Fashion Activism: Jeans as a Statement

Fashion Activism: Jeans as a Statement

Amaro, Ana; Miguel, Rui; Lucas, José

Poster:

The first pair of blue jeans emerged in U.S.A. by Levi Strauss Andamp; Co. for working classes in 1873. Since then, this pair of pants has assumed a character of youth icon and a banner of fashion democratization, being nowadays a part of everyone’s wardrobe (Nii, 2012). This company gave various activist meanings to jeans, projecting it to different groups like racial, labour or female sexual liberation movements (Fiske, 1989). Looking at the past, fashion activism was much more evident in XX century than it is nowadays. There were seen big changes in the way of wear and designing fashion, since the pants adoption by women in the early XX century, to youth rebellious way of dressing in the second half of XX century. At this time, the values of elegance and good taste were disregarded in favour of looking young (Lipovetsky, 2007). The jeans are very liberating in the sense that reveal very little about the social status and wearing worn and washed out pieces had become something common since the late 50’s. Young groups did not have only desire to individual expression, but also activist opinions about their culture, political and social environment. Even those who were against the current system would see that fashion and style was something essential to their cultural and political struggle (Ewen, 1990). However, today’s social jeans activism aspect has been dimmed.

The first pair of blue jeans emerged in U.S.A. by Levi Strauss Andamp; Co. for working classes in 1873. Since then, this pair of pants has assumed a character of youth icon and a banner of fashion democratization, being nowadays a part of everyone’s wardrobe (Nii, 2012). This company gave various activist meanings to jeans, projecting it to different groups like racial, labour or female sexual liberation movements (Fiske, 1989). Looking at the past, fashion activism was much more evident in XX century than it is nowadays. There were seen big changes in the way of wear and designing fashion, since the pants adoption by women in the early XX century, to youth rebellious way of dressing in the second half of XX century. At this time, the values of elegance and good taste were disregarded in favour of looking young (Lipovetsky, 2007). The jeans are very liberating in the sense that reveal very little about the social status and wearing worn and washed out pieces had become something common since the late 50’s. Young groups did not have only desire to individual expression, but also activist opinions about their culture, political and social environment. Even those who were against the current system would see that fashion and style was something essential to their cultural and political struggle (Ewen, 1990). However, today’s social jeans activism aspect has been dimmed.

Palavras-chave:

DOI: 10.5151/despro-icdhs2014-0129

Referências bibliográficas

• [1] Ewen, S. (1990) Marketing dreams: the political elements of style, in A. Tomlinson: Consumption, Identity Andamp; Style, Guernsey: Routledge.
• [2] Fiske, J. (1989) Understanding the Popular Culture, New York: Routledge.
• [3] Jervis, J. (1998) Exploring the Modern, Massachusetts: Blackweel Publishers.
• [4] Jones, T. Andamp; Mair, A. (2005) Fashion Now, Hohenzollernring: Tashen.
• [5] Lipovetsky, G. (2007) O Império do Efémero: A moda e o seu destino nas sociedades modernas, Alfragide: D. Quixote.
• [6] Livolsi, M. (1989) Moda, Consumo e Mundo Jovem, in: Psicologia do Vestir, Lisboa: Assírio Andamp; Alvim.
• [7] Mendes, V. Andamp; Haye, A. (1999) 20th Century Fashion, London: Thames and Hudson.
• [8] Nii, R. (2012) The Age of Technological Innovation. Fashion in the Second Half of 20th Century, in K. C. Intitute: FASHION. A Fashion History of the 20th Century, Cologne:Tashen.
• [9] Sabin, R. (1999) Punk Rock, So What?, London: Routledge.
• [10] Silva, G., Piassi, L. Andamp; Martins, M. (2012), A ressignificação do
• [11] punk na moda na interpretação, 8o Colóquio de Moda: 5a Edição Internacional.
• [12] Smith, N. M. (2003), The Classic Ten, London: Penguin Books.

Como citar:

Amaro, Ana; Miguel, Rui; Lucas, José; "Fashion Activism: Jeans as a Statement", p-58-59. In: Tradition, Transition, Tragectories: major or minor influences? [=ICDHS 2014 - 9th Conference of the International Committee for Design History and Design Studies]. São Paulo: Blucher, 2014.
ISSN 23186968, DOI 10.5151/despro-icdhs2014-0129