Socially Conscious Fashion Designs With Meaning - Is There Room On The All Over Pattern Design?

There is a simple formula to creating a new urban fashion t-shirt collection. Take one white t-shirt, mix with one logo, add clashing colors and print all over to taste. Repeat to order. Does it work? Yes. Does it satisfy? Debatable.

There was once a time when fashion had a voice and when your skin cried out for expression, it was met with the soothing comfort of bold, sometimes rebellious, occasionally irreverent - fashion with purpose, meaning and poise. A time when your fashion wardrobe was equipped with statements ready made on demand. More importantly, statements no one else was making. I bet you can remember such a time.

When did we all become fashion clones? When did it become taboo to steer away from the herd, get off the bandwagon, stick out of the crowd, stick it to the man, be different, be unique, be true, be real or quite simply - just stand out and make a statement? Whatever happened to meaning in creative fashion design?

But is there room for meaning in fashion? Is there a role for fashion to play in allowing people to connect with issues, connect with themselves, show awareness and sow the seeds for change? I believe there is and there is a quiet movement in consumer awareness that offers encouragement for such a stance.

Mainstream fashion labels are starting to make socially conscious fashion lines with benefit t-shirt collections around the globe. Fashion philanthropy is making a comeback. The market niche that is the socially conscious consumer is a very powerful one. Now whether it's for the fad or maybe for the finance, the big players are starting to show recognition of the power of socially conscious fashion. For my part, I hope it's for the fashion.

Banele Nkhosi

Banele Nkhosi is the co-founder of Bantu Republic at http://BantuRepublic.com and http://BantuRepublic.TV

Bantu Republic is a socially conscious premium lifestyle brand that designs exclusive limited edition fashion and brings social awareness and change to important socio-economic issues around the world.

Canon HG21 Best Deals
Canon SD790 Low Price
Buy SX110 Canon