ANALYSIS OF FASHION IN TWO MOVIES
Analysis of Fashion in Two Movies
Fashion is a way of life in many cultures. It encompasses a certain mode of dressing and an absolute preference for clothes, fabrics, or designs of a particular nature. In life every person aspires to look different and unique in their way, that is why there are custom-made, limited editions of shoes, clothes and as well as accessories that many individuals pay a lot of money to have. Life itself in modern times is controlled by fashion that is a reflection of the social, economic, political, and cultural changes. In essence, fashion represents modernity and symbolizes the spirit of the time we live. Fashion films are a great way exhibiting the modern culture that is experienced by many in various parts of the world. The intention of this writing is to investigate two fashion films, namely The Postman Dream and Prada Candy. The arguments primary aim is to offer explanations on the thought processes of these two films in marketing. The analysis will start with a brief introduction of each movie and will then focus on the signifiers of fashion images in each video and explain in detail what each one means, then make seek to conclude whether fashion movies are a great way to advertise, or not.
Introduction to the Movies
The Postman Dream is a short film series, which revolves around a mail carrier who is depicted as being bored at his job. At the start, he can be seen yawning and going through some letters before eventually being bored and falling asleep on the job. In his dream, he sees himself holding an exquisite leather bag, which fondles gently to his delight. The dream is short lived, and he again sees himself holding a parcel before tossing it away. This realization prompts him to rush to attend to his duties. In a hurry, the movie ends with the postman tripping over his boxes of mail before exiting the shop.
Prada Candy is a triple piece movie about a young French girl who has bedazzled two best friends. In the first scene, one of the friends who seems rather sophisticated and eloquent is having lunch with Candy. A moment later, his best friend passes by the restraint and sees the two. He courteously walks over to say hi, but is rudely interrupted by his best friend, who is inquisitive about his motives. An argument ensues before Candy steals the show and introduces herself as the three end up in the movie theater eating popcorns. The scene is concluded with the advertisement of the Prada perfume. The ad suggests that the fragrance can induce attributes such as boldness, sensation and a passion for adventure. The two other scenes are a repeat of the same concept in which each scene ends with Candy stealing the show as the main protagonist while the other two disagreed severally in numerous occasions because of her attention. Moreover, as trademarks finish the perfume is then advertised a second time, this time being depicted as a sense of feminism, power, and strength.
Signifiers represent an idea or an ideal, which the society considers reasonable. It may be something that is morally accepted and controversial (Barthes 2013). In the two movies, signifiers have been used to represent the ideals and attributes represented by the product they are advertising. In the many scenes, Candy is seen an innocent young woman in a pink dress with lovely lips and donning a global brand perfume (Freeland 2011). The protagonist is characterized as beautiful, Loving, sexy calm and very relaxed and ready to accept what life offers her way. Candy is the signifier as she represents sexiness and beauty by elaborately embracing either dark or light shades of pink. The other two male characters show signs of male chauvinism, by competing for Candy’s attention repeatedly. The individuals are seen as rivals, as each tries to outsmart the other to spend time alone with Candy.
In the other movie, the main protagonist is a mail carrier, who is in his office. He shuffles a few letters and then starts yawning. After successive yawns, he falls asleep. In a flash, the main character is seen as holding box, which then seems like a bag. A unique, brown exquisite bag which the postman, caresses passionately as his body posture tilts to his sides, showing his happiness at experiencing the dream. He suddenly jolts forward and tosses the parcel in his hand over his head. The protagonist shows a shoppers dream. While he is at work, he only envisions the bag of his dreams. His yearning is so great that he dreams of owning that bag and holding it in his arms. Prada is an international brand renowned for the best high-end quality fashion product. Their label being a desire of many as a concept is seen in the movie. When the postman snaps back to reality, it spooks him, and he nearly falls off his chair. The signifier elaborated in that is that every individual has a dream which they out to live. Prada as a brand represents the vision while the person symbolized the dreamer.
Comparisons
The two films share some ideas, with the primary one being idea of materialism. Both films have they propose to its audiences. In The Postman Dreaming. The worker fantasizes about his object of affection; he is seen as being able to do anything to own it. The movie about Candy shows two men successively compete to win her love. They plot to both distract each other from being with the protagonist and thus end up not spending time with her, but together as the three of them. The two films successfully manage to show how materialism has stemmed its roots in our contemporary society. Another element that is common between the two films is the aspect of the completion of human nature. In both films, man is depicted as scheming to get something he desires. His desire pushes him to challenge his limits largely and thus emerge as a competitive minded individual. Furthermore, in both cases, a product is shown as having power over the ideas that governs a man’s socio-cultural beliefs. The perfume indicates that an item in the society can have an effect on a multitude in a gathering if on a smaller scale it can spellbind individuals. In both the movies, some people are spellbound by the idea that a product represents. The two men in Candy’s case are shown as wanting to be with her regardless of circumstances, on the other hand, the postman is seen as feeling happy holding in his arms a prestigious Prada bag, the moment seems so real to him it has a profound effect on him.
Contrast
The major distinction in the movies is the aspect of gender, which is well illustrated. The movie with Candy as the protagonist, two men are after women, on the other hand, in an entirely different movie, the main protagonist desires a female bag. He passionate caresses it; his actions show intimate care and concern, which can be equated to a man’s love for a woman. Another sharp contrast is in the time setting. In the movie the postman, the time setting seems archaic in a sense, while Prada Candy appears to be set in the current past as depicted by the existence of a movie theater in one of the scenes. The types of clothes worn in the movies also strongly assert the difference in fashion preferences among the genders, with one depicting a more modern look, while the other typically illustrates an outdated style (Rocamora 2012).
Arguments
An analysis of the two films shows a lot of about the fashion industry. But more specifically, it indicates the concept of embracing modernity versus the traditional ways of the past (Colliander and Dahlén 2011). The difference between the two concepts cannot be clearly distinguished as there is a thin line between in between. On a closer look, one can suggest that while both films are meant for specific target audiences, the one that has elements of trendy fashion may be the movie that is mostly viewed. According to (Lee 2010), the disparity in ages of the audience is a significant aspect that shows which film would be popular. The Prada Candy movie appeals to a great followership all over the globe as it shows a scene, where every individual has ever gone through – the stage of courtship – in life. Prada Candy, as a result, would be more successful in advertising its products due to the target audience they fascinate. The postman seems to be more suited for the older generation who do not take much interest in the material aspects of life since maybe they have owned it their whole life.
The film successfully identifies and describes the signifiers in each of the fashion images it represents. In both films, the contrast and similarities present play a huge role in marketing the films due to the fashion brand they represent. The imagery enhances the sense of perception that each movie seeks to impact on its audience. The arguments clearly illustrate that an active audience will provide the volume needed to buy more products, thus selling more of the advertised item would sell more of the products it advertises, in any region of the world. The essay successfully analyzes the two fashion films and thus serves the purpose of the thesis.
Bibliography
Barthes, R., 2013. The language of fashion. London, UK: A&C Black.
Colliander, J. and Dahlén, M., 2011. Following the fashionable friend: The power of social media. Journal of Advertising Research, 51(1), pp.313-320.
Freeland, C.A., 2011. Share the Fantasy. Fashion-Philosophy for Everyone: Thinking with Style, pp.70-87.
Lee, K., 2010. The green purchase behavior of Hong Kong young consumers: The role of peer influence, local environmental involvement, and concrete environmental knowledge. Journal of international consumer marketing, 23(1), pp.21-44.
Rocamora, A., 2012. Hypertextuality and remediation in the fashion media: The case of fashion blogs. Journalism Practice, 6(1), pp.92-106.
