author: Oleg Vereshchagin
Relevance of the research. In contemporary sociocultural contexts, the concept of design is increasingly moving beyond a purely utilitarian or functional understanding and is becoming more prominent as a sociocultural mechanism of human self-expression.
Problem statement. Based on the understanding of fashion as a complex mechanism of symbolic communication and social regulation, the definition of fashion as a component of cultural practices of self-determination, both as consumers and creators of fashion trends and fashion design, remains problematic.
Analysis of recent research and publications. The basis for the scientific analysis of fashion is laid down in the works of G. Zimmel, and it is also important to refer to the work of P. Bourdieu and contemporary studies that in one way or another touch upon the problems of fashion as a form of human self-determination. It is worth noting such researchers as V. Derezevich, D. Norman, Yu. Legenky, M. Loseva, I. Ryzhova, V. Shivelbush, and others.
Research task. To define the specifics of design as fashion and a form of symbolic communication and sociocultural mechanism, to explore the relationship between fashion practices and the processes of self-determination and self-representation of the individual.
Main material presentation. The interaction between design and fashion is quite ambivalent and paradoxical in nature, which often remains unrecognised by both design theorists and fashion practitioners. As a sociocultural phenomenon, fashion occupies one of the key places in public life, functioning as an integral mechanism of social differentiation and integration. Fashion is a social mechanism that allows a person to simultaneously declare their belonging to a certain group (by adhering to its codes) and their uniqueness within this group (through variations within the limits of what is permitted). In the context of fashion, the role of design — or, more precisely, the creation of external forms — is primarily to set an example to follow, allowing people to simultaneously adapt to society and stand out from it in a socially acceptable way. Design as the embodiment of fashion trends does not necessarily have to be beautiful in the classical aesthetic sense or practical from a utilitarian point of view; its main task is to serve as a social marker, a sign of belonging to a particular group, evidence of ‘taste’ and cultural capital.
Conclusions. Thus, understanding the multidimensionality of design is a necessary condition for an adequate assessment of design not as a simple applied art, but as a full-fledged cultural practice that shapes the material environment and symbolic systems of the present day.
Keywords. Human, culture, design, fashion, self-expression, identity, sociocultural mechanism, consumption, things, society.
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