The Concept of Originality (in Fashion)

I was sitting in my English lecture the other day, and my lecturer said something really interesting about Shakespeare and originality. 

"Shakespeare's plots were rarely original."

"The idea of originality is very modern. Writers used to just steal various ideas and combine them. It was about how well you did it, not who did it first."

I instantly thought of Elsa Schiaparelli - I read her auto-biography earlier this year and she mentioned how she used to create and sell the patterns for her own clothing, so that people could make it at home, because she was aware not everyone could afford her clothing. This is also something that JW Anderson has recently done for one of his knit jumpers that Harry Styles wore. It blew up after TikTok fans started creating their own, so JW Anderson just released the pattern himself. 

Originality, especially in the fashion world, is something that I have actually spoken to a few people about recently. After hearing about revolutionaries, such as Mary Quant (for inventing the mini-skirt), Dior creating 'The New Look', Chanel for everything she ever did, it seems as though the waves you can make these days in the fashion industry are more about creating new trends, rather than creating a whole new garment, shape or way of wearing something. Or about "bringing back" old trends and making them relevant again. As a creative, this can be quite uninspiring. But the thought of creating something entirely new, unseen, and revolutionary is a new concept. When Shakespeare was writing his plays, he drew ideas from various other plays and stories and created his own. As my lecturer said, it was more about who did it best, rather than who did it first. 

I guess it's only really in recent years that jobs in the creative field have become more respected, but there are still limited places for success so people have become much more defensive of themselves and their ideas. Perhaps social media and the internet has played a major part - everything is available all the time and you can find anything with the click of a button. Maybe the growth of fast fashion has impacted it - small businesses will obviously lose money if a mass retailer is copying their supposedly original design. The growth of celebrity culture and wanting to look like your idols has also substantiated this whole idea - I think this whole phenomenon could be at the root of fast fashion. The skill of sewing, which used to be very basic, is also really quite rare now, and so people are forced to buy clothes rather than make something at home. It's also just probably one of those things that has developed over time. I personally think it reflects the obsession our society has with money, and the people with the money (like the mass retailers) jump at the chance to make more money off a small brand that doesn't know any better.  

Fashion has also become a much larger market than it was when Schiaparelli was creating her clothing, just like writing has become a much more respected career path than it was when Shakespeare was writing. In order to make money in your respectful creative career paths, you have to protect your ideas because they are your source of money. I do wonder if writers who had pieces of their stories stolen by Shakespeare were flattered or angered. Maybe the issue here is not someone copying you are deriving you of your originality, but instead claiming it as their own. 

Originality isn't just linked to money making instances however. We get offended when people (supposedly) copy us; when our friends buy the same top as us or decide that your favourite band is suddenly their favourite too. Somehow, many of us have created an identity for ourselves by the things we surround ourselves with. I am certainly one of those people, and I always have been. I remember deciding I wanted to be a fashion designer when I was nine, and drawing dresses in my little notebook all the time in class. Then the popular girl decided it was cool and started doing it too. And then everyone started copying her. I distinctly remember calling her out about it, and she claimed that she had done it first. That's what hurt little nine year old me the most. It's strange - when did we all become obsessed with individuality and when did it become okay to be a bit different? Yet, we still shame people for being the wrong kind of different. 

I guess it's just what they say - imitation is the greatest form of flattery.