Jasia Kopec

Jasia Kopec, Thesis Film - Central Saint Martins, Fashion History & Theory.

Audio: Fashion - David Bowie (1980)

“Is there anything authentically ‘new’ anymore or is everything regenerated?” (Thomson, 2020). A question from a conversation between Miuccia Prada and Raf Simons following their SS21 debut collection as co-creative directors inspired the research for this thesis. ‘But is it an original?’ seeks to assess the meaning of originality and its relevance in 21st century fashion. Original comes from the Latin “originem” for beginning or birth. To be original is to do, create, express or think something that has not been done before. Originality differs in that as a noun, it is the state or quality of being original. In fashion, originality suggests the creation or work of a unique style, design and substance not copied or based on the work of others. Fashion tends to parallel the zeitgeist, respond to a functional need of a time, or pay homage to the past. It inevitably has temporal context and as such, is ever evolving. This thesis sits within the interplay between cultural, philosophical and societal ideas, and fashion, relating theories of postmodernism and its associated aesthetic to understand styles that rework elements of the past through pastiche and parody. The paradoxical relationship between modernist Raf Simons and his postmodern penchant for referencing is also discussed, as well as the use of postmodern practices in the work of Virgil Abloh, Demna Gvasalia, and Jeremy Scott through an analysis of their designs and their presentations. Furthermore, the increasing demands of the fashion industry including adhering to brand heritage, meeting financial targets and the deadlines set by fashion’s calendar are considered to examine whether originality can exist without true creative freedom.

Jasia Kopec, Thesis Film - Central Saint Martins, Fashion History & Theory.

Audio: Kraftwerk - The Model (1978)

“Is there anything authentically ‘new’ anymore or is everything regenerated?” (Thomson, 2020). A question from a conversation between Miuccia Prada and Raf Simons following their SS21 debut collection as co-creative directors inspired the research for this thesis. ‘But is it an original?’ seeks to assess the meaning of originality and its relevance in 21st century fashion. Original comes from the Latin “originem” for beginning or birth. To be original is to do, create, express or think something that has not been done before. Originality differs in that as a noun, it is the state or quality of being original. In fashion, originality suggests the creation or work of a unique style, design and substance not copied or based on the work of others. Fashion tends to parallel the zeitgeist, respond to a functional need of a time, or pay homage to the past. It inevitably has temporal context and as such, is ever evolving. This thesis sits within the interplay between cultural, philosophical and societal ideas, and fashion, relating theories of postmodernism and its associated aesthetic to understand styles that rework elements of the past through pastiche and parody. The paradoxical relationship between modernist Raf Simons and his postmodern penchant for referencing is also discussed, as well as the use of postmodern practices in the work of Virgil Abloh, Demna Gvasalia, and Jeremy Scott through an analysis of their designs and their presentations. Furthermore, the increasing demands of the fashion industry including adhering to brand heritage, meeting financial targets and the deadlines set by fashion’s calendar are considered to examine whether originality can exist without true creative freedom.

But is it an original?: Assessing the meaning of originality and its relevance within 21st century fashion.

“Is there anything authentically ‘new’ anymore or is everything regenerated?” (Thomson, 2020). A question from a conversation between Miuccia Prada and Raf Simons following their SS21 debut collection as co-creative directors inspired the research for this thesis. ‘But is it an original?’ seeks to assess the meaning of originality and its relevance in 21st century fashion. Original comes from the Latin “originem” for beginning or birth. To be original is to do, create, express or think something that has not been done before. Originality differs in that as a noun, it is the state or quality of being original. In fashion, originality suggests the creation or work of a unique style, design and substance not copied or based on the work of others. Fashion tends to parallel the zeitgeist, respond to a functional need of a time, or pay homage to the past. It inevitably has temporal context and as such, is ever evolving. This thesis sits within the interplay between cultural, philosophical and societal ideas, and fashion, relating theories of postmodernism and its associated aesthetic to understand styles that rework elements of the past through pastiche and parody. The paradoxical relationship between modernist Raf Simons and his postmodern penchant for referencing is also discussed, as well as the use of postmodern practices in the work of Virgil Abloh, Demna Gvasalia, and Jeremy Scott through an analysis of their designs and their presentations. Furthermore, the increasing demands of the fashion industry including adhering to brand heritage, meeting financial targets and the deadlines set by fashion’s calendar are considered to examine whether originality can exist without true creative freedom.