Conclusion

A particularity of fashion heritage lies in its capacity to renew the narrative forms of appearance woven between designers, producers and consumers, considering that forms of appearance are forms of expression of the “I” and the “We” (Simmel, G., American Journal of Sociology 62, 541-548, 1957; Crane, D., Fashion and its social agendas: class, gender, and identity in clothing. The University of Chicago Press, Chicago and London, 2000), with a strong repercussion in social terms, influencing the wellbeing and the construction of the life project of each and every individual. From this fact derives the power that fashion has been exercising throughout history. The diversity of fashion objects and the techniques and expertise related to their production, selling and use, and the multidisciplinary research based on all these aspects, contribute to the transmission of these narratives, raising the question of the definition and justification of heritage. Each of the case studies in this book reveals different social, political, economic and cultural motivations for the desire to ‘make heritage’. In a context of climate change and the unprecedented health crisis linked to the Covid-19 epidemic, the fashion and clothing industries have lessons to learn from the past and a reflection to make about the present and the future. It is within this frame that we propose a reflection on the role narratives play in the construction of knowledge and creativity, with knowledge and creativity at the core of what may be considered fashion heritage.