How the trickle-down theory works in China
The Trickle-down theory, a well-known theory in fashion industry, has significant meaning in 19th to 20th century Europe. The American economist and sociologist, Veblen, published The theory of the Leisure Class by 1899, in which he discussed the split between the leisure class and the industrial class in the US critically. He concluded that leisure class treats dress as a sign of their status and possessions, furthermore, ‘Dress must not only be conspicuously expensive and inconvenient; it must at the same time be up to date’(Veblen 1994), by saying that, he refers to upper class was tend to create new fashion trend which was the top of the trickle-down theory. In the 20th century, Simmel, the German sociologist and philosopher, developed this theory further from a more sympathetic perspective. He drew much attention to sameness and difference amongst both classes in his book Fashion (Simmel 1973). The upper class gets self-satisfied and the proof of its priority by distinguishing itself from others, and working class follows the fashion trend which led by upper class in order to feel like he or she is ‘belonging to’ higher class. These opinions which were discussed by Veblen and Simmel were coined by a journalist in the mid-20th century, as ‘Trickle- down Theory’. During mid-18th to early 20th century, the trickle-down theory described the process of how fashion flows, and explains that fashion is a cultural and sociological phenomenon which includes the discourse of identity and uniformity, agency and structuralism. This phenomenon was not limited by geography, at the same period, in the other side of the world, similar situation happened in China which is a typical East Asian country....
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...who have no connection or access to the fashion industry directly, and people who are not interested in fashion even the people from upper class who consider it trivial. Secondly, it can be seen that in ancient China, it was mainly caused by social structure (traditional four classes), conservative cultural atmosphere (specific division of gender’s work) and economic situation (natural economic and agrarian society), trickle-down theory works in a limited range within imperial family indeed. In contemporary China, trickle-down theory works in an untypical way which means trend from the ‘powerful class’ to the ‘weak class’ in China. Thirdly, it was due to historical and sociological problems, that Chinese fashion is basically feminine, even in contemporary fashion. Lastly, the western fashion force is still a dominant power which impacts the Chinese fashion industry.
In chapter five of Suitably Modern, Mark Liechty discusses the action of “doing fashion” and how it affects the middle class and consumption in Kathmandu. Chapter five poses the question; what is new and what is not? This concerns the class distinctions and if modernization is actually occurring. The middle class in Kathmandu is claiming its own domain through clothing and ostracizing themselves. The author deems this action as adornment he defines it by stating, “It is used to set individuals and groups apart from some and to signal sameness”. Adornment can be a class distinction but also a gender role distinction. Women practice adornment to be indifferent in their relationships with men. For example women can chose to use flashier make-up which can distinguish a married woman from an unmarried woman. Liechty associates fashion with freedom. Film coming to Kathmandu quickly generated the modernization of fashion and consumption. Films exposed the residents to different types of fashion. Ultimately, the middle class wants its own cultural zone; through fashion and consumption it hopes to completely fit in with one another and still be distinct from other classes.
In 1899 Thorstein Veblen wrote The Theory of the Leisure Class: An Economic Study of Institutions. In this work, Veblen presented critical thinking that pertains to people’s habits and their related social norms. He explores the way certain people disregard the divisions that exist within the social system, while subsequently emulating certain aspects of the leisure class in an effort to present an image of higher social status. He also presented the theory of conspicuous consumption, which refers to an instance when a person can fulfill their needs by purchasing a product at a lower cost that is equal in quality and function to its more expensive counterpart; however, said person chooses to buy the more expensive product, by doing so, they are attempting to present an image of a higher social status. The almost 110 year cycle between 1899 and 2010 reveals few differences in buying behaviors, other than the differing selection of luxury goods to indulge, or over-indulge in.
To conclude, today’s Orient in contemporary Western fashion does not refer to the trophy of imperialism. On the contrary, there exists a developed, nomadic Eastern quality that the industry has embraced: its fashion (modernity). Fashion does not belong solely to the West. Hence, there is a greater sense of equality, in that the West exists in the East just as much as the East is present in the West. “They 'live' in one another and their 'own' identity is created by acts of constant slippage and renewal” .
In relation to my work, the rationing of clothes during the second world war influenced the fashion of the working-class women as it became harder to find materials to make outfits, which then bought on the problem of too little material. The women working in the factories wore simple clothings such as overalls for the mere fact that it was comfortable, cheap, quick and easy to wear. The women carried large appropriate handbags to keep tools, rationing books and their essentials.
In the 19th century play, FASHION, Anna Mowatt develops the character plot as a contrast and comparison between being “natural” and “artificial in a world becoming preoccupied with fashion, and being fashionable. In the head notes, it was stated that Daniel Havens said FASHION is “the ugly image of the American Dream gone sour.” (Watt and Richardson) Fashion has a complex definition. The word ‘fashion’ can mean anything from the type of clothes you wear, how you communicate with others, the place you live, how you present yourself, or who you associate yourself with. In FASHION, Mowatt took a comical yet sober look at the definitions of “fashion,” applied it to real life in 1845, and through her characters, provides a mirror with which an audience/reader can evaluate themselves. I do not believe updating this play would be difficult because America has continued down the fast and destructive path in an effort to keep up with the “fashions” of the day.
“While there is significant variation across regions, within the cities and within the rural areas, the most significant inequality is between the urban and the rural” (Saich, 2011:316).
In the early 1800s, France was the sole fashion capital of the world; everyone who was anyone looked towards Paris for inspiration (DeJean, 35). French fashion authority was not disputed until the late twentieth century when Italy emerged as a major fashion hub (DeJean, 80). During the nineteenth century, mass produced clothing was beginning to be marketed and the appearance of department stores was on the rise (Stearns, 211). High fashion looks were being adapted and sold into “midlevel stores” so that the greater public could have what was once only available to the social elite (DeJean, 38). People were obsessed with expensive fashions; wealthy parents were advised not the let their children run around in expensive clothing. People would wait for children dressed in expensive clothing to walk by and then they would kidnap them and steal their clothes to sell for money (DeJean, 39). Accessories were another obsession of France‘s fashion; they felt no outfit was complete without something like jewelry or a shrug to finish off the look and make it all around polished (DeJean, 61). As designers put lines together, marketing began to become important to fashion in the nineteenth century; fashion plates came into use as a way to show off fashion l...
...viduals from buying expensive clothing just for the sake of the designer’s name as not many people would be wearing these clothes. According to Cline (2012: 75) it’s all about the detail of the garment as well as the construction. With exquisite hand-made garments, one could expect it to be over priced, however, not many will be in possession of the garment as only a few are made. This proves that clothing is still a mark of social distinction and has not lost its social meaning as people are willing to spend in order to reaffirm their social status. Bourdieu’s theory is useful for thinking about the fashion industry today as his concepts of field, habitus and the different forms of capital can be used to examine the fashion and fashion trends in contemporary society. His theory can be applied to social institutions as well as behavioural patterns of individuals
George Simmel was born in Germany in 1858 and emerged as one of the major theorists of the turn of the century (?,?). His writings on philosophy and social sciences included one of the only insights, at the time, into the structure of fashion in society, Fashion, 1904. In this text he expressed his thoughts on society in relation to fashion and style, examining societal groups and how they used fashion as a form of segregation. He referred to the elite class as trend setters, differentiating themselves by creating new fashions, and lower classes as the mimics, in an effort to associate themselves with an elite identity. This cycle brought many different fashions over the 20th century and was described as the trickle-down effect. Although Simmels theory depicts various characteristics still currently valid there are aspects that no longer play a role in the transformation of fashion.
Fashion in the 21st century is a big business, as its production employs millions of people and generates billions of dollars in revenue. Fashion has for the past century been, and is still today, used as an indicator of social change and progress, as it changes with the social norms of the society and the political changes of the world (Finkelstein 3). Works Cited Finkelstein, Joanne. A.S.A. & Co. Fashion: An Introduction to Fashion. New York: New York University Press, 1998.
The act of consumption has been the primary means through which individuals in society participate and transform culture. Culture is not something already made which we consume; culture is what society creates through practices of everyday life and consumption involves the making of culture. When attempting to understand certain acts of consumption it is necessary to observe the relations involved in production and consumption. Through technological innovation, the fashion industry has been expanded to play a prominent role in consumers’ purchasing decisions and styles are becoming less difficult to obtain. With the expansion of department stores and shopping being viewed as a leisurely activity, this has continued to transform the act of fashion consumerism. The functional interests feature a rational attachment to clothing items. Symbolic benefits involve status and prestige to fulfill the achievement for positive self-esteem. Further benefits include a provided experience for the individual consumer and the created use of imagery and desire used to enrich one’s life.
Clothing has been around for thousands of years; almost as long as the modern human has. At first, it served the practical purpose of protection from the elements; but, as life for early humans stopped being a constant struggle to survive, they started noticing how they looked and the concept of fashion began to take shape. These first few garments were typically dyed draped cloth that was pinned at the shoulder and/or waist. This was seen in many ancient civilizations around the world, Greek and Roman the most notable. Over time, clothing began to get more and more complex and formed to the body’s shape, eventually leading up to the tailored style we now have today. However, the sophisticated world of Haute Couture; or high fashion, can distinctly trace its roots to Paris during the mid-19th century. Clothing from there was thought to be superior to those from anywhere else, and women began to come from all over Europe just to buy dresses. This was probably due in part to one notable dressm...
Fashion is a style, which changes along with time. Fashion is mainly valued by females. Girls are always on the run to the mall to buy new stuff, which suits the new fashion. Whenever, something new comes to the mall, which is related to the fashion, girls will certainly crave this item. Fashion has changed as time passes but the girls will always crave clothing that is related to the current fashion. For example, in this collage a person shows that females like fancy shoes and heels. However, males are not addicted to fashion. Males are never interested in going to mall; they feel that this is boring. Males are more interested in formal clothing such as suits rather than buying fashionable clothing. For example, in this collage a person put a picture of a suit, which is not part of the newer fashion. Males understand that clothing is just a materialistic joy. This knowledge has helped boys stay away fro...
From a historic point of view, Western travelers had remarked on the slow pace of lifestyle and fashion change in Turkey and Persia. On the other hand, many people were of the opinion that the western culture is getting out of hand in terms of dressing fashion (Cumming 234). In most cases, change of fashion and dressing style took place hand in hand with economic and social changes. In the developing world, changes in fashion began with the coming of the whites in Middle East. Changes began in the 11th century when the Turks came to central Asia and Far East. In Europe, continuous change in clothing fashion is believed to have started in middle 14th century. It started by a sudden introduction of shortening and tightening of male garments, it further brought the introduction of trousers and leggings that were worn by men (Cumming 235). After the advent of change in men fashion, it was followed by changes in female c...
One pays a large amount of money to buy clothes which sometimes does not suit her/him. It is claimed that clothes and accessories that are in trend are generally the most costly. Not to mention the fact that they go out of fashion very quickly. Furthermore, the current vogue for stylish objects has brought social discrimination, especially among the young generation. It is unfair to the poor, who cannot afford the latest products, being discriminated on the grounds of class or money.