Korean Prostitutes on Strike: this picture has been in newspapers across the world this past week
Technology has brought the world much closer and we feel more connected to each other regardless of distance. Now, more than ever, we see that there are other people (in far away countries that we’ll probably never visit) who are very much like ourselves.
Throughout most of the world’s cultures there seems to be a fashionable similarity – that of colour, particularly primary colours (red, yellow and blue). According to a large number of Western academics, these primary colours have certain meanings and evoke certain emotions.
Pedi women in their colourful dress
Red is perceived as the colour with the most personal associations where for one person it could mean danger, for another imply love and yet to another be deciphered as anger. When it comes to fashion, however, red is bold, confident and sexy, a real attention grabber. Interestingly enough, Chinese brides wear red gowns as opposed to the traditional white of Western societies. The Chinese interpretation of the colour red is that it is a colour of good luck and happiness.
The traditional red Chinese bridal gown
Yellow, in the Western world, is said to be the colour of happiness and optimism (think of the famous smiley face) and enlightenment. It’s a pretty innocent and playful colour and when worn it frequently portrays the wearer as vulnerable and untainted.
Blue is the colour that we dress baby boys in and later in life realize that almost every girl claims it as their favourite colour blue is said to represent trustworthiness, dependability and commitment. It is also a calming and sedating colour (picture a clear sky and peaceful sea). In fashion blue is a ‘safe’ choice as it is neither too bold nor understated, rather laid-back and carefree.
Nowadays it is not common to find people adorning their cultural/traditional attires. I know my manager would freak out if I were to rock up at work wearing umbaco (traditional isiXhosa skirt in bright orange or white with black trimmings). The clothes we now wear are ‘modern’. And it’s good to see that as much as fashion changes, it still retains the important aspect of colour which has been a part of our traditional clothes for many a centuries.
Japanese Geisha in all her coluors
Kenyan woman looking radiant in her colours
The trend that has pushed the bold use of colour to the forefront once more is the much talked, and blogged, about Colour Blocking. The streets are once more filled with fashionably colourful people strutting their stuff on turfs around the world, reminiscent of the ‘80s hip hop trend of colourful T-shirts, pants and sneakers.
Locally, this colourful trend has, for the past couple of years actually, been spear-headed by the vibrant and experimental Smarteez. This group of designers, or ‘design collective’ as they prefer to be called, has brought Colour Blocking to the streets of Jozi, and Soweto.
Colour, it seems, will always be with us, be it in the flesh or in fashion. Cultures’ contribution to fashion has been tremendous and despite the forever changing times, we can rest assured that the fashion wheel will continue turning and if colour is not ‘in vogue’ next year, hold on to your colourful wardrobe. For as sure as Lady Gaga can shock and wow at the same time in her ridiculously ‘unique’ outfits, colour will always come back.
Colour Blocking on the runway
The Smarteez: Masters of Colour
CBD Magazine 