#whatisfashion? – Prada spring-summer 2006
THE THIRD CHAPTER OF THE CAMPAIGN BY SHOPenauer: FASHION THROUGH PHILOSOPHY (AND MYTH)
#whatisfashion?. For the third episode Wait! and SHOPenauer involve the thought of Prometheus. In reality this ancient figure is not strictly tied to philosophy. In fact it is a myth, Greek to be exact. To understand exactly what it is like to connect to a deeper understanding of what the concept of fashion means, it is perhaps best to briefly brush up on its history. The son of Iapetus and Climene, besides having five pairs of twin brothers, is known to posterity because he was the most rebellious of all. So much so that he threw himself against divine power. The story, in fact, tells that Prometheus stole fire from the gods to give it to men, thus suffering the punishment of Zeus who chained him to a cliff at the edge of the world and then plunged him into Tartarus, at the center of the Earth.
Why this sacrifice? For several reasons: he trusted more in the human potential than in the inhabitant of Olympus; he believed in an idea of progress linked to the action of man, in whose hands the tools for creating his destiny resided. This explains the meaning of his name: Prometheus, in fact, means the one who reflects first. Therefore, even if he cannot be called a philosopher exactly, we can say that his mythical path brings him very close to the category.
#whatisfashion? – Dior couture by John Galliano spring 1998
AFTER SCHOPENHAUER AND WALTER BENJAMIN, WHAT LINKS HIS HISTORY TO FASHION?
Is fashion synonymous with rebellion? If so, by what or by whom? Who are the protagonists of the sector who think first, thus redefining the meaning? In reality it is doubtful that fashion is taken so seriously as to think that some fashion designer is willing to be thrown into the underworld to make it as he wants, or her. Today this business is taken seriously, in reality, but with an approach that is not very relevant to creativity and quality. And it concerns above all figures like fashion addicted, influencer.
In the Twenties, Seventies and Nineties this world of fabrics and shapes saw Prometheus, who, moreover, did not have to suffer the martyrdom of the myth, indeed. To name a few, which have indeed changed, revolutionized the rules, even the proportions, we have: Coco Chanel, known for having taken the woman off the corset and for having cleared the black dress on occasions other than funerals; Yves Saint Laurent, whose private shyness did not contaminate the creative flair. He was the first to create a tuxedo suit for the woman; he was the first to send his models with transparent blouses on the catwalk. Martin Margiela, John Galliano and Alexander McQueen have marked the last two decades. The first with the concept of de-constructing clothes, the second bringing a unique aesthetic vision to a stale Dior, the third managed to emerge thanks to its break with pre-established codes.
Among the Italians there is a woman: Miuccia Prada. Born as a bourgeois and avant-garde by vocation, the designer has used the rules of her world for good and has transformed them into always bold yet elegant looks. She is not afraid to interact with other art forms and uses her power to make herself intellectually independent from the choir. Which often echoes her, imitating her.
#whatisfashion? – Two looks from Maison Martin Margiela’s fall/winter 2000 show (Marina Faust)
#whatisfashion? THE CAMPAIGN CONTINUES
The myth of Prometheus seems to answer the question about what fashion is, not so much with a peremptory statement, but rather with a suggestion: dare, go beyond what you see on the catwalk, on social media. Create a fashion – not fashion, forge your path and style. And who cares if the gods punish you, because you will have entered history.
If there were no financial and market logics to plug the wings, the invitation of Prometheus would be more than ever to be accepted, especially among the new generation of the sector. Too bad that those who dare today remain more and more a niche. The point, perhaps, is to understand if it’s worth making the revolution or to follow the notorious trends and be happy with being one of many.
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