Consumerism In The Suit

847 Words4 Pages
I have chosen to write this essay on ‘suits’, following the lecture presented by Hilary O’Keefe on Wednesday the 10th of December. The lecture analysed the relationship between consumption and identity. It dealt with consumer culture and how we have all become basically retail slaves i.e we spend money on things such as hair, make-up and clothes in an attempt to construct an identity for ourselves. A documentary dealing with this subject was then shown as part of the lecture and it cleverly revealed how consumerism works, giving examples of many different trends and identifying companies looking to capitalise on and ‘target market’ relative to those trends. It demonstrated in no uncertain terms how consumerism affects us and how it has steadily…show more content…
The suit we know today is the product of many decades of evolution and fine tuning in mens social attire. Suits have come a long way since their origins around the 17th century.The style at this time being a long coat, waistcoat, cravat and breeches. This style was heavily influenced by King Louis XIV. The suit began to evolve in the early nineteenth century when the more lavish style of the french court began to loose favour and a sleeker suit with straighter lines became the ‘de rigeur'. “The nineteenth century saw, with industrial revolution, the rise of the merchant class and the consequent domination of material and purely practical values. Any unnecessary sartorial fluctuations were discarded and mens clothes became stylised and…show more content…
The most commonly used out of these would be polyester due to its durability and relatively low cost. It is often combined with other materials as nowadays a myriad of fabric combinations can be used in any given suit. The cost of the suit will depend on the fabrics used and this cost can vary depending on the reputation of an individual tailor or indeed the marketing strategy of a particular suit company. Tailor-made or bespoke suits are still a luxury with most mens suits being bought off the rail in modern department stores . Tailored suits are more expensive as they involve fabric decisions, precision measuring and a high level of craft in order to achieve a perfectly fitted suit. Mass production of suits involves a designer who plans the entire suit through a number of sketches. The design information is then sent to a computerised cutting machine. Its precise cuttings produce pieces that will fit together seamlessly. Afterwards a computerised sewing machine is used to fasten all of the pieces together perfectly. The cost of these suits depends on the fabric used and the esteem in which the designer is held . In ‘Fine Art’ terms a good suit from a good designer would be the equivalent of a limited print from a great
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