A TED TALK: HOW FASHION CAN BE A MATTER OF LIFE OR DEATH
Ted Talk: How fashion helps us express who we are - and what we stand for // Kaustav Dey.
In this inspirational Ted talk by head marketer for Tommy Hilfiger in India, Kaustav Dey, he explains to us how fashion is much further beyond what it is usually thought to be. Dey begins his talk by reflecting on his childhood, in which he felt out of place as early on as his primary school days when he discovered at a very young age that he didn't quite conform to the typical male stereotype; sadly, Dey's school uniform enabled him to feel like he blended in to his school, which made him feel more comfortable than standing out. When he discovered a pair of corduroy trousers in a box of his father's old belongings, which he fell in love with at the age of ten, he realised that pieces of materials, or 'clothes' as we know them, can empower you. He put on the corduroys and tied them tightly round his waist with a belt to make them fit him. When he put them on, he felt a sudden change. In this talk discussing what we wear, Dey makes his audience understand that fashion should be viewed as a nonverbal language of dissent and pushes us to embrace ourselves.
What is most importantly addressed in this Ted talk, is that around the globe individuality can be a crime, a political act, and in some cases, even a matter of life or death. As an example, Dey discusses how a Pakistani transgender activist, called Alisha, was shot multiple times on may the 20th 2016, simply for her choice of changing identity to feel content in herself. She was taken to the hospital, but because she dressed in womens clothing, she was disgustingly refused of access to both the mens and womens wards; Alisha died that day, and was then buried as a man, the gender she did not believe she was, and therefore did not want to identify as. This explains how even after death, we sometimes are still oppressed and cannot choose. What kind of world is this? Why is there such a violence towards our bodies, or as Alexandar McQueen inspired us to view them as in his spring/summer 1999 show, our 'canvases', and what we choose to wear on them.
In India, according to custom, widowed women are only allowed to wear white. Dey's grandma had one main joy in life which expressed her character, and this joy was to wear vibrant colour every single day of her life. After being married at the age of sixteen and being married to her husband for sixty-five years, he passed away, meaning by condition of her culture, her joy of wearing colour was taken from her, and she wore white up until the day she died. I think that it's interesting how our clothing can be such a strict and important factor in some cultures and how you must conform to be accepted in your environment, and in some situations, this can result in crime.
What this talk might teach you is that freedom of attire should be accepted, and in some cases is a luxury. Whether we conform or not, acceptance is the key to a safer and happier world.
In this inspirational Ted talk by head marketer for Tommy Hilfiger in India, Kaustav Dey, he explains to us how fashion is much further beyond what it is usually thought to be. Dey begins his talk by reflecting on his childhood, in which he felt out of place as early on as his primary school days when he discovered at a very young age that he didn't quite conform to the typical male stereotype; sadly, Dey's school uniform enabled him to feel like he blended in to his school, which made him feel more comfortable than standing out. When he discovered a pair of corduroy trousers in a box of his father's old belongings, which he fell in love with at the age of ten, he realised that pieces of materials, or 'clothes' as we know them, can empower you. He put on the corduroys and tied them tightly round his waist with a belt to make them fit him. When he put them on, he felt a sudden change. In this talk discussing what we wear, Dey makes his audience understand that fashion should be viewed as a nonverbal language of dissent and pushes us to embrace ourselves.
What is most importantly addressed in this Ted talk, is that around the globe individuality can be a crime, a political act, and in some cases, even a matter of life or death. As an example, Dey discusses how a Pakistani transgender activist, called Alisha, was shot multiple times on may the 20th 2016, simply for her choice of changing identity to feel content in herself. She was taken to the hospital, but because she dressed in womens clothing, she was disgustingly refused of access to both the mens and womens wards; Alisha died that day, and was then buried as a man, the gender she did not believe she was, and therefore did not want to identify as. This explains how even after death, we sometimes are still oppressed and cannot choose. What kind of world is this? Why is there such a violence towards our bodies, or as Alexandar McQueen inspired us to view them as in his spring/summer 1999 show, our 'canvases', and what we choose to wear on them.
In India, according to custom, widowed women are only allowed to wear white. Dey's grandma had one main joy in life which expressed her character, and this joy was to wear vibrant colour every single day of her life. After being married at the age of sixteen and being married to her husband for sixty-five years, he passed away, meaning by condition of her culture, her joy of wearing colour was taken from her, and she wore white up until the day she died. I think that it's interesting how our clothing can be such a strict and important factor in some cultures and how you must conform to be accepted in your environment, and in some situations, this can result in crime.
What this talk might teach you is that freedom of attire should be accepted, and in some cases is a luxury. Whether we conform or not, acceptance is the key to a safer and happier world.
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