Fashion is the artistic perception of beauty, clothes, footwear, fashion accessories, hair style, makeup and body structure and attitude at a certain time and context and in a certain context. In its broadest sense, the word means a distinct appearance defined by the fashion industry through the trends it inspires. This is why the term fashion is so often used to refer to the visual arts, especially the fashion industry.

Fashion can be separated into several subcategories. For instance, practicality or utility, which includes utilitarian articles designed for daily use and maintenance and fashionable and trendy articles of apparel and clothing intended for proms, evening parties and other social occasions. In fine art, the term can be used to refer to creative works aimed at the reception of an audience.

The term is also frequently used to refer to the production of fashion designs. For instance, a showy dress designed by one of today’s top fashion designers, without a parallel in the history of fashion, would not be called fashion. However, a dress created by the designer as an adjunct to the act of seduction, in other words, as part of the process of building an image, might be. Costume design is closely tied to fashion, because the design of an article of dress for a specific occasion requires sophisticated analysis of fabric textures, color, and other factors.

The term is also used in the field of marketing communications to communicate a unique selling proposition. The message can be simple or complex, with a definite point or range. Fashion design is, therefore, inextricably linked to advertising, but when done well, it communicates a message that is positive about the product or service concerned and is not derogatory. The marketing message must always be accompanied by a well-crafted picture or image, which gives a fair indication of the potential benefits. A well-designed ad will thus have more credibility and will be looked upon more favourably by consumers.

Even within the various different aspects of fashion design, the word is widely used. There are fashion design schools, such as the London College of Fashion, that focus on developing a particular style. There are also more generalist style institutes such as Fashion UK and Fashion Institute of London, that teach about the various different aspects of fashion. In the United Kingdom, fashion school qualifications are acquired by taking a degree in either fashion design or another discipline, or by studying part-time with at least some practical experience.

Fashion is not just about what is worn by people – it is also a language that expresses the way in which people feel about everything, including the choices made by designers, manufacturers and shop owners around the world. It is therefore a very powerful industry that has far reaching consequences for those who participate in it, not only for consumers and retailers but for the whole world. Trends can be unpredictable, but they can also speak much more loudly than any words ever could. Fashion trends are important to the very culture they help create, so it is important to participate in them and to understand their language.