The Magic Of Fashion

Drawing on 20 years of ethnographic fieldwork and anthropological theory, anthropologist Brian Moeran argues that fashion magazines are able to cast a spell over their readers by using practices and rituals found in age-old magical and religious rites.

Drawing on 20 years of ethnographic fieldwork and anthropological theory, anthropologist Brian Moeran argues that fashion magazines are able to cast a spell over their readers by using practices and rituals found in age-old magical and religious rites.

Fashion AND fairies? An unbeatable combination! The Fashion Fairies use their magic accessories to make sure that fashion everywhere is fun and fresh. But when jealous Jack Frost steals their magic away, it could lead to a fashion flop! Luckily, Rachel and Kirsty are ready to dive into another fairy adventure. . . . Without Jennifer the Hair Stylist Fairy's magic brush, bad hair days are happening every day! Can Rachel and Kirsty come to the rescue?

In Fashion, Media, Promotion: the new black magicFashion is linked to its communication networks - involving thereader in the process of selling Fashion in the global marketplace.Fashion's ingenuity in adapting to new means of promotion fordigital and print media, websites, advertising, cinema, music andtelevision, is celebrated. Hollywood's role in shaping Fashion's influence is assessedthrough Audrey Hepburn's persuasive iconography and the impact ofthe most watched movie of the 20th century: Gone with theWind. Exceptional designers Coco Chanel, Christian Dior, ReiKawakubo, Mary Quant, Elsa Schiaparelli, Vivienne Westwood areconsidered, together with extraordinary innovators Paul Smith,Vidal Sassoon, Lynne Franks. Roland Barthes' Fashion System andMythologies are viewed as cultural and promotional texts,with revealing insights into the technologies which bring Fashionto mass audiences. Marketing and branding successes are reviewed and Fashion'scontinuing narrative is illustrated with luminous colourimages.

Why do women all over the world read fashion magazines like Vogue, Elle, Harper’s Bazaar, and Marie Claire? How do editorial, art, and advertising staff put together the monthly editions of each title in France, Hong Kong, Japan, the UK, and the U.S.? Based on the author’s two decades of ethnographic fieldwork and content analysis, and drawing on anthropological theories, The Magic of Fashion argues that the fashion industry makes commercial use of practices and rituals commonly found in magical and religious rites to enchant its readers. The book -argues that fashion magazines make use of professional magicians—editors, art directors, photographers, business executives—who perform magic-like practices to create the fantasies, glamour, seduction, and transformations characterizing the fashion and beauty industries; -discusses how such beauty products as hair gels and glossy photos, among many others, are used to captivate and mesmerize readers much as incenses, magical elixirs, and spells enchant worshippers; -explains how fashion magazines entice readers with an “alchemy of refined and powerfully addictive contrasts” designed to be irresistible and seductive; -suggests that such forms of manipulation derived from shamanism and animism can be found in all forms of cultural production.

Fashion AND fairies? An unbeatable combination! The Fashion Fairies use their magic accessories to make sure that fashion everywhere is fun and fresh. But when jealous Jack Frost steals their magic away, it could lead to a fashion flop! Luckily, Rachel and Kirsty are ready to dive into another fairy adventure. . . . It's time to make costumes for the local fashion show auditions, but everything is going all wrong! Rachel and Kirsty have to help Tyra the Designer Fairy find her magical measuring tape -- and fast!

Fashion AND fairies? An unbeatable combination! The Fashion Fairies use their magic accessories to make sure that fashion everywhere is fun and fresh. But when jealous Jack Frost steals their magic away, it could lead to a fashion flop! Luckily, Rachel and Kirsty are ready to dive into another fairy adventure. . . . There's only one magical accessory left to find -- Lola the Fashion Show Fairy's magic backstage pass. Will Rachel and Kirsty be able to track it down in time?