World Fashion Day! The 9th of July each year is a day to celebrate, reflect and admire the art and spirit of what this massive powerhouse of an industry represents today. We live in a world where fashion is now at our fingertips - it’s a language, self-expression, and even art. We take for granted just how effortlessly we can now manipulate the clothes we buy, own and wear, to tell stories about who we are and how we’re feeling to anyone around the world, but, it hasn’t always been this way.
It makes sense to imagine the earliest ‘fashion’ would have come from the very dawn of human time. Sitting around the campfire, they would have maybe admired the deft stitching of a fur pelt compared to one that had fallen apart or finding new ways to bind them together, adapting and growing their skills with new materials, fibres and tools. Moving forward in time, we know that in Ancient Rome, Egypt, and many other cultures that the fabrics, jewels and the very way in which you wore them, was a vital part of high society and a way to tell someone's status at a glance.
In fact, modern fashion as an accessible and affordable form of self-expression, has only been around for the last few centuries. The first sewing machines were invented in 1790, and this tool revolutionised the painstaking process of garment creation, into a more affordable, efficient one. Immediately more clothing could be created in a fraction of the time and at a fraction of the cost of labor.
By the time 1826 came around, one of the first modern fashion designers in the world was on the scene – Charles Frederick Worth - founding his ‘House of Worth’ in Paris. People in the 1800s were beginning to use fashion for their own personal expression for the first time, instead of their status, bringing in another important shift.
The first known patterns for clothing originated in Spain in the 1500s, and is one of the reasons they dominated European dress. Charles and many more fashion pioneers began to find and work with what would fast come to be called Patternmakers to create these unique shapes on paper or card, many of which they would keep private and secret to preserve their own ‘looks’ and styles. Modern fashion was born.
Fast forward to recent times, and we now live in a world where fashion is one of the biggest industries in the world. World Fashion Day’s first occurrence came about in 2016 through none other than social media, and serves multiple purposes, in the true spirit of self-expression. For some, it’s a celebration of the accessibility to be able to express themselves however they choose, whenever they choose.
For others still, it’s also become a day for some to analyse the industry itself and our ever-growing world, raise awareness of the true cost of modern fashion, and figure how we can change production of it to be less impactful on our world.
No matter how someone applies this day, it’s a chance to celebrate your unique style, and show off your own ideas of what fashion means to you. This Saturday, you can celebrate by wearing your favourite outfit, creating your own look, educating yourself in a fashion niche, or supporting your favourite brands or fashion artists.
Fashion for us here at feimso, is about Freedom, Empowerment, Innovation, Mindfulness, Supportiveness, and being part of an Online World where we can all socialise, have fun, connect and make money – we can’t wait to celebrate our own unique space for fashion with you all soon!
Wishing all professionals, retailers, creators, and those passionate about fashion, a very happy World Fashion Day this Saturday!
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