25: Fashion Branding

In an article in the December, 1842 edition of Lady’s World of Fashion magazine, one finds rich descriptions of the styles of the day—an underdress of Pekin silk, over which is worn a mantilla of violet velvet; a robe de chambre, made of a rich blue cachemire. Among the pages of vivid, detailed descriptions of fabrics, ribbons, bows, and trim, there isn’t any mention of a brand or designer label.

If you thumb though a magazine today, you’ll see a plethora of brands and designer labels attached to various photographic images. A brand is loosely defined as a set of pictures, symbols and/or concepts that represent a product. Brands or labels may refer to names, slogans, designs, shapes, patterns, and so on. These portraits are literary in nature because like written text, they convey messages to their “readers.” These messages, however, don’t require a degree of skill in “deciphering the code” as reading does. All one needs to do is be a fan of popular culture. One becomes literate in this area by watching television, perusing magazines, watching music videos, and keeping abreast of the trends in New York, Paris, and London. The messages sent are created by “authors” of sorts, who speak very powerfully to the human psyche, sometimes without uttering a word.