Fashion is a system of symbols and signs that communicate a wide range of personal, cultural and social meanings. Clothing styles, colours, and patterns can symbolise power and authority, cultural norms and values, gender roles, historical context and social status, mood and emotion, group membership, lifestyle and personal identity, and may also be a form of protest or resistance. Fashion can be influenced by and imitated from the media and other sources, including friends and family, celebrities, and fellow fashion enthusiasts. Fashion trends and fads are often inspired by current events, and may change quickly over time.
In semiotics, fashion is a category of signifiers that include all aspects of a garment’s aesthetic design — the fabric, fit, color and pattern, and the way it is worn. A tailored suit may communicate power and formality, while ripped jeans and a T-shirt can symbolise casualness and youthfulness. The meanings of a fashion can also vary across different cultural and historical contexts, as well as over time.
Fashion is inherently a social phenomenon. For something to be considered fashionable, it must be widely distributed and embraced by a large audience of followers. This can happen in a variety of ways, from top-down (such as when a famous person endorses a particular product or fashion line) to bottom-up (such as when young people start wearing a new trend). In recent years, digital technology has enabled fashion magazines to reach a global audience through websites and social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok.
