The Defiance of Fashion: Why Is Fashion Continually Viewed as Superficial & Irrelevant To Art?

AUBURN, AL — Fashion has earned its place in the art world through its historical influence on cultural identities, its ability to reflect social change, and its enduring role in shaping individuals’ sense of identity and self-expression. It has held a prominent role that extends beyond just aesthetics and consumerism, grounded in craftsmanship that says just as much as a painting that hangs on the wall.

Despite its artistic complexity and cultural significance, apparel design is often just dismissed as purely commercial. Fashion design students say that the field carries a stigma that undermines its legitimacy.

“As a fashion design major myself, my peers and I see firsthand the skepticism around our career choice,” said one student. “It’s often seen as something we simply do for fun, an escape from the realities of a ‘real job,’ or something only pursued for social reasons. I’ve been told, ‘it’s a career not taken seriously.’” Yet, what so many people fail to recognize is the immense discipline and innovation required to succeed in this field. It requires qualities that rival “serious” professions.

How easy and shortsighted it is to dismiss a passion that others devote their lives to perfecting, without experiencing first the discipline and vision it demands; to demean an artistic medium that exercises meticulous perfection, time, and ingenuity. It is passion that spans beyond just a love for clothing. It begins with a calling for creativity and a drive to communicate without words.

Critics often view fashion as irrelevant and superficial to art simply because they view it within the commercial fashion industry, and that is a very narrow viewpoint. Fashion, as in the creation of clothing and intentional decisions of what to wear, is crammed with meaning, not to mention intense craftsmanship. In a recent online discussion, one commenter stated, “I think that fashion is not something that should be viewed in the same category as painting, literature, games, film, food, or most art forms.” They remarked that they still believe it is art, yet still view it as a “superficial, unnecessary art form which glorifies a mass amount of unnecessary spending.” In addition to this, there is a resistance to fashion, the idea that loving fashion is to be ridiculous. The expression of an interest in fashion is, more often than not, met with condescension or disregard, as if it lacks depth or seriousness. As if you had just confessed to a crime.

Viviana Straniero, a junior apparel design major at Auburn University, disagrees. “Fashion is art in motion – it carries meaning, history, and identity. It’s the only medium that lives on the body. The conversation is about more than just clothing; it’s about how we express who we are without ever having to speak.” The creation of clothing–and the intentional choices of what to wear–is rich with meaning and marked by meticulous craftsmanship.

Fashion has long been intertwined with social history. Each era weaves its values, struggles, and dreams into the garments of the time. Every style, silhouette, or aesthetic carries with it a piece of history–a snapshot of a specific moment, place, and mindset. A brand, too, holds its own narrative. Chanel’s designs echo the spirit of feminist defiance; Dior’s originals embody an era’s ideal of femininity; Balenciaga pushes boundaries by blending the beauty of architecture with themes of dystopia and futurism.

Clothing demands us to dig deeper into its roots, narratives, and stories. The punk rock movement during the 1970s is an example of a primary response to economic and social issues. Individuals made strong statements about political issues, consumer culture, as well as personal and group identities. This movement did all of this while being aesthetically bold and reaching larger audiences than avant-garde paintings of the time. In fact, when punk fashion is set beside the field paintings artists were championing at the time, it is hard to deny that the clothing carried equal – if not greater – meaning, narrative depth, craftsmanship, and aesthetic.

A GROUP IN “PUNK ROCK” STYLE, IMAGE COURTESY OF WORDPRESS.COM

Fashion is never just about fabric; it is legacy, movement, and meaning, which is why the supposed gap between fashion and art is continually questioned. No one dismisses Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa as mere paint on canvas–it is a cultural treasure. Why, then, should a Chanel tweed jacket be seen as anything less?

To me, a gown is just as beautiful and particular as a painting on the wall. Composed of its own unique silhouette, and thousands of stitches that make up the inside, all coming together to tell a story. A story told by brands and worn by us individuals. What could be more beautiful than that? And besides, can you define art in the first place?