Helen Kenny: Challenging and subverting the existing practices of fashion journalism: by radically re- examining the concept of fashion.
Senior Lecturer
Fashion Marketing
Nottingham Trent University
The global fashion community is experiencing accelerated development. There are more pre- collections being shown on the catwalk and more fashion ranges than ever being produced for the high street. Currently the fashion media is involved in a performance of rehearsed and forced opinions that starts with the design houses and their advertising budgets and ends with the consumer. This paper is going to question how this one sided conversation can be turned into an open ended dialogue. The complexities that create this limited dialogue are there for all whom wish to deconstruct the content of the fashion media: advertising, celebrity endorsement and multi-national companies possess a strong hold over deeply entrenched power structures. This paper will explore how it may be possible to subvert and challenge the existing processes and accepted practices of fashion journalism. It is necessary to radically question the existing agenda which underpins the existing fashion community.
Fashion traditionally refers to a prevailing custom or style of dress that is advent guarde, current or in the process of being adopted by the masses. The very definition of fashion means it is necessary to drop certain names, endorse certain products and reference certain role models. It is a logical impossibility to create a new meaning for the word fashion and ignore the context which the rest of the community engage with this concept. However it is possible to radically re examine the way in which it is possible to interact with and react to fashion. At present there very little engagement with the idea that mainstream fashion journalism could potentially critically evaluate the status quo.
In the current climate with a developing consumer who is more knowledgeable than previously the need for this radical reappraisal is more pressing than ever. The thoroughly modern consumer is more aware of the processes behind their purchasing decisions. They are also much more aware of the how the media is constructed. The dialogue that individuals are creating is becoming dynamic and should be used as a catalyst for the mainstream media to re-evaluate its current agenda. The use of blogs, podcasts, internet chat forums and independent magazines is opening up a more democratic and many sided discussion.
It is hard to see a way in which fashion journalists can free themselves from advertising constraints, ignore celebrities and be oblivious to the power of the multinationals. It seems part of the possible solution may lie with the new sophisticated and developing consumer. This paper is going to explore how the reader’s voice may be able to be further utilised by the media. The paper will also explore how journalists need to widen their scope and deepen the depth with which they engage with the fashion world. There needs to be more questioning of marketing, branding and lifestyle choices. Hopefully together these changes would result in fashion journalism that is more evaluative and engaging.
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Helen Kenny holds a degree in the History of Ideas and Psychology, which feeds into her current practice of tracing the development of and forecasting the direction of ideas. She worked as a journalist for Elle and Elle girl from 2000 to 2001. She was a journalist, and editor for Sunday Times Style from 2001 to 2005. During this time Helen commented on a wide range of issues relating to fashion and cultural trends. More recently she has moved into the sphere of academic research to gain a more critical perspective on fashion and the media.