Part of Your World
Disney’s “The Little Mermaid”
We all have a need to belong.
When I left the hospitality industry in pursuit of a career in “fashion,” I honestly had little idea what that really meant. I hired a “life coach” who guided me through hours of self-reflection, meditation, journal work - trying to clarify what it was that I was truly seeking. Truth be told, I still really don’t know. By joining Michael Kors, and then later Neiman Marcus, I had hoped to become a part of something much bigger than just the store itself - to become a part of this world. Somehow I felt that the life of luxury, and glamour, and artistic creation that the word “fashion” conjures in my imagination - that it would somehow rub off onto me, as if by osmosis I would suddenly morph into a jet setter a la Bella Hadid. (Similarly, I had moved to New York City in 2007 with the idea of becoming the next Carrie Bradshaw - an equally naïve assumption.)
The world of Fashion, of course, has a history of exclusion. Prior to the advent of the internet, and its accompanying bevvy of bloggers, access to runway shows and even photos of those shows were highly restricted. In 2009 Dolce & Gabbana stirred up a hornets’ nest of controversy by inviting bloggers to its front row, and even equipping them with laptops. As recently as 2014, writer Leah Bourne commented on the advent of bloggers sitting front row. Of course since then the bloggers of the early ‘aughts have evolved into Instagram “Influencers,” and their presence at shows has become a matter of course. Perhaps this apparent ease of access is why those of us in the middle class continue to aspire to that wonderland of luxury, because it seems so attainable - and yet, just out of our reach.
Why do we even strive to imitate what we see on the ‘Gram? The answer, I suspect, is rooted in the human condition and is not a new phenomenon. During the middle ages, when dyes were rare, actual laws prevented anyone other than royalty from wearing certain colors, such as red or purple - immediately making those colors more desirable. The rise of youth culture in the post-WWII era leaned heavily on fashion to stake out a variety of sub cultures, from the Beatniks to the Preps to the Punks. Dressing a certain way guaranteed one membership in - or rejection from - the desired group. Which brings us back to the question of belonging….as Veronique Hyland so eloquently states in her newly released book, “From the New Look to Millenial Pink,”
“The inherent contradiction of a style subculture is that you’re rejecting the monoculture by dressing differently, but within your group you’re also dressing alike - there is a sense of belonging and family, of ‘us against the world.’ A style subculture isn’t an individual pursuit - it’s a microcosm of the larger culture, defined in opposition to it and in some sense defined by it.” (p.23)
From a broader perspective, the need for belonging and inclusion doesn’t just apply to us as individuals - whether based on gender identity, ethnic origin, nationality, etc. many people find themselves excluded as an entire demographic group. Upon his recent acceptance of the prestigious American Image Award, Prabal Gurung spoke passionately to WWD about the need for greater inclusion in the fashion industry: “Yes, progress is being made, but it still remains an industry that often rewards and celebrates only a particular type and idea of beauty, people, race, community, etc. It’s an industry that is deeply impacted, influenced and dictated by the colonial lens and taste. An industry that wakes up to the cultural movement hoping it will be a moment so they can go back to how things were.”
As human beings, we all have a desire to belong and to be accepted for who we are. Here’s hoping that the mysterious, elusive world of fashion will be a driving force for the betterment of all our worlds.
