The transition of fashion is connected to the history of liberation from normative gender images

In Japan, fashion is sometimes referred to as “mode.” Mode means “trend” in French. France might still represent an image of leading the trend. The transition of fashion, centering on France, is deeply connected to the history of liberation from normative gender images of “how things should be.”

The Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen, issued during the French Revolution at the end of the 18th century, was intended for men. Furthermore, the Code Napoleon, based on the Declaration, did not recognize women’s rights. In particular, upper-class women put on very tight corsets with the aid of others and wore dresses that one could hardly call comfortable. Their fashion was a symbol of men’s wealth.

However, in the 1920s, after the First World War, a turning point came, which is referred to as the liberation from corsets. For example, French fashion designer Paul Poiret designed corset-free dresses, and Coco Chanel incorporated soft, inexpensive jerseys into women’s clothing, creating affordable and comfortable fashion for women.

In the 1960s, British fashion designer Mary Quant introduced the miniskirt, and French designer André Courrèges presented the miniskirt in Paris haute couture, which set a big trend in France as well as around the world. In the late 60s, the second feminist wave emerged, following the early 20th century. Women gained various rights, including access to the contraceptive pill and abortion, which had not been allowed. Along with this movement, the miniskirt also gained popularity globally, and women were increasingly liberated in this era.

Speaking of Japan, it could be said that this country, especially since the postwar period to the 1960s, imitated fashions popular in France and London, with the aim of ‘‘liberating’’ women, not only for the sake of “liberation’’ per se, but as part of “westernisation,” which could be considered as one of Japan’s missions at that time.

In the 1980s, when women began to emphasize their power, some fashion designers had men wear skirts. In Japan, the Equal Employment Opportunity Act was enacted in 1985, when, coupled with the bubble economy, women began to enter the workforce and drive consumption while seeking self-realization. Since then, digital media has become widespread, and fashion has crossed over generations and genders, making a shift in society.

Fashion is a tool to transcend all conditions and become what you want to be

Traditionally, fashion was meant to show off one’s wealth and class. In addition, it was a means of making oneself look attractive to the opposite sex. An issue of the American fashion magazine VOGUE, published in the 1940s, featured the phrase “Fashions for a Man’s Eye” on its cover. My students were surprised when they saw it; however, there was a time when it was taken for granted to choose clothes with the opposite sex’s eye in mind.

In the male-dominated perspective of the modern era, things were viewed as binary oppositions of men and women. In fashion, mass media showcased a certain style, and a norm that people with this attribute should wear such fashion was formed to no small extent.

Into the 21st century, however, and while social media and different digital media drive and create movements and provide information, fashion begins to transcend binary oppositions. The forms of love and marriage have also been diversifying. The conventional norm that a man and a woman fall in love, marry, and have children has gone, and diverse gender identity, sexual orientation and relationships are now more respected.

Fashion can be described as a “tool to transcend all the conditions that define your body and become what you want to be.” Fashion is a very clear way of showing what you want to be.

For instance, even if you are a Japanese woman in your late 50s with a certain body type, adopting fashion in a broader sense can allow you to go beyond your limitations. By dressing casually, you can make yourself look younger. Changing the color of your hair and wearing colored contact lenses to change the color of your eyes in order to look like a foreigner is also part of fashion. Fashion can make you appear as any gender, age, or nationality.

In this age of digital media, you can create the body of your preference. Not only in virtual spaces such as online games, but also on social media, you can become what you want to be by Photoshopping your image. In the wake of the pandemic, virtual fashion seems to have stepped up a level. If you can dress as much as you want without meeting face-to-face, your desires will be out of control.

However, as it turns out, fashion is used to be closer to a model you want to embody,　which has already been defined, rather than to break free, going beyond what you are now. In most cases, the desire to be yourself may be almost the same as that to fit into the norm that you aim for.

Sustainable fashion leads to the expression of diverse identities

While the world promotes the SDGs along with changes in the global environment, fashion, which is ever-changing and quickly fades, is one of the least sustainable industries.

The industry unveils the trends of the year, manipulates us into quickly buying new clothes produced in large quantities, and discards them once the trends ends. They use a large volume of water during production and emit a huge amount of CO2 during incineration. Some foreign manufacturers, engaged in cheap fast fashion, also face issues such as long working hours for low wages.

On the other hand, some other fast fashion manufacturers make products from used clothing materials collected and proactively employ those who have been recognized as refugees. In this way, an increasing number of companies have been taking the initiative to work on the SDGs.

Moreover, there is an issue with how much consumers adopt fashion that incorporates sustainable elements.

Fashion is, in essence, a non-verbal symbol, which speaks for itself. For example, having a name-brand bag can be seen as an act of conspicuous consumption to imply who you are. For another example, even if you carry a bag made of plant-based faux leather or reused materials as sustainable fashion, few people will notice without an explanation. In other words, it cannot be considered conspicuous consumption.

Can sustainable fashion be an element of what you want to be? I must say that the real joy of fashion, which transforms yourself, and sustainability may perhaps have poor compatibility. Then, what can we do to develop fashion in the most sustainable manner possible?

So far, the conventional identity of yourself has represented superficial aspects that specify youth, gender and nationality. I believe that the key lies in whether fashion can evolve to support the inner identity of yourself, or your way of being. If you manage to break the cycle of trying to become like someone else in a superficial sense, sustainable fashion may be established.

Fashion is created by multiple actors, including media, manufacturers, and wearers. If the underlying value is linked to something to present your own identity, the meaning of fashion itself as a tool to show who you are will change.

In order to truly express the diversity of your identity, fashion that goes beyond the framework of superficial symbols may be necessary. It can be seen that, when it is realized, you will be liberated from normative anxieties caused by the inability to reach the ideal in your attributes. I intend to keep an eye on how fashion will be positioned in the future.

* The information contained herein is current as of October 2024.
* The contents of articles on Meiji.net are based on the personal ideas and opinions of the author and do not indicate the official opinion of Meiji University.
* I work to achieve SDGs related to the educational and research themes that I am currently engaged in.

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