Sweatshops
Get things made fast! The cheaper you can get it done the better! All this seems common thoughts when you hear or visualize a sweatshop. I can clearly picture a place just like this. Young and old, even children, working extremely hard at mass producing products for companies so they can make that profit. This has been noted as being a big element in the clothing and textile world. The goal is to produce as much as possible and forget what the workers might deserve. Pay the least amount as possible. CoOp America stated that “The search for cheap products that can be sold for greater profit is fueling a race to the bottom where we all lose—our families, communities, farmers, workers, and the environment. Corporate greed and global competition to produce goods at the lowest possible price are the main reasons for the existence of sweatshops.”
To me, sweatshops are somewhat a form of child abuse. Children are being abused by working in a sweatshop and barely being paid. They are under age to be working in the situation to begin with. Production companies have engulfed these children by exploiting their skills and consuming their opportunities in an extremely horrendous situation. Not only does this affect them now, but later, “workers most often find conditions getting worse instead of better.” Children are children, not workers at the hand of someone with no compassion for the betterment of the child, but for the dollar and prosperity of themselves.
Finally, sweatshops offer no future for their workers. These type of situations need to be remedied in any quick way possible. Sweatshops should not be allowed to operate. Retailers and manufactures should be open and searching for other positive producing opportunities that remedy the current situation in production of goods. CoOp America states that “a good way to help improve conditions for workers is to contact the retailers and manufacturers of the products you buy and ask for guarantees that their workers were paid a living wage and given basic rights.” There was a positive move by the retail and garment manufacturers toward guarding against the sell and production of sweatshop merchandise. The suggestion was made by Nikki Bas, director of Sweatshop Watch. He stated that, “If companies are able to send representatives to inspect the quality of a garment, they can inspect the quality of their factories as well.” I feel that we need eliminate the sweatshop business.
http://www.coopamerica.org/programs/sweatshops/whattoknow.cfm

Is Fashion Art or Usability? The Milan Fashion Week
Many opinions differ as of whether fashion is more of a design generated by art or a fashion more directed toward the usability of clothing to the consumer. Through the element of style, I feel that both art and usability are elements that designers use in formatting and designing their line of clothing. An artist sees things with lines, curves, designs on planes, and contrasting, as well as complimentary colors. They express their creative ability of combining and elaborating with these elements as they create the quality of their work and also maintain the thoughts of how usable the design will be for the consumer. These ideas were both clearly and excitably revealed during the Milan Fashion Week. The fashions were definitely presented as unique by their designers. The various designs consisted of the minis to the jumpsuits, high-heeled shoes, and the new plus sizes for the larger women. Flowing fabrics, some more sheer than others, and bright, bold designs from geometric shapes to bows were seen. Robert Covalle, Versace, and Gucci all introduced designs that have shortened their length. Although short in cut, there was seen the “ruffled, boxy, belted mini” showing the short cut may be back. It may be a sign of encouragement depicted by the designers as Carola Long states, “High hemlines are supposed to go hand in hand with prosperity, so maybe these designers have some kind of crystal ball that everyone else would like a look into.” From the renewal of the mini, the direction also took to the jumpsuit. It no longer was plain, but now has taken a more glamorous look from beaded by Armani to tropical print by Matthew Williamson. The plus size from Elena Miro was revealed as this year’s new edition. There was a garden theme incorporated with fabric of floral prints. This to me is very artistically driven when using forget-me-nots and peony. These designs truly show the designers artistic flair when they can be worn fashionably by a larger woman with style and pizzazz. Fashion is an art. It allows a designer to create and express himself for others to see just as in home decorating, painting, sculpting, and dancing. With this form of creativity, a designer can design clothing that fits individuals with different styles and keeps up with the changes in our world. More today, the designer is also considering the usability of the designs he creates. The economic times has directed his considerations and it is wonderful that now clothing today is more usable for many occasions and events.Works Cited: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/fashion/main.jhtml?xml=/fashion/2008/09/21/efmiro121.xml http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/fashion/news/fashionably-early-milan-fashion-week-944757.html

What Inspires My Design

When coming up with a design many things come to mind, but the main thing that inspires meould be the "preppy" look. The main thing in that look would be polka dots. That is the look that I personally have gone for. The colors that i always tend to wear is pink and green and things would not change when i desin articles of clothing.

These days everyon's opion matters, but if someone see you wearing something, the question always comes "where did you get that?" I would love to see the day that some one would ask me where did you get that, and be able to tell them i made it!