1、Fashion statements Unit 3 Unit overview Unit key featuresOrganizing suggestions Passage 1 Fifty years of fashion Passage 2 Eco-jewellery: sea glass Passage 1 is an overview of fashion development which looks at important fashion features from 1960 to 2010. The writer indicates a parallel relationshi

2、p between the trends of fashion and changes in economy. Passage 2 is an online reputable newspaper article explaining the origin of sea glass jewellery which fits well with current ecological ideas. Passage 1 is longer and relatively harder to read and comprehend, due to its historical references an

3、d cultural implications. T may use some time to explain or ask Ss to prepare for the cultural information in Passage 1 and use Passage 2 to debate about their views to jewellery and ecology. Reading skills (a) Predicting (b) Identifying features of a formal writing style through reading. (c) Evaluat

4、ing the texting Use skill (a) with both Passage 1 and Passage 2. Ss learn to identify sentences containing information and/or opinions. Ss show their awareness of how formal writing is organised. Speaking skills Organizing Ss oral discussion by showing them how to present information and opinions. L

5、earning to ask skilful questions to find out your own and others viewpoints. Ss need to present their views with supporting evidence of facts and information. Ss demonstrate their abilities of asking relevant and skilful questions in debate or conversation. Writing skills and tasks Focusing on forma

6、l writing Highlighting the features of formal writing to Ss Teaching the ways of writing factual information and opinions Ss learn to write in a formal style by incorporating the writing features. Ss pay attention to the use of tenses in writing a description of trends and to how opinions and facts

7、are written. Cognitive skills Analysing trends by using patterns observed and researched. Debating the ecology of jewellery Ss develop their thinking skills through analysis of facts and information. Ss develop their argumentation through questioning the information and opinions provided in passages

8、. Reading across cultures Tied up in knots This is a passage briefly illustrating the history and functions of a mans fashion accessory: the tie. Ss learn to understand how the tie has developed and its current functions. T may ask Ss to discuss how ties are perceived and worn in China. Unit 3Fashio

9、nstatements 88 Teaching suggestions and answer keys Starting point 1 Work in pairs. Discuss your reactions to the clothes modelled in the photo. Think about: the style The style looks rather Russian with the hats, high boots and heavy-looking jackets or coats with knee- length or ankle-length hemlin

10、es. The style seems to have a military look with the mans trousers and the hats, but the patterns with the flowers seem a bit different, rather ornate and decorative, a little like the Victorian late 19th-century styles. the effect of the clothes on the watcher This style makes me feel a bit distant

11、 because it makes the wearers look tall and military or maybe like dancers far away; on the other hand I would want to get closer to see the flowers. the effect of the clothes on the wearer The hat would keep you warm and with the high boots would perhaps make you feel important or authoritative, li

12、ke a military officer, but the flower pattern may make you feel a bit more feminine and gentle. the chances of their being a commercial success I cant imagine this style being really popular as it is, but I can envisage that perhaps the style would be influential so that in a modified way people wou

13、ld wear clothes of this style, a slightly military look with flower designs. 2 Work in pairs. Read the quotations about fashion. Which ones do you agree with? Teaching tips Encourage Ss to say more than give a simple agreement or disagreement. At this level, they should give comments and, with their

14、 partner, try to extend the comments. Student A may give a quick answer with a brief comment, then student B could extend Student As comment, as in the examples below. Ss can alternate their roles with different quotations. Fashion is architecture: It is a matter of proportions. Coco Chanel, French

15、fashion designer A: This is an interesting comment because of all the things you might think of are aspects of fashion (fabric and material, patterns, colour, price and market etc.) B: I suppose proportion in clothing fashions means the relationship between length, width, top and bottom garments and

16、 so on, which is clearly a question of balance and suitablility, so I think we both agree. Fashions fade, style is eternal. Yves Saint Laurent, French fashion designer B: I wonder what the difference between fashion and style is? Fashion seems to mean a trend which comes and goes, but style would me

17、an something particular a characteristic a kind of art, which may be part of fashion or not. A: Yes, this might be right, but I really doubt whether style is eternal. Thats why I have reservations about FashionstatementsUnit 3 89 this, dont you? In fact, styles change, but maybe more slowly than fas

18、hion. Fashion is not frivolous. It is part of being alive today. Mary Quant, British fashion designer A: Im not surprised a famous designer would say that fashion is not frivolous; she means it lasts longer or is important and not superficial. B: But whats the point of saying its part of being alive

19、? Are you dead without fashion? I dont agree because I think she overestimates the importance of fashion its just fashion. There is no virtue whatsoever in creating clothing or accessories that are not practical. Giorgio Armani, Italian fashion designer B: Yes, I agree with this. Clothes should be u

20、seful and easy to wear! A: Right. I always wonder how real people could ever wear some garments displayed on fashion shows. Most designers must design practical clothes, otherwise they would be out of business. The best thing is to look natural, but it takes make-up to look natural. Calvin Klein, US

21、 fashion designer A: No, I think this is just an advertising statement to sell his make-up. B: Actually make-up can look nice but even when its put on by professionals, say in films, you can still see that it is not natural. Youve got a good point: This is just commercial talk and I dont agree eithe

22、r. I dont design clothes, I design dreams. Ralph Lauren, US fashion designer B: This is probably true as a marketing statement. Hes trying to promote an idea of a lifestyle or dream so that his company can sell lots of products that represent that lifestyle. A: However, I dont agree that clothes rep

23、resent dreams or that they should do so. Only very special clothes represent dreams; normal clothes dont. When in doubt, wear red. Bill Blass, US fashion designer B: What a nice idea! Is he Chinese?! He obviously thinks red is a colour for most occasions or that it represents something, and I often

24、choose to wear red A: OK, but come on! I dont agree that you should wear red when you dont know what colour to choose. You wear red for special occasions and you choose it deliberately, not because you cant think of anything of other colours. Cultural notes These quotes and Passage 1 mention many de

25、signers and garments, so these points are grouped respectively for better understanding and reference. Designers Coco Chanel (18831971) was a pioneer French fashion designer and entrepreneur who became a notable figure in society. Her designs for womens clothes were inspired by menswear and were sim

26、ple, elegant and expensive. In 1923 Coco Chanel told Harpers Bazaar “simplicity is the keynote of all true elegance” Chanel made comfortable garments that gave women freedom to move. She founded the famous Chanel brand which included the perfume, Chanel No. 5, which in 1921 was the first perfume to

27、have the designers name on the label. She also made the suntan (皮膚的古銅色) fashionable. Her extraordinary influence on fashion was such that she was the only person in the field to be named on TIME magazines 100 most influential people Unit 3Fashionstatements 90 of the 20th century. Yves Saint Laurent

28、(19362008) was a French fashion designer who was considered one of the greatest figures in French fashion in the 20th century. He worked for Christian Dior and later opened his own fashion house and established boutiques in Paris first for women, then later for men. He was known for his luxurious ev

29、ening wear designs of tuxedo and smoking jackets, see-through blouses, besides his perfumes. He used ethnic themes, vivid colours, and upheld high standards of classical design and tailoring. Mary Quant (1934 ) is a British fashion designer for womens clothes, one of the many designers who invented

30、the hot pants and the miniskirt in the 1960s. She designed coloured and patterned tights and dresses with strong colours and geometric designs, white knee-high boots with tight sweaters in stripes and bold check patterns and plastic PVC raincoats (the “London look”). Later she designed household goo

31、ds and cosmetics. Giorgio Armani (1934 ) is an Italian designer, known as one of the worlds most successful fashion designers. In the 1960s he was a designer for Nino Cerruti, then in 1974 he set up his own company which designed and made menswear for Hollywood celebrities, and with his sister set u

32、p a womens wear label. He designed for the high-end of the market with clean lines and crisp tailoring. He later introduced diffusion lines of more affordable fashion products, making his garments more accessible to the public as well as items for the home. By 2001 he was acclaimed as the most succe

33、ssful designer to come out of Italy. Calvin Klein (1942 ) is an award-winning American designer. He is known for tight-fitting jeans of the 1960s and later for underwear, swimwear, watches, perfumes, cosmetics and other products with fresh, sleek designs. Part of his commercial success was due to wi

34、despread exotic or provocative advertising. He has stores all over the world. Ralph Lauren (1939 ) is an American designer of classic fashion and many household products, best known for his Polo Ralph Lauren clothing brand. He first worked for a tie manufacturer, then designed wide ties. In 1968 he

35、started his own company, making and selling mens shirts, womens clothing, furniture and household goods. He showed a sense of innovation and style, but also a sense of how to package and present products and give a lifestyle image. Bill Blass (19222002) was an American designer known for his tailori

36、ng and innovative combinations of textures and patterns, with a polished style and classic good taste. He worked for a company called Rentner, but later he owned the company and renamed it Bill Blass Limited, designing elegant sportswear, womens clothing that allowed a sense of ease and comfort, rai

37、nwear, evening wear, jeans, home furnishings, luggage and perfume. His work was known for simple styles and luxurious materials. Levi Strauss (18291902) was a German-born businessman in the American clothing trade who went to the Californian Gold Rush to sell supplies to miners. He understood how mi

38、ners needed strong and durable trousers for work so he made them using denim material. Later, with a tailor, Jacob Davis, who was using rivets in clothing, Strauss added the rivets to the denim trousers and overalls. They patented the process in 1873. After the 1930s, movies like Westerns featured c

39、owboys and film stars wearing denim work clothes, which then became fashionable symbols of independence and “rugged individualism”. In the 1950s, zips were added and the trousers were called jeans. The garments became associated with teenage rebellion and later with a young, active and informal life

40、style. In the 1970s, denim was further developed by stonewashing, which gives the cloth a fashionable worn-out appearance and makes the fabric softer and more flexible. Andr Courrges (1923 ) is a French designer known for ultra-modern designs. He opened his own fashion FashionstatementsUnit 3 91 hou

41、se in 1961. He popularized the miniskirt in France, introduced long trousers for women, designed beach clothes, swimwear, and tennis dresses, and used Egyptian influences in some designs. He favoured bright colours and geometric shapes and was often imitated by other designers. Brooks Brothers is th

42、e oldest clothing store in America, founded in 1818 by Henry Sands Brooks. Its main focus is on mens business and casual clothes, but they have sold womens clothes since 1949. The company symbol is the Golden Fleece, a symbol of a sheep from Greek mythology. Brooks Brothers clothes are worn by many

43、celebrities. Hugo Boss (18851948) was the founder of clothing company Hugo Boss AG. But it went bankrupt in the economic depression of 1930. He started a new business supplying clothes for Nazi organizations and the German military. His business survived after the war by making mens suits, and after

44、 his death the fashion house continues specializing in high-end and causal clothing. Fashion ranges for business and events (Boss Black), for leisure (Boss Orange) and sports and a sporty look (Boss Green). Franco Moschino (19501994) was an unorthodox Italian fashion designer who opened his own comp

45、any in 1983. He developed innovative, colourful, lively designs for well-tailored and wearable clothes, starting with casualwear and jeans, later with evening dresses, menswear, shoes, swimwear, perfumes, handbags, and childrens clothes. Additional activity Present a fashion designer Ask Ss work in

46、groups to choose a designer and prepare a very brief presentation for the class to be given orally near the end of this unit, with written notes to be handed in as a substitute for the guided writing task. Each group finds information on the Internet or in magazines about a Western or Chinese design

47、er and makes a brief presentation about their ideas and designs, which, if possible, is illustrated with photos of garments. The list of designers and perhaps the information above could serve as a good starting point. Active reading (1) 1 Look at the photos and the title of the passage, and answer

48、the questions. 1 Which two fashion items do you think the passage will talk about most? I think the passage will talk about jeans and jackets because I know jeans have been popular and fashionable for many years and styles in jackets have changed a bit over time. 2 Which aspects of the items do you

49、expect the descriptions to concentrate on? Probably on colour and length, but the passage could pick out any of these aspects I think. Background information Fashion is generally divided into subsectors: menswear, womenswear, sportswear and streetwear, hosiery (socks, tights, stockings), formal wear

50、 and casual wear. Fashion and the choice of what clothes we buy and wear is influenced by our beliefs, attitudes and personality. But this passage shows that the stock market can Unit 3Fashionstatements 92 also be an influence. Culture points The Californian gold rush (18481855) was a period of rapi

51、d migration of miners and other workers into California following the dramatic discovery of gold in the Sierra Nevada. It led to the settlement of California. Swinging London is a term that describes fashion and cultural trends in music and the media in mid-1960s Britain, especially London. Icons of

52、 the time included the miniskirt, the mini car, the first supermodels like Twiggy (who was famous for being very thin) and fashionable shopping streets for clothes (like Carnaby Street and Kings Road in London). The hippie movement began in the early 1960s in California and spread internationally. H

53、ippies had a reputation for social rebellion (eg with drugs and sexual behaviour) and alternative lifestyles (eg in communes). They tried to find a new way of life which valued peace, individuality, and religious and cultural diversity. The movement influenced popular music, TV and film, literature

54、and the arts. Hippie fashions included long full skirts, bell-bottomed jeans, home-made and tie-dyed garments, the use of flower designs (which represented peace and love), and influences from non-Western cultures in headscarves, headbands, bracelets and long beaded necklaces. The punk period featur

55、es fashions that expressed anger against society and included brightly coloured hair, ripped clothes and studded belts. The New Romantics was a youth fashion movement, developed in 1960s in London. It is strongly associated with music, which was inspired by historical periods, especially the English

56、 Romantic Movement. Fashions had a dramatic, flamboyant look with luscious fabrics, loose shirts with frills and short shirt collars, unfolded, with top buttons unfastened and using monotone colours. Power dressing is a stylish and perhaps expensive way of dressing (usually for business, the profess

57、ions or politics) which is intended to give the impression that the person wearing the clothes is assertive and competent, through the use of structured shapes, shoulder pads, smart fabrics, high heels and clean cut styling in the form of work uniform. Whether wearing particular styles of clothing e

58、mpowers the wearer or whether newly-empowered people simply wear clothes that reflect their achievements is an open question. Miami Vice was a classic 1980s TV crime drama about two detectives who go undercover to fight drug traffickers. The series and the 2006 film was noted for its strong use of m

59、usic and visual effects; it has been rebroadcast around the world. During the five years of making this TV series the producers explicitly sought the advice of designers (eg Gianni Versace, Hugo Boss) in order to display the latest European fashion trends, with the result that Miami Vice had a significant influence on 1980s mens fashion in the USA and elsewhere, and even on the 2000s revival (it was called “retro” or “retrospective style”). The clothing style of the TV detectives, Sonny Crockett and Rico Tubbs, had pastel coloured T-