It seems to me that the 'fashion industry', as a taste-making institution, has always harbored the capacity to reach out beyond the material conformity of consumerism and touch the core of ever-complicated social, political, and environmental issues....
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The undeniable ability to influence the consumer, a vital extension of the fashion industry apparatus, is omnipresent in a world that is not only inundated with but dominated by the media. The embodiment of this idea is evident in the media that is conveyed through the medium provided by magazines, primarily in the forms of both fashion editorials and advertising. Fashion magazines, in particular, have the capacity to influence and shape the reader’s thoughts and choices regarding perceptions of everything from beauty, sex, and sexuality to lifestyle decisions. According to Vogue magazine’s mission statement, “for 118 years, Vogue has been America’s cultural barometer, putting fashion in the context of the larger world we live in- how we dress, live, socialize; what we eat, listen to, watch; who leads and inspires us”.[1]
However, when one pauses to consider the large swath of social issues and injustice that is rampant throughout all the corners of the international scene, it is fairly safe to surmise that the mind does not tend to automatically gravitate towards the fashion industry to seek consultation. Why? Is it changing? Can private sector industries positively impact issues of human security?
[1] The mission statement continues to say, “from its beginnings to today, three central principles have set Vogue apart: a commitment to visual genius, investment in storytelling that puts women at the center of the culture, and a selective, optimistic editorial eye. Vogue’s story is the story of women, of culture, of what is worth knowing and seeing, of individuality and grace, and of the steady power of earned influence. For millions of women each month, Vogue is the eye of the culture, inspiring and challenging them to see things differently, in both themselves and the world”.
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