Global fashion trends have largely influenced the way individuals dress in the present era. This essay will demonstrate how social media and equal purchasing power parity have been the driving forces behind such a trend shift, and then argue that it is a negative development as it leads to loss of individuality for people and sustainability for the environment in the long run.
To begin with, social media plays a crucial role in influencing the clothing decisions of people, particularly the younger generation. This is because with the advent of internet, many young people can now follow and subscribe to the fashion trends of popular fashion designers at the click of a button. Moreover, development across the globe has equalised purchasing power for individuals regardless of their individual circumstances. Such an equality has enabled individuals to afford luxury items and services, including branded and designer clothes which was otherwise only accessible for the affluent. For instance, in my own experience, I was able to cultivate a better sense of fashion by following models and designers on social media platforms such as Instagram and Facebook at the convienience of my house without having to physically attend fashion shows.
However, such a paradigm shift on peoples clothing style have negative consequences for the environment, and on the unique individuality of people. This is to say that fast fashion will never be a sustainable option, particulary in an era where climate change has harmful implications on the communities health. Furthermore, clothes are an effective for people to uphold their individuality and in showcasing themselves as a personal brand in front of their peers, and copying fashion trends seems to rob them of this experience. For example, many people from the Gen Z generation style themselves in similar ways to that of fashion icons, and this seems to have impacted how clothes used to make one stand out in a crowd.
To conclude, even though global fashion trends are accessible to common people through social media platforms, and by holding equal purchasing power, the fact that such a transition is not sustainable for the environment, and that it erodes people of their uniqueness makes it a less desirable choice.