Vestoj, Issue 8 – On Authenticity

Vestoj (meaning ‘clothing’ in Esperanto) is an annual journal about dress, bridging the gap between academia, literature and industry within fashion. Vestoj provides a platform for academics to co-exist with practitioners, for cross-pollination, learning and mutual understanding, and also a way for readers interested in fashion and dress to come at the topic from a slightly off-kilter angle that aims to be both inclusive and challenging to the status quo.

In this issue:
In consumer capitalism authenticity has taken on a supreme importance: in fashion it’s the holy grail. Terms like ‘artisanal,’ ‘heritage,’ ‘craftsmanship’ and ‘storytelling’ have become buzzwords, and conglomerates are fond of referring to their offices as ‘campus’ and co-workers as ‘family.’

But what are we getting at when associating these terms with fashion?

Overall, the issue is looking at our relationship to dress and appearance to reflect on questions like, Is there such a thing as a ‘real me’ or a ‘genuine self’? How does one live an authentic life? And is it possible to do so in fashion, an environment so characterized by the mood of the moment, so dependent on chameleon-like behaviour. Are fashion and authenticity really antithetical, and if so, what can be learnt from looking at the relationship between the two?