Unveiling Fashion: Business, Culture, and Identity in the Most Glamorous Industry (INSEAD Business Press)

Proposing A Comprehensive Account Of The Global Fashion Industry This Book Aims To Present Fashion As A Social And Cultural Fact. Drawing On Six Principles From The Industry, Godart Guides The Reader Through The Economic, Social And Political Arena Of The World's Most Glamorous Industry. By Frédéric Godart. "For most people, fashion can daze and confuse. It is, however, a fascinating phenomenon that is key to how we define our identities, and it plays a central role in our lives. Proposing a comprehensive and accessible account of the global fashion industry, this book aims to present fashion in all its diversity and richness, to 'unveil' its mysterious mechanisms. Drawing on six core principles from the industry, Frédéric Godart guides the reader through the economic, cultural and social arena of the world's most glamorous industry. First, in the everyday-life game of identity-building, where fashion is deployed, between the individual and society. Secondly, the convergence of trends reveals how social influence is played out; likewise, fashion as an art, and how this is characterized by a creative and aesthetic autonomy. Finally, to all these dimensions, contemporary fashion adds the figure of the 'creative genius, ' and gives a prominent importance to brands"--Publisher website Front Matter....Pages i-xiv Introduction — The Six Principles of Fashion....Pages 1-14 The Affirmation Principle — Fashion, between the Individual and Society....Pages 15-34 The Convergence Principle — The Centralization of Trends....Pages 35-63 The Autonomy Principle — The Emergence and Dynamics of Styles....Pages 64-87 The Personalization Principle — Fashion and Its Professionals....Pages 88-109 The Symbolization Principle — The Power of Signs and Meanings....Pages 110-128 The Imperialization Principle — How Fashion Became Systematized....Pages 129-142 Conclusion....Pages 143-147 Back Matter....Pages 148-208