Fashion Aesthetics and Ethics: Past and Present

The practical realities of the global fashion industry have significant aesthetic and ethical consequences, which are explored in this collection. The industry is highly exploitative, with underpaid textile workers, retailers, young designers, seamstresses, and curators often working for free. Fashion-related aesthetic ideals are becoming more influential in directing consumers in their social and personal identification processes and bodily practices, with sometimes fatal consequences.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 304 pages
Publication date: 01 June 2023
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC

The relationship between aesthetics and ethics in the global fashion industry is a complex and multifaceted issue that has been the subject of much academic discourse. While both aesthetics and ethics have played important roles in fashion studies, they are often discussed in abstract terms, such as modernity, capitalism, or identity issues. However, the essays in this volume argue that the realities of the global fashion industry have significant and pertinent aesthetic and ethical consequences.

The global fashion industry is characterized by an increasingly fast-spinning production process, which is highly exploitative in terms of the environment and labor force. Underpaid textile workers, retailers working under brutal competition from mass-merchandise discounters, young designers, seamstresses, and curators often work for free, and a vast body of aspiring models are subjected to harsh conditions and exploitation. In addition, fashion-related aesthetic ideals are becoming more influential than ever in directing consumers in their social and personal identification processes and bodily practices, with sometimes fatal consequences.

The essays in this volume cover a wide range of subjects, including the highly problematic production and consumption practices of fashion, the possibility of producing and consuming fashion ethically, the intimate connection between fashion and nature and technology, and the powerful aesthetical presence of fashion in relation to its ethical premises and often problematic outcomes.

One of the key themes that emerges from the essays is the need for a more ethical and sustainable approach to fashion production and consumption. The industry is currently driven by a desire for fast fashion, low prices, and high profits, which has led to the exploitation of workers and the destruction of the environment. However, there are growing calls for a shift towards more sustainable and ethical practices, such as using sustainable materials, reducing waste, and paying fair wages to workers.

Another theme that is explored in the essays is the role of fashion in shaping and expressing identity. Fashion has long been used as a tool for self-expression and empowerment, but it can also be used to reinforce social and cultural norms and stereotypes. The essays discuss how fashion can be used to challenge these norms and promote diversity and inclusivity, as well as how it can be used to perpetuate harmful attitudes and practices.

The essays also highlight the intimate connection between fashion and technology. The use of new technologies, such as 3D printing and virtual reality, has revolutionized the fashion industry, allowing for faster production and more personalized designs. However, these technologies also raise ethical concerns, such as the potential for worker exploitation and the environmental impact of manufacturing.

In conclusion, the essays in this volume provide a critical and philosophical analysis of the interplay of aesthetics and ethics within the global fashion industry. The industry is characterized by an increasingly fast-spinning production process that is highly exploitative in terms of the environment and labor force. Fashion-related aesthetic ideals are becoming more influential in directing consumers in their social and personal identification processes and bodily practices, with sometimes fatal consequences. The essays call for a more ethical and sustainable approach to fashion production and consumption, as well as for a greater awareness of the role of fashion in shaping and expressing identity. The intimate connection between fashion and technology also raises ethical concerns that must be addressed. By exploring these issues, the essays in this volume contribute to a deeper understanding of the complex and multifaceted relationship between aesthetics and ethics in the global fashion industry.

Weight: 664g
Dimension: 158 x 234 x 19 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781350198524