Limits And Differences: The Relationship Between Fashion And Society

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Fashion and society is continuously changing but the relationship between the two has remained, while society uses fashion as a method of identification, for each fashion posses a meaning along with them. High heels however are an item that have endured time but instead their meaning is always being altered. Today they are associated as a feminine item of dress, as it represents discomfort, physical restriction and is an accessory which functions fashion over practicality, aiming to create a look that society expects to see from women. However the history of high heels reveals that they were originally designed for men, used to form a masculine and luxurious look. Men announced …show more content…

For example in the 1670’s louis XIV, a King of only 5 feet and 4 inches, started a trend for heels as he increased his height by always wearing heels of 4 inches. The shoes always had red soles, to express their luxury and exclusivity, as soon as the trend spread to lower classes he ordered a law which stated only members of his court were allowed to be seen in red soled heels. Extremely similar to today’s iconic red soled stiletto, which any fashion conscious person can spot and relate to the designer Christian Louboutin and associate their wearer to the same expensive, values and identity that the brand and shoe represents. “Christian Louboutin is heading back to court in the hope of protecting his famous red soles once and for all.” (Milligan, Vogue 2015) Replicating the history of King Louis XIV, Louboutin also made it illegal for anyone to imitate his famous red soled shoes. The want for a brand to have ownership of such a distinctive fashion creates an exclusive circle within society, labelling only the individuals wealthy enough to own these specific shoes to also obtain and share the same values, lifestyle and identity. …show more content…

Using shop windows, campaigns and in store layouts to spread the message of fashion having no definition, allowing their customers to explore the shift in gender boundaries. Mannequins are discarded leaving all of the attention on to the products, creating a blank page for the customer and a new freedom in silhouette, style, and form. All concurring with Gonsalves idea (2015) that fashion is not just an imitation or explanation of society but has advanced beyond this and is creating new limits to push society to follow instead.

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