We live in a remixed world where the question constantly looms in the
back of our minds: is anything original? Is it possible to create something
new, or is everything just a rehash of what we've previously consumed?
Because of globalisation, the flow of information is so
rampant that copying and remixing is only increasing. Take fashion, for
instance. New and amateur designers, thanks to technology and widely published
books, now have access to all the fashion records of most major countries
throughout history.
If an up-and-coming designer goes onto the internet and
Google searches a 1800s wedding gown style,
have they plagiarise the designs of that era when they
present a slightly modified version of them to a company or is it simply just a
remix?
As file-sharing and the music industry have shown us, intellectual
property rights is such a slippery-slope these days, especially for those who
would claim that the law is wrong, like some in the file-sharing community do.
In their article Sharing
Music Files: Tactics of a challenge to the industry, scholars Martin, Moore and Salter support this, saying, “In analysing the controversy over
file–sharing, it is important to note that what counts as injustice — or
unfairness, inappropriate behaviour, or any other negative label — varies from
person to person” (Martin, Moore & Salter 2010).
The middle road between inspiration and plagiarism is the
remix. As with adaptation, you acknowledge the original source when ‘remixing’
an idea, but don’t reference your source officially, especially in areas like
fashion.
B Martin, C Moore and C Salter also discuss cover-up as one
of the main tactics to get away with stealing other people’s ideas. They say, “This
cover–up is selective: within the file–sharing community, downloads can be
carried out openly, whereas secrecy and disguise are more likely to be used in
relation to outsiders” (Martin, Moore & Salter 2010). This could mean
that amateur designers share their sources, but present the idea as original
when marketing it to people.
It is commonly acknowledged that fashion moves in cycles,
and while evolving somewhat, a lot of the styles are rehashed. As seen in the
pictures above, clothing that used to be worn for practical reasons, like overalls,
are now being showcased as fashion items. Also hundreds of years ago, tights
were part of a typical gentleman’s dress, but now although supposedly obsolete,
tights have resurfaced for boys in the form of ‘skins’ used for sports. Styles
may be advertised as the ‘latest thing’, but in many cases an original form of
that style can be found in fashion centuries ago.
Can we conclude then that although the ingredients we use to create something are the culmination or direct result of things we've consumed, that our end result is certainly personal to us, if not completely original?
References:
Picture 1: ‘Clash Daily’, retrieved 20 August 2013, <http://clashdaily.com/2013/04/opportunity-is-missed-by-most-people-because-it-is-dressed-in-overalls-and-looks-like-work-thomas-edison/>.
Picture 2: ‘Become Gorgeous’, retrieved 20 August 2013, <http://www.becomegorgeous.com/fashion-style/new_trends/2010_fashion_trends__overalls-2119.html>.
Ferguson, K 2011, ‘Vimeo’, retrieved 21 August 2013, <http://vimeo.com/14912890>.
‘Heritage Gown’, retrieved 20 August 2013, <http://www.heritagegown.com/image/Bustle.jpg>.
Martin, B, Moore, C & Salter, C 2010, ‘Sharing music files: tactics of a challenge to the industry’, First Monday, vol. 15, no. 12.
‘Tumblr’, retrieved 20 August 2013, <http://31.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lrz6p4Xrwk1r3dyz9o1_400.jpg>.
White, K 2012, 'Globalization and its impact on the Fashion Industry', retrieved 21 August 2013, <http://whiteunt01.wordpress.com/2012/02/02/globalization-and-its-impact-on-the-fashion-industry/>.
Hi Lil,
ReplyDeleteFirst off I really enjoyed a different perspective to the idea of remixing and that it can have an effect outside of the music world, in this case fashion. The referencing of Martin, B, Moore, C, Salter, C (2010) raises the all-important point that being innovative and being a rip off is entirely dependent on the individual looking at it. The balancing of creativity and laziness is also an important point addressed in this post. Your examples used in fashion were particularly interesting to read, given that over hundreds of years, fashions have disappeared and resurfaced in new forms, which shows perhaps just how little creativity actually goes into the process of innovating something new. Thanks for the read.
Hi Lil,
ReplyDeleteYour blog post this week gave me an insight into the fashion world and how it is constantly being remixed. I have seen fashion and various styles been remixed or copied over the year but it is interesting to think of it as an aspect of globalisation. The availability of the internet allows designers to research and then remix styles that may have been popular before. I liked the link you made between inspiration and plagiarism and how in the fashion world the lines are blurred in terms of acknowledging the source. The integration of this week’s reading was very clever, while most of the content related to music remixes you also offered an alternative example of how remixing and the tactics people use when they use other people’s ideas.
It is somewhat ironic that your topic choice is itself an original concept, given that most people writing on the remix topic opted for musical inspirations. I think it worked really well, and the use of musical references to give weight to your argument only increases the appeal to the reader. You are correct in acknowledging that fashion moves in cycles, and certainly that is evident when you consider the catalogues that reveal every summer ‘what is hot’ and ‘what is not’ for the upcoming season. Personally, I believe the jury is still out as to the idea of all things being borrowed, but this was an enjoyable read nonetheless.
ReplyDeleteLil,
ReplyDeleteI have to agree with what everyone else has said here, your blog was so diverse and interesting to read this week as it is something that I never would have considered as copyright or plagiarism. Your use of pictures in the post gave excellent weight to your argument. I often buy clothes from opshops and vintage stores as the mix of whats 'trendy' with something a little more dated can blend into whats considered fashionable today. With such a high rotation in the fashion world how can designers put a 'copyright' on their designs?
All in all a really great post to read.
Thanks
Your conclusion is excellent, I find it compelling and thought provoking. Thanks for that. I only regret that you didn't provide the sources of your arguments because you have constructed your post in a nice way that makes it easy and enjoyable to read (for me), yet a person who disagrees with you would point out that your arguments are but opinions if there's no source. That's a shame because I think the generalisations you've used are actually based on research and personal observations and you seem to have a keen eye for these kind of underlying patterns coursing through the globalisation phenomenon. Indeed, choosing fashion as an example of such recursive patterns was spot on as you managed to pick my curiosity and made me want to question many of my previously held assumptions about the value of inspiration and production within the causality paradigm. Thanks for that :)
ReplyDelete