Fashion Terms Lecture by Bliss Foster

Introduction

• Presenter: Bliss Foster
• Purpose: Clarify common fashion terms for better conversations
• Audience: Beginners in fashion, whether for career or hobby
• Encourages note-taking for better retention

Key Fashion Terms

Archive vs. Vintage

• Archive: Clothing from past collections of a designer not in the current season
  • Important for understanding designers' current work
  • Common in avant-garde menswear
  • Brands maintain archives of their own work
• Vintage: Items typically 20 years or older
  • Originates from terminology in the wine industry
  • Provides affordable entry into fashion for enthusiasts
  • Example: Vintage Dior Saddle Bags
  • All vintage is archival, but not vice versa

Glossary of Terms

Warp and Weft

• Warp: Horizontal threads held by a loom
• Weft: Threads woven over and under warp
• Bias Cut: Fabric cut at a 45-degree angle for more fluidity
  • Associated with Madeline Vionnet and John Galliano

Collaborations

• Partnerships between brands or artisans
• Allows shared resources and expertise
• Example: Sacai x Nike collaboration
• Often a business strategy rather than solely creative
• Larger brands gain "street cred" from smaller brands

Couture and Haute Couture

• Couture: Client-specific fashion design and manufacture
• Haute Couture: Defined by legal standards in France
  • Requires made-to-order designs, Paris-based atelier, specific staffing, and seasonal collections.
  • Example brands: Valentino, Armani

Ready-to-Wear

• Mass-produced fashion sold in standard sizes
• Revolutionized by Yves Saint Laurent

Creative Director

• Role involves setting and executing a brand's vision
• Not necessarily a designer
• Example: Virgil Abloh changing perception of the role

Democratization

• Making fashion accessible to everyone
• Example: Public access to show notes

Deconstruction

• Analytical method emphasizing internal language workings
• In fashion: Exposing or altering garment construction

Anti-Fashion

• Styles contrary to current mainstream fashion
• Consistency in aesthetic over years
• Example designers: Yohji Yamamoto, Rei Kawakubo

Avant-Garde

• Experimental and new ideas in art
• Focus on form over content
• Distinct from trends due to innovation over commercialism

Conclusion

• Encourages joining Patreon for more insights
• Invites feedback and discussion in comments
• Emphasizes the importance of understanding and using fashion terms accurately for productive discourse