Anais Nin, a Cuban American established writer, once said, “we don’t see things as they are, we see things as we are.” How we see the world and everything around us is a reflection of who we are. Our views might be different from each other but it is important to be unique and bold about our own beautiful ideas.
Just like in fashion, where everyone has his or her own statement, what you wear or subscribe to is an expression of who you are. One way to express yourself in fashion is through fashion illustration. According to a blog called Fashion 101, it is “any illustration or rendering that conveys a garment or style.” It is used to visualize one’s concept of a dress or clothing; therefore, it plays an essential part in the design process.
Furthermore, fashion illustration is one’s interpretation of his or her idea in mind and it serves as a graphic guide to what the end product should more or less be. Designers always use fashion illustration to convey the client’s requirements which makes it an agreement between the two parties. It is the initial way to communicate one’s analysis of the client’s idea and requires one to have a clear imagination. This is why it is necessary for a designer to have a skill in drawing—because “letting everyone down would be [a designer’s] greatest unhappiness.”
That line is from the 2006 motion picture Marie Antoinette. It is based on the life of Maria Antonia Josepha Johanna, or simply Marie Antoinette, the Queen of France from 1774 to 1789.
The movie is set from Marie Antoinette’s betrothal to Louis XVI, during the American Revolution where France is an ally of the US, until the French Revolution. It was also the time between the Rococo and Directoire periods.
During the early part of the movie, there has been a ceremony where Kirsten Dunst, who plays Marie Antoinette, is seen changing her Austrian fashion into a French one because she has to let go of her old clothes. The silhouette then was a flat-chested and fit-but-straight-cut dresses with a voluminous guardinfante or whalebone corset, which is an influence of the Rococo period. Meanwhile, the trends include lacings and falling bands.
If you are the queen of a country, people look up to you and we can’t deny that many of them also look after your fashion and personal style. Most of the time, prominent figures in history dictate fashion and start or promote the style or trend.
As for me, fashion is important because, for one, it is a way of self expression and showing yourself and your view of the world. It makes you feel better and more confident about yourself. Also, even sometimes we don’t notice, it is a part of every society, culture, or religion. The way people from different groups dress the way they do is oftentimes affected by their upbringing, experiences, and beliefs. Moreover, on the other way around, fashion can also affect a person’s individuality or belongingness. Somehow, it can shape how people look at things too, especially for the younger ones. Thus, fashion can either influence us or we can influence fashion.
Why is fashion important to you? Let me know. 🙂
References:
Fashion 101. (n.d.). Retrieved August 10, 2015, from http://fashioned101.blogspot.com/2009/03/fashion-illustration.html
Marie Antoinette Trailer. (n.d.). Retrieved August 10, 2015, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BuByY-DnGYo
(n.d.). Retrieved August 10, 2015, from http://www.impawards.com/2006/posters/marie_antoinette_ver3.jpg
Yexre Wraigne 
