When one mentions the discipline of fashion design, what often comes to mind is aesthetic appeal and garment construction. Hence, it may seem unlikely that a scientific concept, namely the theory of evolution, would have any place in this discipline. However, the key principles of the superconcept of evolution, namely: variation, natural selection and environmental adaption, might be useful in understanding the patterns and development of fashion design that exists in our society today. The postulation that “a concept, arising in one discipline, can be effectively applied in other disciplinary contexts is called a ‘superconcept’” (Wilson, 2010) explains this phenomenon of employing a concept or theory outside its origin or usual discipline. A superconcept should be “applicable to many systems and in many disciplines” (Wilson, 2010) in an effective and fruitful way for it to be deemed a superconcept. In this essay, I will be elucidating on how the application of the superconcept of evolution outside the scientific domain, in the study of fashion design, might be useful in gaining a better understanding of trends in the fashion industry.
The concept of evolution originates in the discipline of biology. The most widely accepted and studied theory of evolution today can be traced back to having its origins in Charles Darwin’s publication, On the Origins of Species in 1859, in which he theorises that all species possess a common ancestor and that their evolution follows a branching pattern through the process of natural selection. Natural selection is defined by Darwin to be the “preservation of favourable variations and the rejection of injurious variations” (Darwin, 1859), insinuating that species, including human beings, evolve by developing the assets that will insure their survival. This is due to genetic variation as organisms accumulate and preserve minor mutations or variations that are favourable in respective to their environment. A classic example of evolution in biology would be industrial melanism in the peppered moth. However, a modern evolutionary approach, based on the seminal work of Charles Darwin, can be used outside of scientific disciplines to explain the evolution of cultural aspects in society. This approach suggests that, just as the forces of natural selection can shape physiological features, they can also shape morphological features, which in turn can have a significant impact on the psychological and behavioural tendencies of human beings. An evolutionary approach maintains that human beings inherit brains equipped to behave in ways that are adaptive that are fitted to the demands of the environments within which their ancestors evolved. Our brains are designed to adapt to and survive in today’s world, not just from a physical but also cultural point of view, which can be evidently seen in fashion design and the proliferation of fashion in different cultures and societies around the world. The contribution of fashion to cultures in society is prolific, with a few apt examples being ethnic costumes and trends that define decades by possessing key aesthetic elements that embody the beliefs and societal values of that particular time. For example, the 1920s saw the rise of short skirts and dresses in flapper fashion, where they were worn copiously to express disdain for restrictive, misogynistic views on women, hence defining a cultural shift forward in society in favour of feminism.
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Evolution can be applied to explain the developments in fashion design trends that are motivated by social factors. Humans today possess affiliative adaptions that play a huge part in their purchase behavior as a means to be accepted and survive in social situations. Aristotle states that “man is by nature a social animal” and indeed, research has shown that oxytocin, a hormone which impacts the happiness and emotional wellbeing of an individual, “is involved in the formation of bonds between mates and between mothers and their offspring”, further reinforcing that humans are naturally wired to be social creatures. “Like their hominid ancestors, humans are deeply social and have benefitted from affiliation as a means of fulfilling a variety of needs.” (Reis, 2009) Hence, natural selection has “favored social tendencies among humans” (Reis, 2009). This aptly explains the phenomenon of trends in the fashion industry, which are specific fashions that dictate what could be considered societally superior or popular in terms of physical appearance, style and expression. Designs that resemble these trends are often the ones that survive most in the fashion industry, in terms of media coverage, relevance and sales figures. Once a trend in the fashion industry arises, its production and sales are often rapidly proliferated by companies and the mass public. In 2016, an e-commerce platform named “Hypebeast made a record-breaking 708-percent jump” (Wang, 2016) on its Asia debut, which coincides with the time period that streetwear gained unprecedented traction and praise in the fashion industry, “where the proliferation of streetwear followed the fashion set to London, Milan and Paris” (Klein, 2016) where high-street brands such as Louis Vuitton and Dior, which once only sold opulent, elegant pieces, were now designing garments that resembled streetwear with elements of sportswear and casual attire. The positive correlation between trends and their respective production as well as sales figures signifies that fashion designers are pushed to adapt their designs in a way that increases their odds of survival in the fashion market, by ensuring that their work has mainstream or trendy appeal in order to obtain sales. In fashion design, the consumers’ individual social motives drive the content and manner in which information is processed, fashion designers should react accordingly. This evolutionary approach suggests that fashion design is now less about trying to persuade consumers to don a desired style and more about presenting the desired trend as a natural solution to a want that is already active.
However, one could argue that the copious amounts of conscious choices made by a designer in fashion design disproves the notion that evolution as a superconcept could be applicable in this discipline. Darwin states that the “term ‘natural selection’ is in some respects a bad one, as it seems to imply conscious choice” (Darwin, 1868), implying that a key principle of evolution is that it has to occur without any calculated, strategic influences. This principle is greatly inapplicable in fashion design, in which designers and their creative teams are constantly working to assess and evaluate consumers’ style preferences in order to adapt their designs to fit these demands. Furthermore, trends often originate from admired figures such as celebrities, or renowned brands that possess an image of prestige. Hence, these figures and fashion designers often hold the power to give impetus to new trends in fashion design. These choices are made with strategic motives that although still hold the ultimate motive of ensuring survival in the industry, are often carefully calculated and made with intention. Gucci's Alessandro Michele designed the snake motif with the knowledge that “Snakes hold different places of esteem across different cultures, they can represent fertility, rebirth, or healing.” (Fenner, 2016), hence deeming it a warranted design that would be relevant to society, and pushed it forward by placing it “all over his spring 2016 collection” (Fenner, 2016). This abundant increase of the particular serpentine design from a luxury fashion designer was a result of a well-researched, calculated choice by a designer in his discipline of expertise. When this trend received great positive public acclaim, “other fashion designers quickly followed suit: Tisci put snakes all over Givenchy's fall 2016 menswear, including an $875 sweater. Balenciaga is offering snake-print scarves for $495” (Fenner, 2016), further reinstating that fashion designers consciously choose to adapt their designs to adapt to their environmental circumstances, namely these market demands by consumers.
Lastly, the idea that fashion design evolves according to the theory of evolution can be propounded by the fact that it abides by the principle of genetic mutation when adapting to its environment. Fashion design has been used as a frontier for activism, resulting in simultaneous progressions between the history of garment designs and human history. An apt example would be the pantsuit. The pantsuit originated as attire solely meant for men, but in 1966 Yves Saint-Laurent designed an “evening pantsuit for women that mimicked a man's tuxedo” (Hillary, 2005), featuring a boxy silhouette and straight cut pant legs. “Wearing a pantsuit was the expectation at the time if you were to be taken seriously as a business woman” (Tarrant, 2016). However, they were still criticized as pantsuits were deemed as unsuitable for women due to their masculine, strong silhouette and “women were not permitted to wear pantsuits on the United States Senate Floor until 1993” (Foster, 2005). This was during a time where femininity was perceived to be a liability in the workplace, hence pantsuits were worn as a means to attenuate one’s femininity to adapt to a male-dominated workforce when society still had rather misogynistic views on women in careers. In the 90s, the third wave of feminism gained traction and the fashion choices of women became more liberated. Third wave feminism pushed for “respect for traditionally 'girly' pursuits like makeup and fashion” (Armstrong, 2016). Many fashion designers hence begin altering their designs of the pantsuit to become more “girly” and feminine, thus the pantsuit underwent a change from a boxier, straight-cut to a more body-fitting and elegant silhouette. This change in silhouette and fit of the pantsuit could be likened to gene mutations in which physiological changes in organisms occur. Therefore, this illustrates that fashion designs evolve accordingly to adapt to their environment, which aligns with Darwin’s theory of evolution.
Despite its origins in biology and adherence to scientific processes, evolution can still be applied as a superconcept in disciplines outside the scientific domain, hence qualifying it as a superconcept. The principles found in this superconcept can be employed in the discipline of fashion design to understand the changes and transformations of garment designs over time. Although fashion designs do evolve and change according to social factors and trends as a means to survive their environment in the fashion market, some may argue that designers still do make a calculated, conscious choice in choosing to adapt. However, fashion designs evolve in accordance to society’s cultural evolution on societal views as well, hence demonstrating the principle of evolution in parallel to its environment.
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