Why fashion matters

the long version

Fashion matters for the economy, to society, and to each of us personally. Faster than anything else, what we wear tells the story of who we are or who we want to be. It is the most immediate form of self-expression. Yet even as fashion touches the lives of each and every one of us, its influence and the vast creative industry that it supports can seem mysterious to outsiders. Frances Corner, Head of London College of Fashion, guides readers into the dizzying world of this rapidly expanding, increasingly global, always exciting industry. In provocative and intriguing entries, Corner teases out the glorious intricacies and contradictions of an industry that simultaneously values technology and craft; timeless style and fast fashion; the bespoke and the mass-market; consumption and sustainability; cold, hard numbers; and creative expression. From Shop 'til We Drop to The White Shirt to The One Trillion Dollar Business each entry offers a unique avenue into fashion and its impact, both positive and negative, on lives around the globe.