Soho district in London, England during the first half of the 20th
century acted as a buffer between the rich west end and the lower class. It was
known as the center for the sex industry and was populated with poor artists
and musicians. This cesspool of artistry and sex fueled the beginning of many
fashion movements in London. In the 1980’s, Soho was transformed with its sex
industry venues and abandoned buildings replaced with trendy restaurants and
media offices. Although its grungy reputation has changed, Soho remains as the
fashion trendsetter of London.
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| Figure 1 |
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| Figure 2 |
With the gentrification
of Soho at the end of the
1980’s, more upper class people and businesses began moving into the newly
developed real-estate. Fashion designers such as Alexander McQueen, Vivienne
Westwood, Chanel, Oscar de la Renta, and many others have set up stores in
Soho, marking the movement of high end fashion into the area. As seen in Figure
1, the street is lined with high end stores such as Chanel and Tiffany and Co.
The man’s suit is tailored to be well fitted, showing his wealth and status.
The slightly blue colored suit matched with a modern pink tie portrays an image
of elegance and fashion know-how.
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| Figure 3 |
Figure 4 is a picture of two girls in their early 20’s that were in the high fashion area of Soho very close to the couple seen in Figure 1. They were very hesitant to have their picture taken and protested that their outfits were not fashionable. The girl on the left is sporting a floor length, black jumpsuit with a leather jacket and black flats. This outfit showcases the classic London look of modesty and use of dark colors. The one on the right is wearing a navy dress with a matching coat and tan loafers. This girl was very adamant that her outfit was not fashionable. Her insecurity proves that there is a large emphasis on fashion in this high end area of Soho. While her dress and jacket would be identified as fashionable, in this district many people put large effort into their ensembles and are more conscientious about their trendiness and fashion choices. Both of these outfits use the subtle, dark colors that are so iconic to the traditional London look. The woman displays a classy yet more casual look than her partner. Her elegant scarf matched with her simple outfit clashes with the striking red in her handbag. This represents the simplistic color scheme that Londoners typically follow and the woman’s risk of the red bag as a pop of color against her elegant ensemble. Her feminine high heels prove her dedication to fashion as she
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| Figure 4 |
Figure 4 is a picture of two
girls in their early 20’s that were in the high fashion area of Soho very close
to the couple seen in Figure 1. They were very hesitant to have their picture
taken and protested that their outfits were not fashionable. The girl on the
left is sporting a floor length, black jumpsuit with a leather jacket and black
flats. This outfit showcases the classic London look of modesty and use of dark
colors. The one on the right is wearing a navy dress with a matching coat and
tan loafers. This girl was very adamant that her outfit was not fashionable. Her
insecurity proves that there is a large emphasis on fashion in this high end
area of Soho. While her dress and jacket would be identified as fashionable, in
this district many people put large effort into their ensembles and are more
conscientious about their trendiness and fashion choices. Both of these outfits
use the subtle, dark colors that are so iconic to the traditional London look.
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| Figure 5 |
Soho is not only home to the upper class; many middle and
working class make up the demographic of the region. Figure 5 shows a girl in
her “uniform” during her shift as a private club hostess. Her uniform consists
of all black and is very dressy. Although she is not one of the high class
patrons that attends this club, she is still expected to portray a very classy
image. In the area, even the working people are pressured to wear fashionable
outfits to fit into the high end environment. Although she is required to dress
the way she is, her bright pink lipstick is her own and shows her style. It also
follows the trend in this area where people add a small pop of color to their
dark and subtle ensembles. Her use of color works as an “expressive artform”
(Wilson 47) where she can showcase her individuality even through her uniform. The
classes of individuals can be easily spotted by what clothes they are wearing.
In Figure 6, the man was in the same area of Soho but is wearing a very
different outfit then most men on the street. This look is a lot more casual
and although it is still fashion forward, it is reasonable to assume he is not
in the same class as the men sporting designer suits.
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| Figure 6 |
In this high end area of Soho, England, those who fit
in with high end fashion ensembles can easily pick out those who obviously are
not in their class just by their outfits. When I walked into expensive stores
such as Alexander McQueen and Oscar de la Rento, the attendees did not come up
to me or offer assistance because it was apparent by my dress that I could not
afford anything in their stores. The use of fashion as class indication
perpetuates classism and separates societies. “Fashion acts as a fight for
status” (Wilson 50) by physically marking those who can afford high end fashion versus
those who cannot. Karl Marx argued that class membership is defined by one’s
relationship to the means of production. Those who could spend money on goods
and owned means of production were the higher classes. Marx was very much
against the separation of classes and believed fashion as an indicator of class
differences. Fashion conserves the distances between classes by forcing people
to blatantly display their rank with their clothing. In Soho, the richer
population is easy to pick out and therefore they enjoy the privileges that
accompany being high class. Fashion therefore preserves classism by
distinguishing the differences.
The need for
those of an upper class to continually showcase their wealth through their
fashion forces them to buy high end clothing. The prices of high fashion are
excessively greater than cheap clothing and the style changes every season.
This causes those of higher classes to constantly be buying new trends with
extremely high price tags. Gilles Lipovetsky is a French philosopher who
believed fashion as a reflection of individuality and hyper consumerism, also
that fashion is unstable, short-lived and superficial. The constant cycle of
trends instigates capitalism and manipulates the populace into buying new and
expensive clothes. Some would even say
that our changing fashion stemmed from “capitalism’s need for perpetual
expansion” (Wilson 49). Kant would say that capitalism’s manipulation of the masses is
morally wrong. The population is forced to buy new clothes or expensive clothes
so that they would not ostracized by society. Fashion creates a cycle of manipulation
and hyper consumerism fueled by the idea that fashion indicates status.
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| Figure 7 |
The nightlife in London
is full of variety from relaxing pubs to trendy night clubs. The people at pubs
as well as relaxed bars wear their usual day time attire. The nightclub scene
is similar to America’s night life where the women dress up in more revealing
clothing and higher heels. The woman in Figure 7 is in a nightclub and in her
lower 20’s. Her outfit is tight and fashion forward resembling the traditional
style of Kim Kardashian. From this photo you can also see the women against the
bar to the left of her. There is a variety of styles ranging from sneakers to
sandals to heels matched with skirts, dresses, and the occasional pair of
jeans. The night life style strays from the traditional dark and modest style
of London. There are more colors used and shorter hem lines. The boys seen to
the right of the center of the picture are all dressed casually with jeans,
sneakers, and t shirts or button downs. The men are not as dressed up or as
revealing as the women possibly because of the pressure put on them to look
attractive and get attention. The club scene is a place where the younger
demographic of London can be more scandalous and comfortable with revealing
clothing.
Wilson, Elizabeth. Adorned in Dreams:
Fashion and Modernity. Berkeley: U of California, 1987. Print.
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