CULTURE CORNER

Watching section:

Prewatching tasks

1.1 Look at these pictures. What do you see? What kind of messages do they render? Brainstorm the issue and provide all possible interpretations working in the groups of two:

1. 2.

3. 4.

5. 6.

7. 8.

1.2 Describe the phenomenon of consumerism by filling the following chart providing associations that you have with this notion:

2. Watch the video “The High Price of Materialism” (https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=1&v=D9gcGjCF60o&feature=emb_logo). As you listen, find equivalents to the following words and expressions and answer the questions:

1. постоянный повтор

2. коммерческий призыв, маркетинговый ход

3. желание обладать материальными ценностями

4. общество потребителей

5. ценности, приносящие благо обществу

6. быть под воздействием идей материализма

7. ставить деньги, имидж и статус в приоритет

8. экологически устойчивый мир

9. повысить самооценку

10. рекламный ролик

11. продвижение истинных ценностей

12. оценивать благополучие граждан

13. чувство принадлежности своему сообществу

2.1 Comprehension questions:

1. How do people receive materialistic messages? What are the reasons of this mass attack?

2. What kind of connection did scientists find between materialistic values and pro-social values? Are there any other alike tendencies related to consumerism?

3. Is it possible to stand against commercialism? What can you do to diminish consumer messages?

2.2 Write your own definition of consumerism using the information from the video and your background knowledge. Share your ideas with the class.

CULTURE CORNER

TEXT 1. JAPAN

https://www.diva-portal.org/smash/get/diva2:1143856/FULLTEXT01.pdf (abridged)

Tokyo has emerged to be one of the most prominent fashion cities in the world and is known for the citizen’s unique and innovative street style. Some of the most innovative designers establishing themselves here and Japan have gone from a fashion culture consummating western fashion, to becoming a center of unique styles and fashion ideas.

The western clothing culture came to Japan in the late 19th century and became a sign of higher class and sophistication. This replaced the kimonos that now became only a traditional ceremonies dress. Tokyo was not considered as a potential fashion city for the western society until the fashion designer Kenzo Takada brought Japanese clothing culture to Paris in the 1970s. He became known for his color combinations and the mixing of patterns as stripes, flowers and checks. Takada also used the kimonos straight lines and square shape as an inspiration to his designs. Kenzo's designs were in total contrast to the current western fashion at that time. Other famous fashion designers that followed was Yohji Yamamoto, Issey Miyake and Rei Kawakubo, which also introduced completely new ideas of what fashion could be. They presented different ways of wearing a garment and offered flexibility for the user to experiment. This created a new aesthetic, challenging the narrow and fitted western clothing and instead experimented with

asymmetric designs and large and loose fitting shapes. The designers did not fear designing clothes that might raise an eyebrow or bring a smile.

The unique street style that Tokyo is in particular known for today, emerged out from the popular culture and the norm-breaking attitude of the youth, which was due to the economic slowdown in the beginning of the 21th century. School uniforms and subcultures have influenced the Japanese street style: Sweet Lolitas, Gothe Lolitas, the Ganguro style, as well as manga and anime characters. Japan has also been using teenagers as a marketing tool and teenage girls in particular, which has become a key to any trend.

Task 1. Answer the questions

1) For centuries, the kimono has been one of Japan's most important and recognizable cultural exports. Is it still today?

2) Can you give any other examples of cultural exports?

3) Can we speak about cultural appropriation in fashion?

4) Can we speak about globalization of fashion? Explain your point of view.

5) Fashion magazines can be considered as “written clothing” where the magazines are consumer guides and fashion is the object of material consumption. Fashion magazines, such as Vogue, are acknowledged to lead and define fashionable subjects; they can also be described as platforms for critical debate and public opinion. Do you ever read such magazines? Do they somehow influence your opinion?

Task 2. Agree or disagree:

1) Today the world is becoming smaller in terms of the amount of time it takes to move information, people, goods, investment capital and fashion; it is an epoch of globalization.

2) Fashion affects culture in visual ways.

3) Fashion is a type of art, which is expressed in various ways.

4) Style, emotions, culture, the mind, expression, and spirit are some of the references that are drawn to understand fashion, and there is no doubt that fashion is a way for people to communicate in different ways, as their identity, emotions and cultural associations.

5) The way we dress and our identity are intimately linked to each other.

6) Expressing yourself through fashion and Clothes is a way of expressing your emotions, in the way that the body relates to cloth.

7) The same piece of clothing can be interpreted differently depending on identity and cultural background.

8) Class, race, gender, politics, sport, war, business, popular music and movies are some elements that have influenced how people dress.

9) Political movements influence fashion.

10) There are many factors that affect the way humans dress and how humans refer to clothing and fashion, some of these factors are beliefs and values.

11) In the US, it was clear that clothes were portrayed in order to differentiate yourself from others and to enhance individualism. The expressions of clothes vary distinct from each other in different cuts and how they are worn.

Task 3. Study the following information, speak about colors in Oriental Culture and European Culture. Which colors have the same meanings in both cultures, which of them have different meanings? Do you know why?

COLOR	CULTURAL MEANINGS
RED	Red can have several meanings, some of these are: danger, passion, heat, romance and importance, which are a common association in the West. In the Hindu religion it however symbolizes joy and creativity, which is associated to the Hindu goddess Durga and is therefore the color of wedding garments. While in Asian cultures, red is a color that symbolizes prosperity, celebration and happiness.
WHITE	White is often interlinked to innocence, simplicity and purity in West, which is why most wedding dresses in the west are worn in white. However, in other cultures, such as the Indian culture and Asian culture, it is the color of mourning and at the same time the universal symbol of sophistication.
BLACK	Black is associated with power, sophistication and mystery. Western culture would say that black is never out of fashion even though the color is associated with negativity, tragedy and bad luck across many cultures and worn during mourning
BLUE	Blue is considered calming, which is why in certain cultures it is known as the color of mourning. However, in Greece and the Middle East blue is used to ward off the evil eye, and in India it represents beginnings and happiness. At the same time, blue is related to depression in the west, which is why ”feeling blue” is an expression that is used when feeling down. The color can however also represent trust, security and authority in the Western culture.
GREEN	As green is associated with nature and grass it is also a universal symbol for safety. In western cultures green represents luck, wealth, spring and freshness. As green is considered to be relaxing across many cultures it has recently been associated with ecological and environmental issues. In the Middle East green represents luck and wealth, and has been considered as the traditional color of Islam
PURPLE	Purple indicates wealth and power in Japan, and is the color of royalty in the west while it can be associated to creativity. Purple is also associated with faith and penitence in Catholicism, however in Brazil it is the color of mourning
ORANGE	Orange is a color that in the west is considered a happy and social color that represents autumn. In Hinduism orange is considered to be sacred and auspicious.
YELLOW	In the West yellow is considered as a cheerful color that signifies hope and happiness, but it can also be a color of warning when combined with black. In North Africa it is said that yellow conveys good fortune.
PINK	Pink is associated with femininity and romance and said to be stimulating.
GREY	Grey is associated with intellect, authority and conservatism. As it's a fashion staple it is often used in men's business suits. However, in the west grey can also be associated with pessimism, which is why the term is called ”grey day”

TEXT 2. STREET CULTURE IN CHINA CHANGES FASHION TRENDS

Mar 2, 2019 https://www.marketingtochina.com/street-culture-in-china-changes-fashion-trends/

Since China’s economic opening, China has grown extremely fast. Western influence has also gradually come to invade the big cities and change the consumption habits of the Chinese. The Chinese middle class is also increasing and their purchasing power is at its highest. They consume a lot, especially millennials. Which they love to share on social media.

In terms of fashion, their style has always been rather far from the European style. However this is undergoing some major changes. Young Chinese city dwellers are daring to experiment with new fashion styles. It has now been around twenty years that fashion is becoming an increasingly important factor in China, especially in the big cities. Because part of the population is far from worrying about its look, but young people take more and more care of the way they dress. The fashion market in China is far from over. One of the factors that has influenced the new clothing styles of part of the population is the arrival of street culture in China.

Millennials now like to appropriate a style to show their belonging to a community that is more modern and less conformist. They are increasingly looking for rare and unique pieces. They still remain a minority, but this movement continues to grow. Shanghai is now becoming a benchmark city on the streetwear scene, alongside New York, Los Angeles and Tokyo. This is confirmed by the popularity of its Fashion Week and the Yo’hood convention. They are both gathering more and more people year after year.

WHAT IS THE CLIENTELE?

Millennials are the main stakeholders. They are young and more aware of the trends that are going on. They are also more open-minded and will change their fashion styles more easily than their parents would. In addition, they have more purchasing power than their parents had at their age, so they can afford to spend a bigger portion of their budget for their dress style. Those who have lived abroad are also more inclined to accept this kind of other style.

WHAT CRITERIA ARE THEY BASING THEIR CHOICES ON?

What is fashionable, what celebrities and influential people, including personalities or bloggers Chinese, American and Korean.

They are looking for unique and original pieces, while remaining of very good quality. These pieces must have an emotional value more than monetary. We can see that customers are generally very loyal to a brand if these products are of good quality and convey an image that they appreciate. Since it’s kind of a synonym for belonging to a community, customers could dress from head to toe. So there is a big challenge for brands, because once they have won over a customer, their loyalty can bring them the desired success. However these customers can be hard to conquer.

Since China has not rocked in street culture, foreign brands still have the advantage in this market at the moment. However, more and more Chinese designers are creating equally original clothing lines.

HOW TO SELL THESE PRODUCTS?

This culture is experiencing a real turning point in China. But most of its success is happening online! One can see on Taobao for example, an unlimited number of this type of product, which can still be complicated to find in store. Even impossible in cities that are too small and not enough westernized. The best solution is to use Chinese e-commerce platforms to market your products easily across the country.

You have to control supply and demand, if your offer is too big, your product will become less attractive because it becomes available to everyone and anyone. Your brand must position itself on a market segment and stick to it. You have to sell clothes, but you also have to make them feel like they belong to a culture. By buying this type of clothing, customers want to feel part of a community, because potential customers of this type of products do not want to look like the rest of society. It is therefore necessary to control your image and to transmit it as much in your store as on your site. A good way to manage your brand and share it easily with your community is to use Chinese social networks. The Chinese are addicted to it.

This market should continue to grow, while remaining a niche market (which makes it a success). It will remain very promising especially on the internet through e-commerce platforms that are experiencing huge success in China. The sneaker market is particularly well on its way. Especially those in the niche category of “luxury streewear” with brands like YEEZY or FENTY.

Task 1.Explain the words underlined.

Task 2. Answer the questions

1) Do cultural considerations affect the purchase of clothes? Why / why not?

2) Do people tend to judge others by the way they dress?

3) What’s your attitude towards online shopping? Give reasons for and against.

4) When you see the words Made in China, what do you think about?

5) Do people in your country have a reputation for dressing well or badly? What country / nationality can be considered a trend setter?

6) Do you think women pay more attention to clothing than men, or vice versa?

7) Are there any celebrities whom you try to follow concerning clothing and fashion?

8) What traditional dresses exist in your country? Are they popular today? Is home fashion based on traditional clothing?

9) Do you consider school uniform obligatory? Why / why not?

10) Speak about school uniform in different countries. Discuss what is particular about every country, what the peculiarities are based on.

11) What is a Fashionista? Give definition. Can anyone in your group be called a Fashionista? Why / why not?

12) In 2019, the word “国潮,” which means “Chinese heritage hip,” went from an online buzzword to a legitimized concept that even appeared in China’s official government mouthpiece, The People’s Daily. Explain how you understand this expression.

13) Describe the following styles shortly using as many adjectives as you can: street style, casual style, conservative style, high street fashion, Vintage style, Classic style, Romantic style. What style is more suitable for what occasion?

14) Characterize eco-friendly fashion.

15) What is K-Fashion or K-Style?

16) Do you find Korean street fashion fascinating?

17) Basing on the structure / information from the text, tell about fashion trends in other countries.

Task 3. Match the words and their translations

1. Must-have	a. четкий, качественно пошитый
2. Trendsetter	b. однотипные магазины, принадлежащие одной фирме
3. Plum	c. пиратская копия известной марки, подделка
4. Sartorially distinctive	d. экстравагантный, выходящий за рамки обыденного
5. Knockoff	e. прогуляться по магазинам с целью присмотреться к ценам и сравнить их, «приценивание»
6. Over-the-top	f. комиссионный магазин или магазин с second hand (бывшей в употреблении) одеждой
7. To shop around	g. то, что обязательно стоит иметь, что должно быть в гардеробе.
8. Shopping therapy	h. подходить идеально
9. Fit like a glove	i. войти в историю
10. Chain store	j. человек, который задает направление в моде.
11. Take back	k. лакомый кусочек, что-либо очень желанное
12. Wear in	l. шоппинг-терапия, борьба с депрессией с помощью шоппинга
13. To chisel something into stone	m. разносить новую вещь, особенно обувь, если после покупки она немного неудобная
14. Thrift shop	n. возвращать что-либо в магазин, если вещь не подошла
15. to brag about	m. хвастаться, хвалиться

Task 4. Comment on the following information

1) China surpassed the US as the world’s biggest fashion market in 2019. The fashion industry in China has been flourishing and evolving over the past decade. Currently it is continuing to expand at an exponential rate.

2) In recent years, traditional luxury brands are losing favor among Chinese consumers. Instead, the so-called “light luxury” brands have begun to gain favor. In 2014, luxury consumption in the mainland market by Chinese consumers dropped to 11% percent year-on-year to $25 billion. The government’s anti-graft campaign has formed a more economical and rational climate among the people. Yet, luxury purchases made by Chinese consumers in the global market remain powerful. Chinese people bought 76% of luxury products outside the country in places like duty free shops. Asides from luxury goods, fast fashion companies such as Zara and Uniqlo have maintained a good momentum and are still popular among the young population in China.

3) Fashion is one of China’s biggest e-commerce category. Most of the apparel purchased online proceeds on Taobao. With the cheaper price and diverse designs, shopping online has become the first choice for most of the population. The development of e-commerce in the fashion industry has prompted the domino effect of instant celebrities on the social media.

4) Interest in traditional Chinese culture has surged among Chinese millennials. It’s a trend that has impacted their daily lifestyles, creative expression, and consumption behavior.

Task 4. Comment on Coco Chanel’s sayings:

1) Fashion is not something that exists in dresses only. Fashion is in the sky, in the street, fashion has to do with ideas, the way we live, what is happening.

2) There are people who have money and people who are rich.

3) Luxury must be comfortable, otherwise it is not luxury.

4) Fashion is always of the time in which you live. It is not something standing alone. But the grand problem, the most important problem, is to rejuvenate women. To make women look young. Then their outlook changes. They feel more joyous.

5) Fashion fades, only style remains the same.

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