Fashion and Clothes

People have always worn clothes either as protection or for modesty. Yet through history, people have also chosen clothes to impress or attract others, or to reflect their job, social status, or religious beliefs. Clothes send out signals about the wearer’s lifestyle and the type of society they live in for instance, during the 20^th century, the emancipation of women was reflected in the kind of clothes they wore, such as practical trousers.

Clothing design

Designers chose the fabric, color and shape of a garment. Their decisions are influenced by the function of the item, and who will eventually wear it. a work shirt for example must be made from durable fabric, a high fashion shirt can be made from less practical silk or linen.

Design

Some designers sketch their ideas for a new style into paper. Others work directly with the fabric, draping it over a dressmaker’s dummy, and pinning it until the right shape emerges.

Pattern

Once the design has been decided it is translated into pattern pieces, made from paper or card. These are used as a guide for cutting out the fabric. The pattern pieces are made in different sizes and then sent to the cutting room.

Daily wear

The popular informal outfit of shirt, jeans, and trainers can be seen in many parts of the world, worn by both sexes of all ages. This casual outfit is an example of the changing attitudes to clothes seen in the 20^th century. For the first time, everyday clothing crossed barriers of age, gender, and social class.

Clothing manufacture

The clothes manufacturing industry is massive, and employs millions of people worldwide. Some designs are exclusive, produced by the great fashion houses. Most clothes however are manufactured in standard sizes and from cutting to pressing are mass produced in factories.

Cutting

Up to 150 layers of fabric are spread out on long tables. The pattern pieces are then laid on top and the material is cut, using either a mechanical knife or a laser.

Sewing

The cut pieces are carried to the person whose job is to match them up for the sewing machinist. Each machinist concentrates on a particular part of the garment, such as the sleeves.

Pressing

Once the clothes are sewn together, they are laid on large, flat tables to be pressed. Then a final inspection is held to check the quality of the finished garment, before it is to be sold to a wholesaler. To make a stitch a sewing machine must loop one thread around another. The latest models are computerized; touching a panel changes the type of stitch. Domestic machines perform about 1000 stitches a minute and industrial machines are ten times faster.

Traditional clothes

The clothes worn in some parts of the world combine modern lifestyles and traditions that are thousands of years old. Traditional national costumes often reflect the dress of peasants, whose garments were suited to the local climate and the kind of work they performed.

Fashion

Following fashion was once so expensive that only the wealthy could afford it. Today, however, advances in manufacturing, and the invention of synthetic fabrics, allow more people to follow fashion. Styles have changed faster than ever before, and fashion has become big business. Shows by fashion houses such as Dior or Ralph Lauren attract buyers from all over the world.