FASHION INDUSTRY

The notion of the global fashion industry is a product of the modern age. Before the mid-19th century, most clothing was custom-made. It was handmade for individuals, either as home production or on order from dressmakers and tailors. By the beginning of the 20th century—with the rise of new technologies such as the sewing machine, the rise of global capitalism and the development of the factory system of production, and the proliferation of retail outlets such as department stores—clothing had increasingly come to be mass-produced in standard sizes and sold at fixed prices.

Male and female fashion models on the runway, Los Angeles Fashion Week, 2008

The fashion industry consists of four levels:

●The production of raw materials, principally Fiber, and textiles but also leather and fur.

●The production of fashion goods by designers, manufacturers, contractors, and others.

●Retail sales.

●Various forms of advertising and promotion.