A designer, psychologist and ecologist – experts from SFU – talk about clothing, fashion and its impact on society.
In Paris, on January 27, Haute Couture Week for the spring-summer 2022 season came to an end. After a long stagnation caused by the pandemic, designers decided to remind the world of bright colors, so they used lively and joyful colors for their collections. For us, clothing is an object of communication, a way to talk about something without words, a reflection of modern trends. Wardrobe occupies an important place in our lives. Why did this happen and are the clothes worth such attention?
Designer on the importance of fashion in public life
Natalya Kokuashvili , Associate Professor of the Department of Design at the Academy of Architecture and Arts, spoke about the importance of fashion in the life of society, trends in clothing production and wardrobe styles suitable for a university.
The expert noted that fashion has always been and will be a broadcast of the inner world of people and what is happening in society. As an example, the designer highlighted the erosion of traditional gender roles in the 20th century, which led to such a modern phenomenon in fashion as androgyny (androgyny is the phenomenon of manifestation of both male and female qualities. – Ed.). Therefore, unisex remains one of the fashion trends for several seasons. Also, according to the speaker, the trends in the world of clothing were influenced by the pandemic.
“The fashion lull has shown that you can get by with much less clothing, and what you have deserves more attention. Conquering comfort – comfortable trousers, voluminous hoodies, sneakers – will continue as a trend because it meets the needs of a modern person. At the same time, restrictions and being at home created a need for bright clothes and bright emotions.
The perception of fashion is changing. The time has come when everything is fashionable, everything is allowed and accessible to everyone. The desire for renewal is one of the main driving forces, but we remember that fashion changes, but style remains!” noted Natalya Kokuashvili .
The specialist also explained what designers usually focus on when creating new collections. According to her, it all starts with inspiration. And inspiration can come from both the environment (objects, people, architecture, impressions) and trends that reflect the state of society.
For example, it is obvious that the modern fashion system causes serious damage to the environment. The so-called “fast fashion” has led to the fact that more clothes are produced than are sold. In this regard, many global brands are switching to environmentally friendly production, and designers are building collections on the concepts of sustainable fashion. The designer highlighted the following concepts: Upcycling (reuse of finished products); Recycling (collections made from recycled materials); Ethical fashion (production with the principles of humane treatment of personnel, respect for nature); Slow fashion (creating high-quality products with a long service life); Zero waste (production of clothing with a minimum of waste); Circular fashion (possibility of reusing materials).
Among the trends in the world of clothing, the speaker noted the growing popularity of digital fashion that arose with the beginning of the pandemic. Thus, augmented reality (AR) in the fashion industry allows us to select and try on any model without leaving home. Many designers have paid attention to this technology and, in parallel with the main collection, offer virtual models.
In conclusion, the expertspoke about the most suitable clothing styles for studying and working at a university. So, despite the fact that the university is a disciplinary institution, good taste and stylish clothing are always welcome for its visitors. The designer mentioned the times of Coco Chanel, when high fashion was created for everyday life. And at the last Fashion Week in Paris, many designers in their collections focused on convenience – clothes that can be worn every day began to appear.
“We’ll wait for the next weeks in London, Milan and New York, but for now we can highlight interesting proposals such as shirtdresses with jeans or shorts, a sweatshirt under a dress with straps, a long or cropped tweed jacket with skirts or jeans, cropped sweaters and cardigans . We are creating an image that is whimsical, special, but, above all, democratic!” concluded Natalya Kokuashvili .
An ecologist on the environmental friendliness of modern clothing
Natalya Evstegneeva , teacher of the Department of Ecology and Environmental Management, Academy of Biology and Biotechnology named after. DI. Ivanovsky, spoke about the impact of clothing production on the environment and ways to create a more environmentally friendly wardrobe.
The expert also noted the popularity of such a business model in clothing production as “fast fashion”. By making things quickly and cheaply, these clothes are sold at low prices so that the average consumer can afford fashionable clothes. For example, Zara releases 24 new collections a year – every two weeks. H&M produces from 12 to 16 collections per year.
According to the speaker, it is fast fashion that causes the overproduction of clothing and serious environmental problems. For example, the total volume of textile production accounts for 8% of the rest of the world’s emissions. Carbon dioxide is also released during dyeing and yarn creation. Also, about 93 billion cubic meters of water are consumed annually for clothing production (4% of global consumption).
“Cotton, which we love for its naturalness, requires a lot of water to grow. It was precisely because of the collection of water for irrigation of cotton farms in Uzbekistan that the Aral Sea practically disappeared over half a century. To reduce the cost of clothing, factories often skimp on filters, and a huge amount of chemicals (heavy metals, such as cadmium, chromium, mercury, lead, copper) from the production and dyeing of clothing end up in water bodies,” noted Natalya Evstegneeva .
According to the environmentalist, fashion’s “garbage footprint” also causes harm to the environment. Thus, about 73% of used items end up in landfills every year. Since more than half of all clothing is made from synthetic fibers, when it ends up in a landfill, it breaks down into microplastics – one of the most serious environmental problems of our time.
Fortunately, the situation, albeit slowly, is changing. The expert noted that consumer eco-responsibility has been growing in recent years: people have begun to understand the role clothing production plays in climate change. For example, in 2019, 32 major clothing brands signed a pact to combat the climate crisis. This is how the terms “sustainable fashion” and “slow fashion” came into being. Slow fashion differs from fast fashion in that it advocates reducing collections by producing quality items. She also welcomes transparency in production.
“In a situation of overproduction, it is necessary that more companies think about the transition to slow fashion. In my opinion, consumers need to start with themselves and change the way they choose and use clothing. The first place should be the rejection of unnecessary things and the reuse of materials,” emphasized Natalya Evstegneeva .
The speaker gave examples of possible ways to create an eco-friendly wardrobe. The first is renting clothes and reusing items. Buying used clothes is now becoming fashionable. In Rostov, according to the ecologist, there are excellent second-hand stores “Svalka” and “Attic”.
Secondly, the unnecessary part of the wardrobe can be recycled. But the specialist noted that not every manufacturer will recycle used clothing due to the presence of accessories (zippers, buttons, etc.) and fabrics with different compositions. Therefore, you first need to remove unnecessary parts. In Rostov, you can donate your clothes to the Ecomobil campaign, from where they will be sent for further sorting to Rostovvtorpererabotka and used to make work gloves or stuffing for mattresses.
Finally, repairing clothes to extend their service life is considered environmentally friendly. And when buying new clothes, you should give preference to organic materials.
“Here I would like to mention organic textiles (cotton, hemp, linen and other natural fabrics). The raw materials for such fabrics are grown in accordance with the principles of organic farming (without the use of pesticides, with minimal use of chemical fertilizers, rational use of water and care for soil health), and the textiles themselves are produced according to environmental standards.
And organic, natural wool, obtained without harm from an animal that is not fed antibiotics or growth hormones and is free to graze. You can distinguish organic material by the eco-label on the product (for clothing this is GOTS, OCS, Oeko-Tex),” noted Natalya Evstegneeva .
The expert included lyocell, which is obtained from wood, as an environmentally friendly artificial fabric. Water and substances for its production are purified and used again in production. However, you should avoid both natural and artificial fur. Their production is equally harmful to the environment.
“And finally, the skin. Eco-friendly genuine leather is very expensive. Such leather is a by-product of the food industry and natural substances are used to make it; production is expensive and time-consuming.
But now, more and more often on the market you can find artificial leather made from organic materials – “pineapple”, “mushroom” and “leather” from mango. The production of such material reduces the amount of waste on the planet, causes minimal harm to the environment and is also biodegradable,” concluded Natalya Evstegneeva .
Psychologist about the connection between clothing and a person’s inner world
Natalya Tereshchenko , educational psychologist of the Psychological Service of the Southern Federal University, spoke about the connection between a person’s wardrobe and his internal state, the influence of shopping on people’s mood and the reasons for a change in image.
The expert noted that when meeting strangers, we first of all pay attention to their appearance. The proverb “They meet you by their clothes, they see you off by their intelligence” speaks about this. Based on how a person looks, we can create an approximate image of him, since the selection of an outfit is usually closely related to the person’s internal state.
“People can express themselves through clothing. Our wardrobe can show what we feel and feel, what we dream about and what we are afraid of. Therefore, the effect of our image can be different: repulsive or attractive, attractive or masking,” commented Natalya Tereshchenko.
The psychologist noted that clothes can not only reflect, but also determine a person’s internal state. For example, shopping can have a positive effect on a person’s mood and nervous system. Some foreign studies show that people who go shopping feel confident in their abilities and also realize that they are in control of their own lives. According to the speaker, specialists can also use “shopping therapy” to overcome stressful conditions. However, this effect is not durable and does not eliminate the reasons for which negative emotional states arose.
Another example of the connection between a person’s internal state and his appearance is the desire to change his image. Basically, it is dictated by the desire to make changes in your life and your image. Typically, the reasons for such changes are experiencing difficult life situations (breakup of significant relationships, job loss, personal crises, etc.).
“By changing the image, a person begins to perceive himself differently and, accordingly, this can lead to personal changes: gaining self-confidence, determination, increased self-esteem, social courage and the desire for career growth. Changing your image can really help a person cope with a difficult life situation, but it is worth remembering that this is not the only way,” concluded Natalya Tereshchenko.