Fashion is an art form, and as such it reflects not only the social demands of the present but is also capable of anticipating and capturing whatever is bubbling just beneath the surface. Alongside creative expression, this is surely the most interesting and intriguing aspect about it: the perception of the not-yet-manifest and the transposition of social and cultural dynamics, through inventiveness and creativity, into pieces of clothing and everyday items.
There have been years when all this was very clear, years when the emerging creative drive was overbearing, when the singularity of style was more linked to artistic inspiration and personal expression than to the fashion system in the strict sense. Speaking more generally, every artistic form has always had to come to terms with this aspect, but the challenge is to find ways and means that allow personal expression whilst not conflicting with commissions and market requirements. Because, while this close connection is obviously non-negotiable, economic logic and strategies – not least production costs – constrain, limit and cage creative flair, to the detriment of individuality and uniqueness.
However, I like to think of a near future in which it is possible to recover margins of expressive autonomy that allow us to move away from seriality and creative flattening. A future in which craftsmanship, imperfection and originality are at once the starting points and the ultimate goal.
Photo and concept by Elisabetta Scarpini