Learn With Me: Bringing Something New (A Fashion History Blog)
- Quinj Catabui
- Mar 2, 2022
- 5 min read
Updated: Mar 7, 2022
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When talking about Modernity in fashion, the question ringing in your brain is probably, what’s new in fashion??
Agree?
The concept of Modernity is a little bit difficult to grasp. So many fashion theorists and critics defy each other, creating complete mind-boggling explanations and references. And use words way above our mind can process.
In this series, LEARN WITH ME, we’re going to explore fashion and its history. Mainly trying to understand concepts, theories and whatever it can be alongside … me! It’s going to be a complete learning curve for me as well for you, my readers. We’re going to learn together, as well as grow as fashion lovers.
Anyway! Let’s head on to the main theme of this blog...
Modernity carries weight from an individual’s artistic instinct. Inspirations that grow from the idea of making something (in particular, clothing lines, accessories and other products) contemporary to what the market deems as a need or want.
According to FutureLearn’s course in Understanding Fashion: From Business to Culture, Modernity’s definition is, evidently, a relationship between the artistic purpose and the consideration of current epochs or times.
Pretty word intensive am I right? But we’re getting there.
Research shows countless fashion history contributors in giving meaning to fashion, in this case, diverse Modernity concepts. Even dating back to the 18th century, mainly, critics showed immense interest in the artistic influence in their fashion era. And we – as future generations actually have appealed to those statements.
In this formal blog, I will be sharing two schools of thought in the concept of Modernity (not in any order):
1) Baudelaireian
Charles Baudelaire – poet, essayist, and critic in art – first discussed his interpretation of Modernity as what we call today “Timeless”. According to his analysis and belief, the artist, or in this case, the designers’, primary duty is distinguishing and identifying aesthetics in the ephemerals. Or, in simpler words, finding beauty that is implicit or hidden in things that last a short time. As done so (or when done so), creating modern-day designs of the same product (basically intentionally reliving the moment over again).
This basically creates a fixed aesthetic for a brand. Baudelaire iterates his belief that beauty is “unchanging”. This is close to Plato’s philosophy or ideals of beauty (unchanging…invisible…eternal).
Finding eternal beauty, beauty that is ageless... has a nice ring to it, doesn’t it?
Baudelaire shows his idea of modernity as a way of extracting beauty from what is present, devoid of the time, to create a timeless piece. So to say, if a trend were to produce an ideal aesthetic, how would a brand incorporate that style, art and design, for future collections? That is the main idea of Charles Baudelaire.
A much more straightforward answer that we, present generations (Boomers, Millennials and Gen Z), would understand is that the epitome of this stream of thought is Chanel.
Chanel as a brand has continuously reigned success as a high fashion provider since its initial operations in 1910. And might I add, literally has re-produced and restacked the same iconic and FAD tweed suit. However, this does not only apply to the suit. As a brand that mainly defines what Baudelaire calls “beauty that is eternal or ageless”, it has revisited and improved the classic Chanel products like the handbag and Chanel No. 5 Perfume up to the 21st century. Chanel’s brand identity prides itself as timeless.
Other classic, timeless brand items include Burberry’s trench coat, Hermés Birkin bag and Levi’s 501 Jeans (not high fashion, but it fits the umbrella interpretation of Baudelaireian).
2) Benjaminian
On the other hand, another interpretation was discussed by Walter Benjamin – a fellow essayist like Charles Baudelaire, philosopher and citric in culture. He expresses his idea of Modernity as a back-and-forth movement, both past and present references. Instead of purely reanimating clothes with a fixed aesthetic to fit the standards of the times (Chanel/Baudelaire), Benjamin believes that Modernity spans between a jump from what “was” and what “presently is”. His impression explores the influence of history – and how to present designers articulate it to fashion design.
According to Andrew Benjamin’s (not Walter!) commentary/explanation on the Benjaminian, “fashion is complexly woven to a particular historical era”. This makes time a huge factor when it comes to designing. Walter’s Modernity was a source from, Blanqui; an essential reference he uses is:
“The new is always old; the old is always new”.
- Louis Auguste Blanqui, L'éternité par les astres (Eternity Through the Stars)
Now, what fashion brands express this impression of Modernity?
Madeleine Vionnet was greatly inspired by the ancient Greeks embodying her designs into free and floaty dresses. Her remarkable draping techniques created a new fashionable architecture on the female body. Though her expression and form of artistic fashion were to make timeless dresses, she sought inspiration in the old, the past, and the history. Thus, her designs imitated the fluidity of Greek tunics.
Another great example is Gucci’s creative director Alessandro Michele who brings his inspiration from the past into his modern designs. He says, “Vintage is my vocabulary”. His designs are created by the novelty of the past, memories being a key feature to designing a new collection.
Okay, let’s have a run-down, shall we?
Charles Baudelaire:
· Fixed aesthetic
· Timeless
· Finding beauty in the now
· Form that doesn’t change
Walter Benjamin:
· A jump between past and present
· History plays a role
· What was and what it can be now
So... What does this mean?
We’ve seen the development of fashion collections, how inspirations create beauty, and how beauty ultimately gives meaning to what was created. From what I saw and learned, and hopefully, you did too, the concept of Modernity serves as a medium. A guide to the artistic thirsts of designers. It gives a new meaning to what can be created, giving reason and justification to finding fresh designs.
Modernity is an oxymoron. Its intricate, complex, but once it clears in the artist’s mind, it develops a sense of newness. It becomes simpler to envision and create. That’s, at least in my perspective.
So, ask yourself, is there a limit to what we can call Modern?
Can modern really be modern? Or is it a replication of the past? Must it always be a rendition of the same? These are questions I thought of when writing this blog. This opened a new eye to understanding fashion’s complexity. Did it for you too?
In the next blog, we’re going to explore the third modernity concept of the present. The complete present.
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If you want to learn more click more below. The information throughout this blog was derived from the course. So make sure to try it out for yourself!
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