There’s been street style in abundance this year, and we’ve loved keeping our eyes peeled for all of our favourite looks in between the shows.
Street style has always existed but it has become a phenomenon of 20th century. The increase in the standardization of life after World War II may be linked to the appeal of « alternative » lifestyles for individuals in search of “identity”. Industrial production, particularly in the sphere of fashion, was not only the popularization of stylists’ tastes that move from high fashion, through pre`t-a`-porter, to the peripheries of the system. These were also tastes that originated among economically disfavored, marginal groups, the whole range of metropolitan tribes, that are able to trigger new fashion production and diffusion processes.
Key Sites
The process of consumption is closely linked to the fashion phenomenon, to the process of establishing fashion and to branding, as well as, to fashion forecasting. Apparently, fashion can be researched by means of consumer patterns and integrated into the contemporary urban environment. Moreover, by setting consumer trends, fashion agents influence a city’s representation. These trends can mark shopping areas and entertainment locations, or provide concrete city routes and scripts not merely oriented towards consumption but specifically towards ‘conscious’ consumption in keeping with fashion trends. From the interdisciplinary perspective of consumption and consumer practices, city tourism is connected to city branding, through which a city’s representation is aimed at attracting visitors and consumers.
Milan
Milan can be a good example of how fashion practices contributed into development and commercialization of the city. Milan Street fashion is one of the most popular and respectful in the world of Street Fashion. The reason why it became such a success can be linked to the fact that a huge number of important fashion institutions, agencies and events are located in Milan. The expression ‘capitale della moda’ refers to Milan when describing styles, urban life, fashion collections, designers and so on; thus, constructing the Milan fashion discourse with a visible fashion image and motivating other cities to compete for this fashion, branded city status.
Paris
Paris occupies the same niche as one of the most respected fashion centers in general and street style, in particular. Just as Milan in Italy, Paris’ look can be considered through frameworks of fashion fads, designers, a chic and luxury capital, artists and a bohemian lifestyle. Secondly, Paris is a perfect example of creating the ‘city look’, a collective image – certain fashion garments, specifics and lifestyles embody definite urbanity in a city’s context. For instance, an image of ‘La Parisienne’, – the typical Parisian woman – does consist not only of clothing but also of certain manners, values and behavioural patterns associated with the country and its citizens. One of the most typical associations with Paris is that it is the city of love and fashion, a romantic city full of chic and luxury. The fashion phenomenon can provide strong associations and a clear understanding of Paris as a centre of fashion, love and dreams.