Fashioning Value – Undressing Ornament is an essay that looks at fashion branding from the perspective of ornament.
Sharing characteristics ascribed to the literal ornament, we could see branding as a contemporary ornament. The construction of value through brand identities, values, experiences and stories, can for example can be seen as a ‘superficial’ addition that has no practical influence on the use of the garment. It costs time to produce and enhances obsolescence. In addition, we have to take into consideration what it means that brand identities (the ornament), today have become the essence, the starting point in fashion. Is the garment now a superficial addition, a prop, a souvenir?

Using the evolution of ornament and various perspectives, ranging from Adolf Loos to Michel de Certeau, as a starting point, this text explores the impact of the contemporary value-ornament on today’s makers and users and meanwhile tries to reveal potential for future alternatives.

–

Get the book here
Read the excerpt Clothes Are Souvenirs here

–

First print: 2015, reprint: 2018.
Author and editor: Femke de Vries
Editing: Ruby Hoette and Hanka van der Voet
Translation: Nanne op ‘t Ende
Graphic design: Hans Gremmen (reprint)
Published by: Onomatopee project- space

This research has been supported by of the LeoXIII gastatelier, Stimuleringsfonds Creatieve Industrie and Kunstraad Groningen.