Philosophical Perspectives on Fashion

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Philosophical Perspectives on Fashion places philosophical approaches at the heart of contemporary fashion studies. Considering the mutual relationships between aesthetics, modern society and culture, fashion and the fine arts, and the way these relationships have influenced and shaped our views on identity and taste, this ground-breaking book also explores the various intellectual and cultural movements that inform how people dress. In the context of the most recent debates, the leading fashion and philosophy scholars contributing to this volume refer to and apply theories posed by key thinkers of the modern and contemporary age, from Darwin and Wittgenstein to Husserl and Goodman, in order to answer questions such as: What is the essence of fashion and the reasons behind its fascination What is anti-fashion What or who do we imitate when we follow fashion What is fashion criticism and what should it be Anyone studying or interested in fashion, philosophy or art will find this book a rich source of ideas, insight and information. Philosophical Perspectives on Fashion is a valuable contribution to contemporary fashion theory and aesthetics, one that revitalizes the way we look at the form, purpose and meaning of fashion and aesthetic experience.

Reviews

This edited volume brings together international scholars of philosophy and fashion, contributing to filling the gap for philosophical research in the field. They show that these two disciplines are not as an unlikely pairing as it may seem, insofar as the experience of clothing has been, and will continue to be, a subject of inquiry. And it is this inquiry, at the heart of this book, that challenges the reader to reconsider what fashion is and could be. * Journal of Dress History *
This edited volume is likely to provoke much-needed debate about the relationship between philosophy and fashion. Using a philosophical lens, the authors address and push questions with which fashion theorists have been grappling: is anti-fashion a useful concept in fashion criticism Is there, or can there be, an essence of fashion To what extent can fashion be understood as a dialectic between imitation and differentiation To what extent does fashion rely on ambivalence and ambiguity Philosophical Perspectives on Fashion will be a welcome addition to the literatures on fashion and philosophy alike. -- Susan B. Kaiser, University of California, Davis, USA
A timely and thought-provoking collection of contributions, which explore fashion from a specifically philosophical perspective and reflect on the complex and dynamic nature of fashion itself. This book, much needed in philosophy, will open the field to further debates and lines of inquiry. -- Flavia Loscialpo, Southampton Solent University, UK.
[Authors] Giovanni Matteucci and Stefano Marino have produced a pivotal primer of thought and insight. They have expanded the concept of fashion to be considered not only as a stereotyped, marketable consumer product, but how fashion analysis can be useful in understanding complex codes of behaviour and societal values. * Fashion, Society & Popular Culture *

Author Bio

Giovanni Matteucci is Full Professor of Aesthetics at the University of Bologna, Italy. Stefano Marino is a Researcher and Lecturer of Aesthetics at the University of Bologna, Italy.