task 9&10 Duncan Quinn imageIn this image I struggle to see the product that is being advertised, as a matter of fact I am not sure that this is suited to be called and advertisement; this image looks as if it should be part of a trailer for a sexual fantasy movie i.e. fifty shades of grey, it also reminds me of a book my friend once read called ‘destined to feel’ by Indigo Bloome which, from the title it sounds quite sexual, yes I think this image could be played out quite well in those story lines.

Anyhow, back to the main point, I disagree with this image in terms of it being an advert as this image conveys to me that the female model is made to look like a victim as she looks as if she is the man’s sex slave, as if she is being controlled and almost threatened by the thought of abuse or death as he has full control of her with a necktie strung up around her neck, alongside the fact that she is laying down semi nude and almost lifeless showing her vulnerability compared to the male in the image who looks very dominant and patriotic whilst smiling in his expensive suit. The image reads male dominance, female vulnerability and reminds me of the days when women weren’t known by their names but by their male partner i.e. in the book Of Mice And Men by John Steinbeck, the reason being is that you cannot see her face, suggesting that she has no form of identity, which is quite troubling as many women in the past and to this day are only really paid attention to after their tragic endings of being in an abusive relationship, as there are many news stories where women have died but their situations were known and ignored by the police.

The noose almost makes the image look as if she is being enslaved as though she is an animal as you mainly see animals with chains and ropes around their necks in order to keep them under the owner’s control.

To the male audience, some men will believe that there is nothing wrong with this image as they believe in male dominance, control or sexual violence which is unacceptable. This image is a very typical way of getting the male audience attention; it is almost as if Quinn believes that this is the only way (objectifying a female) to sell his suits and accessories.

On the news activist website, Ballet567 mentions that this advert has had a negative effect on many viewers since its release and has been “ referred to as the ‘strangler’ ad” The fact that it has been called this just elaborates the idea of abuse. Ballet567 states “it looks like the woman is dead and this sends the wrong messages to men that view this ad. They may think its okay to abuse women, as long as they look good while doing it, which is what this ad is basically saying.” This backs up my point that this image portrays abuse towards women and the whole idea of this image actually conveying that “sexual violence is sexy and desirable” as Ballet567 believe that both men and women will be influenced into thinking that it is a normal thing to do.

In conclusion, I believe that this advert is unacceptable in various ways and should not have been allowed an advertisement as it portrays a negative view of women as the vulnerable sex whilst promoting male dominance. It is also a negative view for young girls and boys also as they may begin to act that out as they grow and play right up until their adult lives.

http://newsactivist.com/en/articles/gendered-world-views-fall-2016-section-17/strangler-ad

Epstein, Leonora. “A Sexy Sell? Barneys Window Displays Bleed With Violence.” The Frisky, SpinMedia, July 21, 2009
Ballet567 (2016) September 26- 5:22pm

 

This is a 2008 campaign ad by the male suit designer Duncan Quinn. The shot depicts a woman in lingerie on the hood of a car, appearing to be strangled by a man in the brands clothing. When reviewing the brand itself it is clear to see that this is a very classic suit brand for the “man’s man” audience with the website featuring fine suits, fast cars, expensive wines and guns. The website in itself sets up a very dominant male aesthetic which is translated into this image with the well-dressed male dominating over the injured woman who appear to be lying almost lifeless on the car bonnet. In “What should we tell our daughters?” the event of women protesting the difference in the way men and women were dressed in tabloids outside of the Sun offices was discussed, “one journalist summed up the difference between the two with a single word ‘clothes’. (As in men are allowed to wear them and women must be stripped bare” (Benn 2013). This statement is very relevant within this ad campaign as the attire of the female compared to the man suggests a similar shift in their status with the man appearing more put together and less dishevelled than the female which makes him seem more powerful. The combination of this ad and Benn’s statement also implies that there are some serious ethical flaws within modern media platforms in how men and women are portrayed with stark differences in status and modesty.

Height is also another status suggesting feature of the image as the strong pose of the man compared to the woman draped on her back suggests the male is in control. The female model also has what initially appears to be a noose around her neck, however on closer inspection it is actually one of Quinn’s ties. This use of the product is quite sadistic in how it is controlling the female and potentially killing her – this idea is supported by her body positioning and the addition of blood spilling from her head onto the bonnet. A tie for is usually a symbol of power and its use in this image has contorted this meaning into something more grotesque and almost implying that a woman should be controlled by the man by having them on a leash – theoretically or in this case literally – and being submissive.

Another ethical issue raised in this ad is that it stimulates ideas of abuse and rape which is suggested from the female’s attire, the tie and the male models smirk which is unnerving to view as it adds a very sinister tone to the already disturbing image. These ideas of a woman being submissive and suggesting abuse are an out-dated mindset and to be discussing within this campaign as it seems like something from earlier times in history when women “should be in the kitchen” and subordinate to their husbands/men. Ethically this does raise some queries as this is not a modern-day way of thinking amongst most of the population which makes it an even more controversial idea to be suggesting within a fashion campaign as morally it is wrong to control someone, especially like this through physical and sexual violence. In Melissa Benn’s book “What should we tell our daughters?” she discusses how feminism has helped morph societies views from the 1960’s views and mentions the Linda Grant tweet about how “in 1979, she could not apply for a store credit card” (Benn 2013), “unless the form was signed by her husband or father” (Benn 2013). This quotation from Benn’s book illustrates the notion that the type of relationship and status balance between the man and woman in this Duncan Quinn ad is outdated and society – for the most part – has expanded beyond that making this ad ethically wrong in how it belittles societies progress over the years regarding improved equality between the sexes.

 

References:

Benn, M., 2013. “What should we tell our daughters?”  John Murray Publishers

Sanda Miller discusses how the fashion magazine and the concept of taste originated in 18^th century Paris. The ‘Age of Enlightenment’ built the philosophy of aesthetics and the emergence of the Salons introduced art to a wider audience which established the ‘art critic’. The development of these two areas is argued to have changed how society collectively viewed beauty and style which has developed into the modern age.

For me the most significant aspects were how the concept of taste originated and how it was adapted into society. Through the Enlightenment European philosophers helped stimulate the idea of individual liberty which branched into freedom of press and freedom of expression.  This therefore instigates that the development of freedom of expression within society, helped postulate the notion to express one’s opinion creatively. Miller states that at the time the British Empiricist philosophers helped create a foundation to shift from more subjective appreciation responses “by postulating a special faculty -taste- which provided a rational basis on which such response could be regarded as universal” (Barlett, Cole & Rocamora 2013). I agree with this statement as it is evident that the concept of taste was then integrated into society through the introduction of the Salons in the 17^th Century and then having an increased regularity from 1737. This increase of the Salons can be explained by the more developed idea of a universal response – with the emergence of the art critic – towards art and beauty which inspired more people from different educational backgrounds to go to these shows and be exposed to art on a more regular basis than previously seen in history.

From the Salons came the art critic. When the art critic came about they were seen to have a “delicacy of the imagination” (Barlett, Cole & Rocamora 2013) and “must preserve his mind free from all prejudice” (Barlett, Cole & Rocamora 2013). Miller states that “even the critical criteria of such a privileged person could be disqualified on empirical grounds such as insensibility, prejudice or lack of experience” (Barlett, Cole & Rocamora 2013). This idea that the rich and wealthy are not fully qualified to define taste and dictate what is tasteful is backed up by “you can dress head to toe in Gucci if you like – that proves you’re rich, but it doesn’t prove you have taste” (Tungate 2005), this quote illustrates the idea that even if you can afford luxury it doesn’t mean that everything you buy or how you compose it together is evidence of taste, and that it can be seen as distasteful.

The concept of taste also expanded into fashion magazines, with the most notorious being “Courrier de la mode ou le Journal de gout” which was a new type of fashion journal to have a “centrality of the concept of taste” (Barlett, Cole & Rocamora 2013). Miller argues that from these fashion magazines “readership were told how to dress, how to furnish their elegant interiors and how to entertain” (Barlett, Cole & Rocamora 2013) therefore creating “the beginning of what is now referred to as ‘life and style’” (Barlett, Cole & Rocamora 2013). However, I don’t fully agree with the statement fully in terms of how impactful the emergence of “life and style” was on the overall population and even the rich specifically as well. This idea stems from Elizabeth Wilsons’ statement that “at least until the French Revolution (1789) dress continued to be a courtly affair, and rank continued to dictate styles of dress to a large extent from the 14^th century to the beginning of the Industrial Revolution” (Wilson 1985). Wilsons’ statement informs that the concept of taste within fashion still wasn’t fully integrated until the more modern age, with the rich mainly following trends rather than exploring their own tastes which is seen more in the art scene with the development of the art critic.

Having analysed Millers arguments and statements about the emergence of the concept of taste I now realise how impactful it was on society and how the philosophers during the Enlightenment period integrating this new concept into society through the Salons and then lightly through fashion magazines and how it paved the way for the modern fashion world which relies heavily on taste and individuality within that construct. I have however been able to see how Miller wasn’t entirely accurate about the concepts immediate impact within fashion through fashion magazines by reading Wilson’s work. From this I understand that the relationship between fashion and taste is a more modern one than previously I thought. As a next step I need to improve my ability to see what is tasteful within my work and how I view fashion as a whole to advance my abilities as a practitioner.

 

References:

Barlett, Cole & Rocamora (e.d) (2013) “Fashion Media: Past and Present”, London: Bloomsbury

Elizabeth Wilson (1985) “Adorned in Dreams: Fashion and Moderity”, London: Virago Press Ltd

Mark Tungate (2005) “Fashion Brands”, London and USA: Kogan Page Limited

 

Duncan Quinn, a menswear designer typically known for his bespoke tailoring in the U.S.A, kicked up a stir within the media with his shocking 2008 advert[1].

What exactly was he trying to promote?

With a tie wrapped around her neck and by the looks of it, killing her, this disturbing advertisment brings up many emotions and questions for the audience. The image screams male dominance and power from the suit, to the car with the exposed woman sprawled across it and the uncomfortable grin he’s ever so confidently giving off. Worryingly, this is something us females are getting far too familiar with seeing within the media.

Japanese female writer Natsuo Kirino once said [2]“The pain of being treated like a mere object. And a sense that this pain would turn into pleasure.” Looking back at the image, it massively relates to the quote and makes you realise that issues like domestic abuse are wrongly being generalised and glamorised within the media. Mistakes like this can be easily avoided. Instead, it gives the company a bad reputation and could possibly influence certain members of society but surely it’s okay to abuse a woman if you’re dressed well and own a fancy car, right?

GQ Magazine previously described the brand as “savile row meets rock ‘n’ roll” this could propose his rebellion used in this advert. In my opinion, I think this is a very poor and insensitive tactic used throughout the media industry to possibly get it spoken about more but this is in no way acceptable.

In addition, advertisements in further years are still strife with sexism, the well known brand, [3]Calvin Klein had their billboard advert taken down in 2016 as it massively objectified women.

The two images are very contrasting without even reading the text written in small across the middle. I found myself feeling extremely annoyed after seeing this because why is the woman the only one seen as a sexual object when both genders are meant to be promoting the underwear? From the text they’ve chosen to use, I’m confused as to how the two images show that either one of them makes money nor seduces and how a pair of underwear can do such thing. Moreover, the colour palettes they’ve used strikes me as white usually suggests purity but yet she supposedly seduces and red reflects danger, so there’s few mistakes I’ve managed to find within this advertisment. Furthermore,the female audience must feel incredibly triggered by advertisements like this, as they’re being perceived as something their not and degraded.

I’ve identified this error in multiple American brands and thought to who is in unfortunately in charge to this present day. Donald Trump. [5]I’ve read through a list of the horrid remarks he’s made towards women over a period of time (in and out of charge as president) and it makes me question how someone like that can have so much power in the world. It gives off an awful impression for someone who a country is meant to look up to, follow and be inspired by.

I’ve only focused on the most common aspect within fashion advertising but there’s a handful of things that should be taken into consideration when trying to promote a brand. To conclude, I think advertising should be fair to all and not to draw attention from what they’re actually trying to sell.

Bibliography:

[1] Winn, Sarah,(2008),trendhunter, available from: https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/duncan-quinn-suit-ad-depicting-strangled-woman [accessed 28th November]

[2] Kirino,Natsu,(2016),goodreads, available from: https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/7343847-the-pain-of-being-treated-like-a-mere-object-and [accessed 28th November]

[3] Reed, Sam,(2016),hollywoodreporter,available from: https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/calvin-klein-billboard-removed-petition-876784, [accessed 28^th November]

[4] (2013),Twitter, available from: https://twitter.com/realdonaldtrump/status/331907383771148288?lang=en. [accessed 28^th November

Duncan Quinn

Duncan Quinn, is a well-known tailoring company in the USA. By looking at some of their ads, such as the one below, they sometimes tend to use women as a symbol to reinforce the effects their products have on the consumers. This specific ad, is openly showing a well-dressed middle-aged man, pulling a young lady in her lingerie across a bonnet of a car. I believe it is clear to state the obvious, this image shows many ethical issues which need to be tackled. This photograph is both sexists and completely inappropriate; not only could this be provoking the idea of rape and sexual slavery, but what looks like a smirk on the man’s face and looking at the camera confidently may give some the relief that it is fine to do such a thing. The woman is clearly not in control, showing that she probably cannot defend herself from this situation. The fact that she’s also in a public place would make it even more unlikely that she has made the choice to do such a thing. This imagery is completely exploiting the female figure, as if to represent that she’s a dog on a leash, or even worse; an object that can be dragged around and controlled by men. By just concentrating on the fact that she has his tie round her neck is discomforting, but when you notice that there’s a man holding on to it, just makes it a horrifying and a disturbing piece of imagery to look at.

Being in the 21^st century, where most of us like to believe that gender inequality is being fought for and becoming scarcer in the developed world, this imagery contradicts all that we stand for. It takes me back to when women had no rights to even vote, back when they were housewives and slaves to their men.  There is no space for equality in this photograph, it evidently states who’s got the power and there’s no way round that.

Duncan Quinn as a label is almost sparking an idea to the viewer, that if you wear their products you will be able to control and ‘hunt’ women. It is reinforcing the ‘male dominance’ and the idea of men being superior to women; that any women will surrender to man who wear their suits. Not only does this image shout out sexual aggression and violence, but is also emphasises the male stereotype, that men want women, sex and power and that that’s what all men are like.  The fact that there is a photographer behind this image and the fact that they are showing it is acceptable to some extent, makes me think about what this brand is really all about.

‘Women are put on display like pieces of commodities or ‘merchandise’.  One can say that it sells like peanuts. The more nudity or sexual reference depicted, the greater the sales generated in an exploitative and profit-driven media industry.’ (Le Mauricien: 2013) this quote, from the article: Women as sex objects, 2013, is showing the fact that in our society the more naked and perceived as sexy women being shown in adverts, the more likely it is for a company/brand to sell their products. But if it’s the women who reinforce the sales, it is either to attract men to want them, or to make other women have the desire be like them and have the ‘ideal’ body/face. So, what message are we sending to the younger generation? That its ok to have half naked women everywhere as if they were selling themselves and showing a desire to be wanted and controlled by men?

Advertisement such as this one should not be seen acceptable in this day and age. You shouldn’t have to show a sexual and harmful environment in order to sell your products and be successful as a whole.

• Oonaizah Peerbux B, 15^th March 2013, Le Mauricien: Women as sex objects, http://www.lemauricien.com/article/women-sex-objects

 

Task 7/8

According Sanda Miller from chapter 1 of ‘Fashion Media: Past and Present’ from eighteenth century the first start of the fashion magazine had emerged. Functioning as [1] “the most up-to-date social, cultural and artistic developments but also as self-styled…taste”. Once the fashion magazine (Le Mercure Galant) was accepted it was aimed to cover the aspects of the arts, as well as the opinions of others. Le Mercure Galant was short lived however ahead of its time and was reintroduced as Mercure de France.
During this time fashion magazines gradually introduced a wider “intellectual profile”, which lead to introduce products of ‘the Enlightenment’, also known as ‘Age of Reason’ during the French Revolution. This then soon led to the publication of an altogether different type of magazine ‘Le premiere journal des modes’. Being which the linking of fashion and taste in the title testifies to the “concept of taste”.
Miller questions the philosophical aesthetics and whether it is a matter of individual personal opinion or whether we are influenced by the person experiencing it. Miller uses the common phrase ‘beauty is in the eyes of the beholder’ and questions whether there is a “common denominator” therefore actual valid judgements or “an emotional response to the aesthetic experience”.
Miller talks a lot about David Hume’s essay ‘Of the Standard Taste’ and how he argues very much on the “great variety of taste, as well as of opinion”. This led me on to do more of my own research on the concept of taste on fashion. I came across a paper on the ‘The Dynamics of Style and Taste Adoption and Diffusion: Contributions From Fashion Theory’ by Charles W. King, Purdue University and Lawrence J. Ring, University of Virginia. It explains that [2]‘style in fashion is related to the concept of taste’, that taste becomes a style in fashion when enough individual opinions relate to one another.
I then came across an article from ‘The Protagonist Magazine’ ‘Is fashion really about taste? The Vulgar: Fashion Refined’. [3]“Bad taste doesn’t exist. There is just taste.”; the article states that if something is vulgar it is not always necessarily what we are looking at but its perception. Is it actually them being vulgar or is the people before us criticizing them? Does the criticism that we heard or read from others before us remain with us and change our perspective?
Many people stand with Miller and agree that fashion began in Paris [1]“everything began in Paris.” This was also stated in the book ‘The End of Fashion’ by Teri Agins [4]“Paris still stood on ceremony as the fashion capital of the world”. However, Paris was upstaged by other Italian and American fashion labels. Paris managed to maintain their position in high fashion however by the mid-1990s the fact was that French fashion wasn’t selling the way it used to and the French designers were by then in the history.
In conclusion, the first fashion magazine may have been published in France however I do not share the same opinion that fashion media began in France because it is regarded as universal. Fashion is Art and Art did not suddenly appear but grew and developed over time and travelled through different countries and cultures as did fashion. It cannot simply be pinned to one place as fashion is art and art is in everything.

Bibliography

[1] Fashion and Media, Past and Present, Bartlett, Cole, Rocamora

[2]The Dynamics of Style and Taste Adoption and Diffusion: Contributions From Fashion Theory
Charles W. King, Lawrence J. Ring    http://acrwebsite.org/volumes/9638/volumes/v07/NA-07

[3] The Protagonist Magazine, Is fashion really about taste? The Vulgar: Fashion Redefined http://www.theprotagonistmagazine.com/fashion/the-vulgar

[4] The End of Fashion, Teri Agins 

 

Sun Choi

http://showtime.arts.ac.uk/sunchoi

Sun Choi is a knitwear student who produced this fun and eclectic collection in 2013.

After looking into her collection in depth I have come to the understanding that she was inspired by children’s day dreams. She expressed ‘Children always imagine a fantasy like flying to the sky, swimming under the water like a fish and enjoying to hide at their own secret place.’ She aimed to ‘express their hope in fantasy’ through her collection with a fun and memorable backdrop as well as her bright statement outfits. Personally I really like her pieces and the way she has continued the fun nature through her final shots as well. The fun and heart-warming colours bring me back to the day dreaming as a child and making up fun and imaginative expressions of my thoughts. She captures all of these elements perfectly within her knits and allows you to remember things that reminded you of those feelings and emotions. I chose the image of the girl with the balloons due to the colour similarities to her designs as well as it continuing the idea of her inspiration and keeping a playful nature about the whole piece. I believe the image is entitling the young child to feel free and to channel her daydreams due to the fluffy clouds and distinctive colours being the main things the audience can bond with. The fluffy puffs in the sky make it feel like a dream due to them being faint and welcoming complimenting the fluffy areas and nature of Sun Choi’s collection. Balloons are typically children friendly due to them being linked within birthdays and celebrations for younger children. To conclude I believe Sun’s way of thinking towards her collection her research and influences behind it all complement and collaborate to form a successful collaboration.

From my point of view as a young woman, this advertisement for the New York suit designer Duncan Quinn is disturbing and highly offensive. It was published in 2008 as the first campaign used to promote the brand, immediately reflecting their motive to associate with a target market of ‘gentlemen and rogues’ (Duncan Quinn, 2017). This sarcastic description leads me to assume that the violent content of the image is designed to be amusing or even attractive as an idea to their powerful, wealthy male customers. With this in mind, the effortlessly classy look of the actor falsely and inappropriately advertises that wearing a Duncan Quinn suit will allow the wearer to exert complete control over women. This could be viewed as an example of male chauvinism, highlighting the ethical issues around presenting male domination within the media.

The photograph depicts this alpha-male type character standing over a young woman, who is laid in a pool of blood, with his tie tied around her neck. From this scene one makes the assumption that this gentleman has just violently murdered and even perhaps sexually abused or raped the vulnerable female. The actor exudes complete masculine control not only through the hierarchical positioning standing over the woman but also through physically forcing her to look up at him using his tie. This metaphorically stresses his male omnipotence in the situation especially because his gaze is directed towards the camera which implies a lack of genuine interest in her. This is further reinforced by the smug look on the actor’s face suggesting his amusement at the situation almost as if the serious ethical matter of violence and murder is trivial. In my opinion, presenting violence within the media is a highly inappropriate and serious matter because ‘it condones violent attitudes and behavior and contributes to exaggerated fear of violence among those encouraged to see themselves as its potential victims’ (Kay Weaver, 2003).

Similarly, the content of this advertisement also highlights the issue around presenting demeaning female stereotypes within the media. Women are often devalued and dehumanized by the mass media and presented as passive, innocent beings, as demonstrated in this photograph. The choice of camera angle here visually focuses on the actress’s body and conceals her facial features; in this way women are conveyed as mere sexual objects with no individuality. Furthermore, the idea of female vulnerability is clearly reinforced by the woman’s unconscious state particularly given the revealing underwear she is wearing. Elizabeth Wilson explains how underwear is associated with ‘sexuality and eroticism’ (Wilson, 1985: 106) and thus one could conclude that this advertisement inappropriately presents women as male-dominated sex toys.

Finally, through presenting a stereotypically slim and youthful actress as an example of an attractive female, Quinn’s advertisement raises the controversial ethical issue of ‘the cult of the slender figure’ (Wilson, 1985: 114). As is often presented in the media, this woman’s physique is an unrealistic ideal for most females in our current society. Moreover she is clearly much younger than the actor and this reflects the stereotype that men are predominantly attracted to young women. This inescapable and often unachievable vision of beauty that is broadcasted by the media, for example in this advertisement, leads to the oppression of women by society (Wilson, 1985: 115).

 

References:

BuzzFeed Staff (2013). The Violent Exploitation Of Women In Fashion Continues…. [online] BuzzFeed. Available at: https://www.buzzfeed.com/copyranter/violence-against-women-in-fashion-continues-unabated?utm_term=.rkLgdyQg6#.vjE82mL8E [Accessed 22 Nov. 2017].

Duncan Quinn. (2017). About. [online] Available at: http://duncanquinn.com/about/ [Accessed 22 Nov. 2017].

Kay Weaver, C. (2003). Violence: Dr C Kay Weaver on violence as an advertising and marketing strategy. (Advertising).. [online] Business.highbeam.com. Available at: https://business.highbeam.com/6504/article-1G1-105368567/violence-dr-c-kay-weaver-violence-advertising-and-marketing [Accessed 24 Nov. 2017].

Wilson, E. (1985) Adorned in Dreams: Fashion and Modernity, London. Virago

 

 

Fashion Media: Past and Present – Djurdja Bartlett

 

In chapter one, ‘Taste, Fashion and the French Fashion Magazine’, from ‘Fashion Media: Past and Present’, Sanda Miller discussed the role of the French fashion magazine, from its conception in 1672 as an arts and literature magazine featuring “captioned illustrations of fashion, complete with addresses of suppliers” (Blackman, 2007), to something people looked to in order to see what was in style in both fashion and interiors and went on to include not only fashion but also “anecdotes, literary productions, comparisons between French and English fashions, which extended also to jewellery and furniture” (Bidou, 1912). Miller goes on to discuss the subject of taste, where the concept came from and whether “only a qualified observer is in a position to provide a proper verdict of the true standard of taste and beauty” (Miller, 2013). She summarised the fashion magazine as being “truthful mirrors of their time. They have functioned not only as repositories of the progress of sartorial fashion and the most up-to-date social, cultural and artistic developments but also as self-styled barometers of taste.”, which I firmly agree with as you need only look through a modern fashion magazine to see that these points still ring true.

Having read Cally Blackman’s ‘100 Years of Fashion Illustration’ I learnt that the French Revolution caused the publication of fashion magazines to stall in France, leaving the German publication the ‘Journal der Luxus und der Moden‘ (1786-1826) to become the most widely read fashion magazine of that time. England had also caught up with France in the pursuit of fashion, with Heideloff’s ‘Gallery of Fashion‘ (1794) being the most reputable and well-read magazine. With the emergence of fashion magazines, naturally came the question of taste; what was thought of as good taste and what was considered bad taste. After listening to BBC Radio 4’s radio show ‘In Our Time’ hosted by Melvyn Bragg on the topic of ‘Taste’, I learnt of the origin of the concept and how it became synonymous with luxury, extravagance and femininity; with some of the first ideas of taste having come from the court of Louis XIV this hardly surprises me. However, in England where there was no Versailles, there was more dispute on what ‘taste’ actually was. One of the first people to be credited with the invention of the concept of taste was the Earl of Shaftsbury. He “sought to provide a rational foundation for a seemingly subjective, emotional response to the aesthetic experience by postulating a special faculty – taste – which provided a rational basis on which such response could be regarded as universal” (Miller 2013). On ‘In Our Time’ the question whether taste was a birth right also came up, taste being originally associated with wealth and luxury and the rich having been thought of as the tastemakers, however, that is no longer the case with the emergence of high street fashion in even high-end fashion magazines, ‘good taste’ is available to everyone.

 

 

 

• Bartlett, Cole and Rocamora (ed.) (2013), Fashion Media: Past and Present, London: Bloomsbury
• Bidou, H. (1912), ‘Introduction’, Gazete du bon ton, November 1-4
• Blackman, C. (2007), 100 Years of Fashion Illustration, London: Laurence King Publishing
• BBC Radio 4, (2007), In Our Time: Taste. Available from: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0082dzm (accessed 23/11/17)

Blum, D.E (1993) Couture Millinery book ” Ahead of Fashion: Hats of the 20th Century ” vintage, New York, Philadelphia Museum of Art

Photograph from My Fair Lady book written by Lerner, A.J, photograph taken in (1964) The Cut ,https://www.thecut.com/2013/11/50-most-remarkable-hats-of-all-time.html (accessed 31st October 2017)

Marie Claire Magazine cover (1939) Marie Claire Magazine, June edition

Hats and accessories throughout history have forever been changing which is inspiring towards the history of accessories and fashion. It is not only fashion that is changing with the trends but also the accessories that assist them. Audrey Hepburn has been an icon for fashion and modelling. Hepburn can be seen modelling a lavish hat that inspired, looking further into the way hats and accessories can be a way of showing of class and wealth during these time periods. ‘Marie Claire’ was a popular ladies magazine published throughout the 20th Century showing off sophistication and modernism through stylish accessories mainly on her love for hats. Hats are the main feature of her covers showing them off proudly in bold and statement colours casting a strong emphasis in change throughout each edition. This can still be seen in today’s work. Feathers are frequently used through hats in this era due to them being popular for events like weddings and celebrations. The extravagance that a feather allows channels through the beholder and allows confidence and security to be restored. From looking at these three different areas I have learnt that accessories where a huge popularity during history and different medias made this notion even more aware by pronouncing lavishness and beauty as their main attraction when looking at these accessories for the 20th centuries women’s event outfit.