UNDERSTANDING FASHION DESIGN: “CHANGING PARADIGMS AND REPRESENTATIONAL FORMS FROM THEORY TO PRACTICE IN THE 21ST CENTURY”

MODA TASARIMINI ANLAMAK: “21. YÜZYILDA TEORİDEN PRATİĞE DEĞİŞEN PARADİGMALAR VE TEMSİL BİÇİMLERİ”

Abstract

Fashion, as a social phenomenon, has been a concept that has been continuously studied and defined since the day it became visible, representing change through constant renewal and diversifying in scope and representation between theory and practice throughout history. While theoretical studies explore the concept through its relationship with the knowledge clusters of the social sciences, design practice tends to situate it within a framework that includes creativity components, design process principles, methodology, and objects. Associated with contemporaneity, the concept has transformed into a multilayered structure within a comprehensive cycle that sometimes draws upon the discourses of art and, especially in the last century, develops a new terminology by adopting the language and terms of technology, thereby encompassing the industry as well. Efforts to define fashion, when grounded in the subjects of social sciences and explained as the visible showcase of art-design-technology, have struggled to establish a distinctive philosophical framework. This study, under the title “Understanding Fashion Design: Changing Paradigms and Forms of Representation from Theory to Practice in the 21st Century”, aims to address the current transformation of the fashion industry within the triangle of theory-practice-representation. The results reveal that the most prominent issue in today’s fashion industry is that the dominant fast fashion system (speed, scale, access) increases environmental and social costs; by contrast, slow fashion and circular economy approaches provide strong solutions in extending product lifespan, reducing waste, and preserving cultural values through early-stage design decisions. Innovations in the field of materials-such as green chemistry, hemp fiber, and cellulosic fiber regeneration-together with zero-waste pattern strategies and modular design models demonstrate that aesthetics and environmental benefits can coexist. Technological transformation, particularly in industrial processes, is redefining fashion production and representation through RFID and traceability systems, 3D digital design, virtual prototyping, and blockchain applications. New trends in education are being reinforced through sustainable design pedagogy, problem/workshop-based learning, and interdisciplinary modules, aiming to enhance students’ competencies in life cycle–oriented thinking and decision-making. The study also emphasizes that cultural sustainability and local craftsmanship reinforce the narrative of ethical luxury and origin stories; while fashion shows and spatial representation/narrative constructs have become important tools for increasing the cultural legitimacy of brands. However, in the dimension of consumer behavior, the gap between discourse and action is striking: despite the growing awareness of sustainability, fast fashion still dominates purchasing practices. In conclusion, understanding fashion design in the 21st century requires an approach inclined toward mapping multidimensional relationships that necessitate aesthetic, functional, ethical, cultural, and global analyses. Fashion should be understood through a holistic design governance approach that considers materials, processes, representation, and communication chains together, with the designer positioned at the center. Beyond drawing a clear framework for fashion design, this study aims to provide up-to-date data for designers, fashion researchers, and educators with an approach capable of analyzing change, highlighting shifting roles, and interpreting the scope of the evolving cycle from theory to practice.