Celebrating Women’s Month: The Founding Fathers and the Future
Courtesy of The Impression
Written By: Natalie Ladino
Fashion is an illustration of an industry that allows women to reach their potential in a creative and positive way. Unlike other industries, the fashion industry does more than just give women a medium, but it also gives women the opportunity to influence the younger generations. This month, we celebrate women. March is Women’s History Month which is dedicated to recognizing the contributions of women in history. Tuesday, March 8, 2022, was International Women’s Day, celebrated to mark the multitude of advancements they have made. This month, we educate ourselves on the founders of fashion, the trailblazers, and the future to look forward to.
Coco Chanel, a firm cornerstone of fashion, is one of the most influential brands in the world that celebrates the advancements of women. The distinguished brand was founded by Gabrielle Chanel and was started by a small hat boutique in 1910. From the beginning, her hats were appreciated by high-level celebrities. In 1913, she took her first steps at revolutionizing fashion. She designed sportswear made from jersey, which is a popular male fabric. Her sportswear line gave women the opportunity to be simultaneously flexible, stylish, and comfortable. From this decision, the women’s fashion industry began to change. Her style was meant to be comfortable, but still visually beautiful. She shifted from tight-fitting corsets towards “unrestricting” garments. From there, she grew her career in France and even went to Hollywood to design for movies. She created influential pieces that embraced femininity and celebration. Up until 1971, she crafted fashion that would be memorialized for centuries. Chanel is one of the very few brands that are given a temporary exhibition at the Met in New York City. Her strides to create a more inclusive and freeing environment are remembered throughout fashion today.
Like Chanel, Stella McCartney is a modern designer who influences our current fashion trends. Her creations are unique because of her vegan approach. None of her designs incorporate any leather or fur. On a global scale, she advocates for sustainability on all fronts. Sustainable fashion is at the core of Stella McCartney. On the front of her “Sustainability” page, she states: “We are committed to always being responsible, honest and accountable today, with a positive impact on people, the planet and all its creatures so that we can protect it for tomorrow” (read more here).
Since 2001, she has been a leader in making fashion sustainable and has influenced our industry. This past year, Stella McCartney and Greenpeace partnered to create t-shirts and sweatshirts that supported Greenpeace’s campaign to end deforestation in the Amazon. The garments are inspired by eco-activist designs and are made from organic cotton. Stella McCartney has been a trailblazer and proven that sustainability is more than just a fashion show or a commitment. Not only has she used eco-friendly materials in her creations, but her brand has collaborated with campaigns making real change in our environment. Chanel and Stella McCartney are the trendsetters the fashion industry needs. Designers who are passionate about social change and are not afraid of possible public backlash or criticism are crucial to advancing our communities. Fashion shows that embrace femininity, sustainability, diversity, and inclusivity are the beginning steps, and should not be idolized as if they are groundbreaking. Groundbreaking can be defined as the strides set forward by Stella McCartney and designers alike who have done more than put on a sustainability-driven show. Stella McCartney, Rich Mnisi, Rui, and TomBoyx are brands that make a significant difference in the fashion industry. With initiators like Chanel and Stella McCartney, women designers continue to transcend the status quo. Even during Paris Fashion Week this past week, designers embraced femininity and made the most of the feminine form.
Because of the momentum of feminism in fashion throughout history, new and upcoming designers showcase their passions and creativity in a variety of ways. Rua Carlotta is a brand that devises each item as an exclusively unique article made from used materials. Founded by Charlotte Rose Kirkham, Rua Carlotta originated as an art project. Kirkham is an artist and treats each unique piece as such. Each texture, fabric, and stitching is her medium of creativity. The allure of her brand is that each creation is entirely unique. She never creates the same piece twice, and she uses dead-stock and pre-loved materials. She is experimental and innovative with her work. Rua Carlotta’s values and origin encompass the metamorphosis of the fashion industry.
Rua Carlotta, Chanel, and Stella McCartney are examples of unprecedented designers that embrace sustainability and femininity, and there are an extensive number of designers who follow in their footsteps‐using them as inspiration to create their own path. Fashion is one of those industries that allows women to be extraordinarily creative. It’s important to highlight the women who made society-altering decisions, especially since they were not always supported by the public. If there’s any takeaway from designers around, it’s that we should not fear away from our individuality and passions. To stand in unity and inclusion, we have to embrace our own differences, our passions, and our voices. This month is dedicated to women celebrating our accomplishments. If women designers continue to cultivate the unimaginable and advocate for momentous movements of our community, then the future of fashion, and society as a whole, is looking heartening.