Fashion's Power to Transform Identity, From Cinderella to Patti Smith
Translated & summarized from Haaretz by baba
Fashion historian Yaara Keidar discusses the transformative power of clothing, using Cinderella, Patti Smith, and Oscar Wilde as examples. She highlights the Cinderella fairytale's depiction of how clothes and shoes can enable self-reinvention. Keidar emphasizes that a good garment or shoe can change one's destiny. The article draws a connection between the word 'fabric' and the concept of making or fabricating identity.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Fashion historian Yaara Keidar believes clothing and shoes can change one's destiny.
- Keidar uses Cinderella, Patti Smith, and Oscar Wilde as examples of self-reinvention through fashion.
- The Cinderella fairytale illustrates the social power of attire and footwear.
- The word 'fabric' is linked to the concept of making or fabricating identity.
- Keidar favors Charles Perrault's popular version of the Cinderella story.
A good garment or shoe can change your destiny, says fashion historian Yaara Keidar, who uses Cinderella, Patti Smith, and Oscar Wilde as examples of how clothing can redefine oneself. Keidar's first recommended read is Charles Perrault's late 17th-century version of Cinderella, or 'Lochelach' in its Hebrew name. She possesses a collection of Cinderella books, including earlier, harsher versions, but favors Perrault's popular rendition featuring the fairy godmother, glass slipper, and pumpkin carriage. The Cinderella tale, Keidar notes, highlights the social power of clothing and footwear, illustrating how individuals can reinvent themselves through their attire. The very word 'fabric' originates from the Latin 'fabrica,' meaning to make, underscoring the immense social force of cloth. A well-chosen outfit or pair of shoes, she asserts, has the potential to alter one's fate.