10 Fashion Accessories I

R. Shanthi

epgp books

 

 

 

 

 

1.      Introduction

 

The global apparel industry has grown manifold over the past few years with fashion conscious consumers who would like to live up to the day to day changes. The market is swarming with many types and varieties of accessories which compliment and complete the ensemble. Fashion is no longer attributed to items of clothing alone but engulfs the right match of ties, socks, shoes etc. for men and the handbag, jewellery, stole, sunglasses etc. for women. The fashion accessory sector is a high potential sector in developed countries while this sector is unorganized in the developing countries thereby has a huge scope for development.

 

The urban Indian market for fashion accessories is expected to reach Rs. 12 billion by 2012 (Ace Global Private limited, 2009). Increasing literacy, high income, urbanization, consciousness of changing fashion trends, technology growth and higher level of awareness, retailing and online shopping has led to a consumer demand pattern of spending on lifestyle products and services despite the economic drop in recent times.A sub division of Sony under the brand name of Fashion Entertainments Startup [ FES] has moved into e-Paper fashion accessories.

 

The FES e-paper watch is extremely thin and the face of the watch and straps are designed to change in response to the wrist gestures of the wearer. Complicated electronics are not present inside the watch and a single button battery will help the watch to function for 60 days (Tunnard, 2014).Technology has opened new avenues to help consumers to indulge in e fashion accessories like smart self-lacing self-warming shoes, stylish handbag with special functions, Halal paint – nail polish with 100% halal ingredients for Muslim women, 3D printed gold jewellery etc. Another aspect which requires special mention is the sustainability feature in accessory manufacturing. The terms ‘green communication’ and ‘green marketing’ holds good for any product today. The fashion conscious consumer is also aware of his concern to the environment and society and this has led to many accessories like Reeboks biodegradable sneakers with corn-based soles, smart gym bag that cleans and freshens items inside, skin friendly cosmetic kits with sunscreens and eyeshadow from microbial-derived ingredients (Global Sources, 2017a,b,c).

  1. Learning Objectives:

The objectives of the module are as follows:

  • Gain knowledge on the Fashion accessories and its types
  • Understand the production processes involved in the manufacture of Fashion Accessories
  • Learn about the care and maintenance of accessories
  1. Fashion Accessories

3.1.Meaning and importance

 

Fashion accessories are any products or goods that help to give a finished look to the apparel worn by the person. Accessories are trend setters as they change the entire look of the outfit. Historic accessories worn during ancient times include Roman Fibula which were clasps to hold the tunics, silver amuletic jewelry to ward off evil spirits, Egyptian pectorals as brooches or necklaces while the latest accessories include the Henry Vintage Wayfarer Sunglasses worn by James Bond in the movie ‘Spectre’, Du Pont Cuff links worn by Daniel Craig in ‘Casino Royale’ and Pierre Cardin Ski goggles worn by Roger Moore in ‘For Your Eyes Only’as seen in Fig. 1.

 

Fig. 1. Ancient and contemporary accessories

(Wikipedia, 2017; Bond lifestyle, 2017 a, b; Pinterest, 2017)

The term ‘fashion accessory’ came into use during the 19th century. Fashion Accessories change with the passage of time in terms of shapes, silhouettes and colours. It is an item which contributes to the wearer’s outfit in a secondary manner(Cumming et. al., 2010).

 

The importance of accessories is very many Accessories and clothing have equal significance to express one’s style; Accessories define style Chosen to complement the wearers look Helps to hide weakness if any in the outfit Completes the attire.

 

Provides opportunities for creativity ; staple piece of clothing can be made interesting with new and fresh accessories Accessories define occasions

 

Directs the eye to the area of focus or emphasis (Fonseca, 2013; Nunex, 2017; Sylvia, 2017)

 

3.2.Types of Fashion Accessories

 

Generally they are categorized as those accessories that are carried by the wearer and those worn by the wearer.

 

Carried Accessories: include handbags, purses, wallets; parasols and umbrellas; canes and walking sticks; ceremonial swords; hand fans; handkerchiefs etc.

 

Worn accessories:Boots/ shoes, cravats, ties, bonnets, belts /suspenders, gloves, muffs & mittens, jewelery, watches, hats, sashes/scarves/stoles & shawls, lanyards, socks/stockings, eyewear, capes, cloaks, cufflinks, cummerbunds come under the category worn accessories (Apparel Search, 2017; lovetoknow, 2017)

 

Though accessories are found in plenty, some of the most popular fashion accessories are discussed here.

 

4. Footwear

 

According to the ‘World Footwear’ and ‘Components and Leather Goods Manufacturers Association, the footwear industry by the year 2030 will cater to consumers who will be greatly influenced by sustainability, fashion, leather and rising cost of labor (Velasquez, 2013). China and other Asian countries will emerge as new markets and the footwear industry will have to prepare for these consumers. The total number of consumers under the middle class will reach 4.8 million by 2030, a 3 million increase from 2009. Reports state that Ferragamo, a leading brand respected today for handcrafted leather goods, has 37.8% of its total revenue this year from the Asia Pacific market while Prada, an Italian luxury fashion house specializing in leather goods, has opened 27 new stores [35% of the new stores opened] in the Asia Pacific region.

   4.1.Components of a basic shoe

 

Shoes comprise of three parts the upper, the soles and the heels, Fig. 2.

The upperconsists of the part which covers the toes known as the vamp or toe box, the shoe upper which covers the front part of the shoe with laces and tongue and the back portion which has a heel counter.

The sole consists of more than one layer namely the insole that lies directly below the foot, followed by the midsole and the outsole which is the outer most layers specially designed to withstand the pressures of friction. Insoles may be removable or replaceable for comfort, health and to control shape, moisture and odor. Midsole may or may not be present in shoes but this region can be used for creating functional aspects like adding layers for shock absorption in running shoes. The outsoles may have sophisticated modifications like embedding spikes for athletic shoes or softer/harder outsoles for different dance forms.

 

Heels or bottoms are the last parts added to the shoes and come in various styles and heights.

 

4.2.Production Process:

 

Shoe designers or line builders create their designs based on forecasts, trends that overtook the associate industries like clothing or sportswear, theatrical production, historical period, creative genius coupled with the importance for fit, comfort and utility. Ornamentation and embellishment are also an emphatic inclusion in today’s footwear designs. The production sequence is given in Table 1 and Figures 3-21.

4.3.Footwear styles

 

Some of the footwear styles which have lived and faded through the passage of time are given below, Table 2:

  • Aerobics : light weight foot wear with nonskid bottoms designed to absorb the impact of the feet during walking, running or moving.
  • Bal : Classic close tied shoe available with tip designs like wingtip, straight tip, saddle or plain front.
  • Blucher : Carefree Open tie style with laces open at the bottom of the eyelets.
  • Boot : A shoe extended above the ankle till the thigh designed initially for heavy duty.
  • Clog : a heavy shoe with platforms made of wood or cork.
  • Espadrille: Close back shoe and square throated with fabric upper and help bottom.
  • Loafer : is a slip on with sturdy heel and sole.
  • Mary Jane : A rounded front girl’s shoe with strap across the instep.
  • Sandal : Traditional footwear featuring a sole with straps.
  • Sneaker : Canvas or leather sports shoe available in various heights and has lace across instep.
  • Sling back: Footwear with a back strap

Table 2 Footwear Styles (Jayshree, 2016; Schneider, 2014; Wikepedia, 2017, Your dictionary, 2017; Danforth, 2016; Joe, 2015; Mid west marketing Limited, 2017; Hugs & Co., 2017; New Look Limited, 2017)

4.4.Judging the fit

 

The comfort and durability of any footwear depends on correct size and care. To ensure proper fit measurement of feet should be done in standing position with the length from the heel to the ball of the front. There should be at least ¼ to ½ inch gap between the longest toe and the front of the shoe. Walking with the new pair of shoes is advisable to judge the comfort and slipping tendency if any.

 

4.5.Care of footwear

  • Ensuring drying of leather footwear after use prevents perspiration smell.
  • Leather footwear storage near heat source is not advisable as the leather will become dry and loose its appearance.
  • brushing and polishing with fine soft cloth is recommended
  • Regular checks of the heels and soles required to ascertain that they are in proper shape.

History states that gloves were worn for protection by peasants, shepherds and soldiers in Old Egypt. The gloves worn by the Pharaohs symbolized high position while women wore them to safeguard their hands while eating and working. ‘Digitalia’ were gloves made in linen or silk, worn by the Romans while cooking and eating. During the 11th century bishops wore gloves knitted in gold thread while the priests of lower order wore white gloves. The 12th century saw an era of decorative gloves splashed with perfume and decorated with gold, silver and pearls, Figure 25. It was a symbol of elegance, differentiation, dignity & honor and power in the Middle ages. All ceremonies were followed by the transmission of the gloves. The knitting machine helped in providing knitted parts during the 17th century and the French were leaders in glove making during the 18th and 19th century. Wearing gloves became an important affair and held symbolic meaning in the knight’s circle eg. In the 18th century a glove thrown below the feet meant ready for a duel, handing of a glove indicated subordination of the knight to the person who handed the glove and so on, Figure 24. Glove making was a complicated process. Leather was sought from Spain, designing and cutting by France and sewing, decoration in England. In the 19th century the rules for an ideal gentleman was to change his gloves six times a day (Shkirgalant, 2005).

 

 

5.1.Components of a basic glove

 

Components for gloves may be one partin the case of knitted gloves but for leather or woven gloves, Figure 26, they consist of four parts.

Trank – is the rectangular silhouette or shape that cover the front and back portions of the hand.

Fourchettes  –  are  narrow  oblong  inserts

that provide room for fingers cut in contrast material or same material as the trank

       Quirks – are small triangular sections that provide extra freedom of movement for the

fingers

 

Thumb – The final part is the thumb which may be bulky and roomy (Bolton thumb) for men’s gloves or sleek and snugger in fit (Quirk thumb) for dressy ladies gloves.

 

5.2.Production Process

 

The production processes involved in glove making is given in the Table 3 and Figures 21-30. Gloves may be made of leather, fabrics, plastics or any suitable material . Non wovens are being used to make disposable gloves for aesthetic, health care and medical applications. In the case of gloves made from fabrics there is no table cutting as the material is uniform unlike leather. In knitted gloves assembling is not necessary as it is made in one piece and only the finger tips of the gloves are sewn together.

5.3.Sizes and Length of gloves

 

Glove size guides are made available by the manufacturer and customers can measure their hands and select the appropriate size as per the size charts given. Glove size charts are offered for men, women and children as XS, S, M, L, XL or as numerals. A sample men and women glove size chart is given in Fig. No 31-33. The actual measurement is matched with the size and the glove is selected.

 

The length of the glove is measured in button and the difference between the button measurements is one inch. The range starts from the shortest 2 button glove which reaches the wrist to the 18 button opera glove which reaches the upper arm.

5.4.Glove Styles

 

Various styles, shapes and sizes are available in gloves but the primary criteria for selection depends on the styles available and the appropriateness of the style to the wearer. Some of the styles are given below, Figure 34.

 

  • Gauntlet : has an extended cuff from wrist to forearm and has a historical background of knights in armour. This style gives an air of liberation and empowerment and couples well with figure hugging dresses.
  • Mosquetaire : is a long length glove with extra buttons as the wrist to facilitate easy removal of the glove. These gloves are a great hit in cat walks and fashion houses giving a touch of luxury to subtle outfits.
  • Wrist length gloves : simple glove which ends at the wrist made of wool or cashmeres to keep warm .
  • Mitten : is a glove which has two major divisions- one for the thumb and the other for the rest of the fingers. Suitable for children and may be lined or unlined. In the recent Autumn/Winter 2017 collection Max Mara opted for the mitten showing the permanency of gloves in fashion.
  • Mitt: covers only the palm leaving the fingers free for use by the modern lady. Comes with many embellishments and is appropriate for tropical and Mediterranean regions.
  • Driving Gloves: made of soft leather, suede or fabric this style, an imitation of gloves worn by race drivers, is suitable for all ensembles; has holes at the knuckles to provide comfort and flexibility; provides good grip at the steering wheel.
  • Shorty :also known as ‘Slip on’, is a short version than the one which extends to the wrist; exposes the upper hand and lower wrist. Ideal as part of evening wear for weddings and occasional events. Summer Spring 2016 collection of Gucci showcased this style with embellishments.

5.5.Care of Gloves:

  • Tugging gloves during removal and wear can distort shape of the gloves. Care to be taken which insertion and removal of gloves.
  • Airing the gloves after each wear is essential for leather and vinyl gloves
  • Addition of synthetic fibers in glove making makes it machine washable and easy to maintain eg. Children’s gloves
  • Leather gloves may be dry cleaned professionally or by the consumer. For washable leathers the glove is worn on hand, washed with mild soap and water, rinsed and patted mildly and the water removed. This will ensure shape retention. For heavier leathers the same procedure is done when not worn on hand. Gentle massaging of leather is done after the glove is dry to make it flexible.

High quality and safety are requirements for fashion accessories and all products should comply with the relevant standards. Footwear must comply with standards like ASTM, ISO, GB, EN standards, AAFA Restricted Substance List while standards for gloves include Personal Protective Equipment PPE requirements [Minimal risk, complex design & Intermediate] and European Standards like EN 374, 420 and so on. Manufacturing accessories in compliance to standards on both national and international scale minimizes risks and interests protected.

  1. Summary

Fashion accessories play an important part in enriching and enhancing the appearance of an individual. Accessories related to fashion belong to the ‘luxury’ category. The design, style, raw material selection, production process and care, have a great impact on the appearance and functionality of the product.Brand names, niche markets and advertising play a key role in the marketing of these products. Accessory market is very huge and many giant players across the globe are involved in the manufacture of these goods to cater to fashion conscious customers.

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