Fashion is a form of clothing that expresses a person’s personality and style. It is a global business with millions of workers involved in production and sales of clothes.
There are several levels of the Fashion Industry: The raw materials, principally fibers and textiles but also leather and fur; the production of fashion goods by designers, manufacturers, contractors, and others; retail sales; and various forms of advertising and promotion.
The fashion industry is an international and highly globalized industry, originating in Europe and America but now operating worldwide. It is made up of many separate but interdependent sectors, all devoted to satisfying consumer demand for apparel under conditions that enable participants in the industry to operate at a profit.
It can be an economic generator for a country in a variety of ways. For example, it can provide jobs for people in manufacturing and sales and distribution, and it can raise the profile of a country in terms of creativity and competitive advantage.
In addition, fashion can be a political weapon and an expression of identity. For example, in the nineteenth century, in England, laws prohibited people from wearing French or Italian clothing, and in twentieth-century communist revolutions, uniforms were used to abolish class and race distinctions.
A person’s choice of clothing reveals their group membership and creates stereotypes that divide groups. For example, in high school, groups have names: “goths,” “skaters,” “preps,” and “herbs.” A person’s choice of clothing can reflect their social status or their attitude towards certain values, such as feminism, religion, or politics.