“Use of visual and linguistic metaphors in fashion as a tool for communication”

Abstract

This paper explores the metaphors as a tool through which the fashion industry communicates, influences, and is influenced by cultural and subcultural currents, keeping in mind that the creation of fashion metaphors requires a strong cultural and social charge. The paper aims to highlight the importance of their presence in everyday communication through examples of such. The contextual dependence of fashion on situations and objects is strongly present. The theoretical frame covers French and Russian structuralism, as well as the different definition of the concept and theoretical approach. Roland Barthes and Yuri Lotman both see metaphor as a semiotic tool for creating meaning connections. The contexts in which these metaphors are applied differ, with each tradition placing emphasis on distinct aspects of cultural and social communication. The paper explores examples of metaphors related to communication in fashion, aiming to expand our understanding of their impact. The hypothesis to be tested is that creating a fashion metaphor requires cultural and social elements that reflect the values and beliefs of a particular subcultural group. We will demonstrate that in the digital age, metaphors remain vibrant and relevant, with their spread occurring faster than ever. The first part of the paper uses examples of fashion as rebellion in certain social contexts and the countercultural denigration of dominant values at the expense of others. The second half concerns fashion as metaphorical skin and looks through it in several aspects. The paper demonstrates that metaphors are a crucial tool for communication within the fashion industry, deeply intertwined with cultural and social contexts. In the digital age, the rapid spread of metaphors ensures their continued relevance and impact on everyday communication.