Modernity in Fashion
When all that is Solid Melts into Fashion - fashion’s FLIRT with modernity DKDS // CDF // 2006
Two Papers on Fashion Theory
TWo PaPeRS on FaShIon TheoRy
2
When all that is Solid Melts into Fashion - fashion’s FLIRT with modernity Nikolina Olsen-Rule // External Lecturer, University of Århus // nor@dkds.dk // Research Assistant // Danmarks Designskole // 2006
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Ferns in Fashion - on the Logic of Trends Maria Mackinney-Valentin // Ph.D. Scholar // mmk@dkds.dk // Center for Design Research // Danmarks Designskole // 2006
ISBn 87-983504-0-4 side
nikolina olsen-Rule // 2006
When aLL ThaT IS SoLID MeLTS InTo FaShIon
- FaShIon’S FLIRT WITh MoDeRnITy
Figure. 1. From Alexander McQueen’s show, ”What a merry-go-round”(AW 2001-02). Photography: hansen-hansen.com.
nikolina olsen-Rule, external Lecturer, University of Århus Research Assistant // Danmarks Designskole // 2006
“From ‘heroin chic’ to Alexander McQueen, the distressed body of much 1990s fashion exhibited the symptoms of trauma, the fashion show muted into performance and a new kind of conceptual fashion designer evolved” (Caroline Evans 2003: 4) Several readings of fashion in the 1990’s stress the relationship between fashion and modernity. As the title of this paper suggests it is the connection between the rise of industrial capitalism and contemporary fashion that inspires the following reading. But how can we analyse this bond between fashion and modernity and avoid re-telling the grand narrative of the twentieth century, and how can we use past-time to prope into now-time? In her article “The Greatest Show on Earth”, (2001) Ginger Gregg Duggan argues that avant-garde fashion in the 1990’s has a strong similarity with performance art in the 1960’s. One of the characteristics of this type of performative or theatrical fashion is that it appropriates the techniques of conceptual 1960’s art performances. One thing to bear in mind however, is that fashion, no matter how artistic
Two Papers on Fashion Theory
TWo PaPeRS on FaShIon TheoRy
2
When all that is Solid Melts into Fashion - fashion’s FLIRT with modernity Nikolina Olsen-Rule // External Lecturer, University of Århus // nor@dkds.dk // Research Assistant // Danmarks Designskole // 2006
0
Ferns in Fashion - on the Logic of Trends Maria Mackinney-Valentin // Ph.D. Scholar // mmk@dkds.dk // Center for Design Research // Danmarks Designskole // 2006
ISBn 87-983504-0-4 side
nikolina olsen-Rule // 2006
When aLL ThaT IS SoLID MeLTS InTo FaShIon
- FaShIon’S FLIRT WITh MoDeRnITy
Figure. 1. From Alexander McQueen’s show, ”What a merry-go-round”(AW 2001-02). Photography: hansen-hansen.com.
nikolina olsen-Rule, external Lecturer, University of Århus Research Assistant // Danmarks Designskole // 2006
“From ‘heroin chic’ to Alexander McQueen, the distressed body of much 1990s fashion exhibited the symptoms of trauma, the fashion show muted into performance and a new kind of conceptual fashion designer evolved” (Caroline Evans 2003: 4) Several readings of fashion in the 1990’s stress the relationship between fashion and modernity. As the title of this paper suggests it is the connection between the rise of industrial capitalism and contemporary fashion that inspires the following reading. But how can we analyse this bond between fashion and modernity and avoid re-telling the grand narrative of the twentieth century, and how can we use past-time to prope into now-time? In her article “The Greatest Show on Earth”, (2001) Ginger Gregg Duggan argues that avant-garde fashion in the 1990’s has a strong similarity with performance art in the 1960’s. One of the characteristics of this type of performative or theatrical fashion is that it appropriates the techniques of conceptual 1960’s art performances. One thing to bear in mind however, is that fashion, no matter how artistic
Bibliography: All dressed-up for a debutant ball, 1956, North Carolina, USA. The housewife’s dream was lined with pink washing machines. Life Magazine, 1956.