How fashion helps us express who we are -- and what we stand for | Kaustav Dey

Summary

In this powerful talk, the speaker shares their personal journey with fashion, exploring how clothing can serve as a form of self-expression, rebellion, and empowerment. From a young age, they struggled with feeling different and invisible but discovered the transformative power of fashion when they wore their father's old, unconventional bell-bottom pants. The speaker highlights how fashion has been used by people like Malala, widows in India, and activists worldwide to assert their identity and defy oppression. Ultimately, they argue that fashion is a tool for protest, a way to wear our courage, and a means to embrace who we truly are.

Takeaways

• 😀 Fashion is a powerful form of self-expression and can communicate our unique identities to the world.
• 😀 Embracing differences and expressing individuality through fashion can help break free from societal expectations.
• 😀 Wearing something unique can provide a sense of confidence and disrupt norms, as demonstrated by the speaker's childhood experience with bell-bottom pants.
• 😀 Fashion can also be a form of protest, challenging oppressive social and cultural norms.
• 😀 In some parts of the world, what we wear can be a matter of life and death, as seen in the stories of individuals like Karar Nushi and Alisha.
• 😀 The oppression of women and marginalized groups is often embedded in societal dress codes and expectations, like the white sari tradition for widows in India.
• 😀 Fashion can bring joy and freedom of choice, as exemplified by the widows of Vrindavan celebrating Holi by wearing color against tradition.
• 😀 Great designers like Jean Paul Gaultier, Thom Browne, and Alexander McQueen have used fashion to challenge societal norms and push boundaries.
• 😀 Fashion gives people the opportunity to disrupt the status quo, creating visual statements that can spark change and highlight oppression.
• 😀 The importance of standing out and embracing individuality is critical in a world that often values conformity over diversity and difference.

Q & A

What did the speaker discover at the age of 10 that changed their perspective on fashion?

At the age of 10, the speaker discovered a pair of their father's old black corduroy bell-bottom pants, which they fell in love with despite their worn and unattractive condition. This discovery led to a shift in their perspective on fashion and self-expression.

How did the speaker describe their childhood experience with school uniforms?

The speaker described being grateful for the school uniform because it made them blend in, helping them avoid bullying and making them feel invisible. This uniform allowed them to feel like they conformed to societal expectations despite feeling different from their peers.

What role did fashion play in the speaker's transformation?

Fashion, particularly wearing the bell-bottom pants, helped the speaker embrace their uniqueness and gain confidence. By choosing to wear something different, they stopped trying to blend in and instead began to celebrate their individuality.

What did the speaker mean by 'the power of fashion'?

The 'power of fashion' refers to the ability of clothing to communicate our identity and differences to the world. Fashion becomes an expression of who we are, and by embracing it, we can stop viewing our differences as shameful and instead see them as something to be proud of.

How did Malala face criticism for her clothing, and what does this show about the significance of fashion?

Malala faced online criticism for wearing jeans, with trolls attacking her based on her clothing choice. This highlights the significance of fashion in representing personal identity and the consequences it can have, especially when clothing choices challenge cultural norms.

What does the speaker's grandmother's story reveal about the role of fashion in culture and tradition?

The speaker's grandmother's story illustrates how fashion can be a tool for expressing personal agency, especially in societies with rigid traditions. Despite the cultural expectation for widows in India to wear white, she chose to wear color until her death, signifying the importance of fashion in personal expression and freedom.

What is the significance of the widows of Vrindavan celebrating Holi?

The widows of Vrindavan celebrating Holi represents a powerful act of resistance against the oppressive tradition that prohibits them from participating in the festival of color. By coloring themselves during Holi, they reclaim their agency and disrupt the social norms imposed on them.

How did fashion serve as a tool of defiance in the works of designers like Jean Paul Gaultier, Thom Browne, and Alexander McQueen?

Fashion designers like Jean Paul Gaultier, Thom Browne, and Alexander McQueen used fashion as a means of defiance against traditional gender roles and expectations. Through their designs, they taught society that fashion could challenge norms and celebrate individuality, such as women wearing suits or men wearing heels.

How did the cases of Karar Nushi and Alisha highlight the life-or-death consequences of fashion choices?

Both Karar Nushi and Alisha faced violence and death because of their fashion choices. Karar, an actor from Iraq, was murdered after receiving death threats for his style, and Alisha, a transgender activist from Pakistan, was denied medical treatment and shot due to her choice to wear women's clothing. Their stories underscore how clothing choices can have life-and-death consequences in certain parts of the world.

What message does the speaker convey about the role of fashion in the fight against oppression?

The speaker conveys that fashion can be a form of protest and a means to fight against oppression. By embracing our right to express ourselves through what we wear, we can disrupt the norms that seek to suppress us, just as the widows of Vrindavan did with their colorful Holi celebration.