Timeline of melancholic tales
Ever wondered what made humans distract from their traditional clothing and shift to a contemporary manner? Archives of the Fashion Industry are the reigns of legacy, identity, and knowledge. Fashion can be broadly categorised into 4 distinctive toned, withering elements of time- Art Nouveau, Art Deco, Postmodernism, Digital Age and Parametric. Jotting them through the outputs from the synergy of the contradictory fields- Architecture and Fashion integrate their definitions and bind them all together. The world of Fashion is an extensively cohesive field exuberating the history and stature built within the timeline. Both the fields to some extent narrate the immense similarities they have in between. Characterizable features of architectural drafts of intervening times are undermined. Unwinding and adaptation of these tales is what defines an architect. Adoption could be through materiality, storytelling, sustainable techniques etc. One such fine example is La Samaritaine, featured in series like Emily in Paris; it has survived through the tales of different architects without withering its experience and history.
Remunerating the similarities
Fashion and architecture had a collaborative symphony from establishing an identity within humans. The question of identity became the interlinking key for both Fashion and Architecture to which the response was massive. The need to adapt, readapt and sustain became the major aspect of both industries. It has always been the chameleon effect, the response of designers with respect to the environment. The effect of camouflaging and unveiling has coexisted until the effect of tuning to Westernised mode captivated the minds of designers. With the contradictory fields, the translation is through the base and integrity of fashion designers towards the brand’s outlook. The interlinking thread of multiverse is the reflection of both the creators, through the façade of flagship stores, the design of manufacturing units and the implementation of fashion hubs at a mega scale. The similarities between both industries can integrate into developing the identity of abandoned or lost heritage of a particular space. For example, Malwa Mill Crossroad, initially a hub of the Textile Industry, now lives in the scarred state and shelter for strays. What could have gone so wrong to ultimately discard its identity?
Transcribing the Lost Identity
The introduction to Industrialization led to the flickering of the country’s essence. Impacting the community by the abandonment of local materials and traditional shops, factories, workshops etc. The pre-independence period in India had adverse effects on the local – factories and the designers, who had to shift from traditional clothing to unknown techniques of garment production. The impact was on a mega scale by polluting the environment and affecting the working conditions of the labourers. This led to major strikes by labourers, ultimately harming the labour-intensive industries. Being the prime location for a fashion hub, the urban fabric disintegrated with the identity of that place. One of the studies depicts the negative impact the material had on the structure’s life. Rana Plaza Disaster narrates the story of lives lost because of the collapse of an eight-storey commercial building housing multiple shops, banks and killing, and injuring workers. The disaster led due to the structure failure and noticeable cracks in walls, the ignorance led to the loss of workers and a global impact on industries tied with Rana Plaza such as India.
Quoting one of the elemental architects, Coco Channel,” Fashion is Architecture: It’s a matter of proportions.” The statement is a justification of time and history that has adapted marvellously. The accommodation of clothing with respect to architectural styles proves to be evidence of time- organic forms complemented the flowy dresses, envious of post-modernism designers flanking their sleek modern, brand-based clothing and comprehending the dynamic buildings. Currently blending the organic dresses with parametric designs.
Fashion and architecture have always responded in consideration of the environment. As architects design with respect to climate or the architectural term “climate responsive design” similarly fashion designers create dresses to define the identity of people respecting the comfort and environment. Taking sustainability into account, fashion designers have taken steps ahead of time and corrected the flaws of the past. Anita Dongre, one of the finest fashion designers in India, has always shown her respect towards the environment through sustainable designs. Her childhood went through the exhilarating tales of the art and craft of Jaipur. Her designs complement the nature and heritage that India carries forward. One of her remarkable fashion shows was in the City Palace of Jaipur and her design’s theme was “elephant conservation”. Her innocent motive for this fashion show was to enhance the value of heritage and nature through architectural fashion.
