Running Head: CULTURAL IDENTITY, FASHION FREEDOM, AND INCLUSIVE

NARRATIVES

CULTURAL IDENTITY, FASHION FREEDOM, AND INCLUSIVE NARRATIVES

Student’s Name

Institutional Affiliation
 CULTURAL IDENTITY, FASHION FREEDOM, AND INCLUSIVE NARRATIVES

Introduction

A prevalent theme that emerges across the readings, video, and guest speaker content is

the intrinsic connection between clothing, textiles, and the expression of personal and cultural

identities. Apparel is a powerful medium for individuals and groups to assert their values, ideals,

and narratives, concurrently shaping and being shaped via the broader social, political, and

historical contexts in which they exist. This topic highlights the multifaceted roles that clothing

plays in human societies, transcending the mere capability to be a canvas for self-expression,

cultural upkeep, and socio-political remarks.

Paragraph 1 (The Anthropology of Cloth)

In "The Anthropology of Cloth," Jane Schneider delves into the deep cultural resonance

of textiles and apparel across societies. She emphasizes how the manufacturing, adornment, and

use of cloth are inexorably linked to a community's worldview, social systems, and symbolic

meanings. By intently analyzing the complex designs, strategies, and substances hired in creating

textiles, Schneider reveals the rich narratives meticulously woven into those fabrics (Welters et

al., 2023). These narratives encapsulate the multifaceted identities, loved values, and storied

histories of the people who crafted them. Schneider's work illuminates how apparel and textiles

function as powerful canvases for expressing a tradition's essence, embodying its participants'

lived experiences, beliefs, and aspirations.

Paragraph 2 (Introduction: Europe and the People Without Fashion)

 CULTURAL IDENTITY, FASHION FREEDOM, AND INCLUSIVE NARRATIVES

The chapter "Introduction: Europe and the People Without Fashion" examines the

Western idea of favor and its implications for non-Western societies. The authors assume that

positive cultures lack an experience of fashion, maintaining that those communities possess

excellent aesthetic structures and modes of self-expression via garb. This analysis underscores

how clothing choices are profoundly rooted in cultural contexts, serving to declare one's identity,

social status, and belonging inside a specific organization (Welters et al., 2017). It highlights

how clothing communicates man or woman and collective identities throughout one-of-a-kind

cultural frameworks.

Paragraph 3 (Introduction with the aid of Linda Welters and Abby Lillethun)

In the "Fashion and Culture Reader," Linda Welters and Abby Lillethun's creation

highlights the interdisciplinary nature of favor studies and its elaborate connections with various

components of human life(Lillethun, 2011). They underscore apparel's importance as an

influential communicator of man or woman and collective identities, reflecting social, monetary,

and political dynamics. This analysis encourages holistic information of favor as a cultural

phenomenon transcending mere aesthetics, extending into nation-states of identity formation,

social stratification, and artistic expression (Welters & Lillethun, 2022). It emphasizes style's

multifaceted roles in shaping and expressing human reviews and societal structures.

Paragraph 4 (Video: "How to tailor fashion Adebayo Oke Lawal")

In the video "How to tailor style freedom," Nigerian fashion designer Adebayo Okelawal

passionately advocates using clothing for self-expression and cultural affirmation. He

 CULTURAL IDENTITY, FASHION FREEDOM, AND INCLUSIVE NARRATIVES

emphasizes embracing one's precise identity and challenging societal norms through style.

Okelawal's designs blend traditional African aesthetics with current styles, developing a visible

language that celebrates range, challenges gender norms, and empowers people to embody their

true selves (What Design Can Do, 2022). His work highlights the potential of style to function as

a powerful device for affirming personal and cultural identities, even as defying restrictive

conventions and selling inclusivity.

Paragraph five (Guest Speaker Adebayo Okelawal)

During our discussion, guest speaker Adebayo Okelawal elaborated on his fashion

method as a non-public and cultural expression device. He shared insights into the symbolic

meanings of his designs, drawing suggestions from various African traditions, philosophies, and

narratives. Okelawal emphasized reclaiming and redefining narratives surrounding African

identities through apparel (Mitchell, 2019). His paintings demand situations and stereotypes and

foster a sense of delight and self-acceptance; by infusing his creations with rich cultural

symbolism, Okelawal ambitions to empower people to have a good time in their proper selves,

even as concurrently uplifting and redefining perceptions of African identities.

Conclusion

The ordinary subject matter of clothing as a medium for expressing personal and cultural

identities resonates throughout the readings, video, and guest speaker content material. These

resources underscore the profound connections among clothing, self-expression, and diverse

narratives' upkeep and birthday parties. As we move this topic concerning apparel, essential
 CULTURAL IDENTITY, FASHION FREEDOM, AND INCLUSIVE NARRATIVES

questions arise: How can fast rise be leveraged to promote cross-cultural knowledge and social

change? How can designers and consumers play a role in challenging harmful stereotypes and

fostering inclusive narratives? Additionally, research into the sustainable production and intake

of garb could beautify our understanding of the intricate relationships among garb, identification,

and environmental stewardship.

 CULTURAL IDENTITY, FASHION FREEDOM, AND INCLUSIVE NARRATIVES

References

Lillethun, A. (2011, March). Document - Gale Academic OneFile. Retrieved March 6, 2024,

from go.gale.com website: https://go.gale.com/ps/i.do?id=GALE

%7CA580223142&sid=googleScholar&v=2.1&it=r&linkaccess=abs&issn=20500726&p

=AONE&sw=w&userGroupName=anon%7E6100cc9b&aty=open-web-entry

Mitchell, L. (2019, March 12). Adebayo Oke-Lawal on using fashion as a tool for social change.

Retrieved March 6, 2024, from Design Indaba website:

https://www.designindaba.com/articles/creative-work/adebayo-oke-lawal-using-fashion-

tool-social-change

Welters, L., Lillethun, A., & Whitley, L. D. (2023). CSA Scholars’ Roundtable Presentation.

Dress, 49(1), 1–15. https://doi.org/10.1080/03612112.2023.2170098

Welters, L., Pisula, J., Martinelli, M., Corrigan, M. E., Lockrem, S., Templeton, S., … Baker, H.

(2017). Mapping fashion in the "City by the Sea": Newport, Rhode Island Shopping

Districts. Fashion, Style & Popular Culture, 4(1), 7–31.

https://doi.org/10.1386/fspc.4.1.7_1

What Design Can Do. (2022, June 27). How to tailor fashion freedom | Adebayo Oke Lawal.

Retrieved March 6, 2024, from www.youtube.com website:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0H6bB0nIrCQ&t=2s