dressing like Europeans, which is different from the way they dress in their villages. The modernity of clothing is even perceived among Europeans, who only wear their traditional clothing during specific events. The rise of fashion created a sort of standardization in the way people dress, which was established as a standard by the fashion industry. The criteria for how we will dress in the times to come are, therefore, decided by the world of fashion, which has established itself as the decider of our mode of dress.

Marius C. Oula