The Influence of Fashion on Identity and Aesthetics: A Sociocultural Perspective Within the Framework of Sustainable Development Goal

Objectives: This study examines the dual role of fashion as both a means of self-expression and a social construct influenced by cultural, economic, and historical forces. It explores how fashion serves as a communicative system encoding social meanings, reinforcing group affiliations, and challenging dominant norms, while also addressing its environmental and ethical implications in the context of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 12: Responsible Consumption and Production. Method: Grounded in the theories of fashion semiotics, identity construction, and sociocultural analysis, this research draws from Roland Barthes, Joanne Entwistle, and Malcolm Barnard. Their perspectives highlight fashion as a system of signs, an embodied practice, and a form of visual communication, while also recognizing its role in capitalist consumerism and sustainability challenges. A multidisciplinary approach is employed, combining semiotic analysis, visual analysis of historical and contemporary fashion movements, and discursive analysis of fashion’s role in shaping identity, social structures, and consumption patterns. The findings illustrate fashion’s impact on both individual and collective identity formation, highlighting subcultures such as the Zoot Suit movement, punk, and avant-garde designers like Yohji Yamamoto and Rick Owens. The research also critically examines the tension between fashion as a liberating tool and as a driver of mass consumption, raising concerns about its environmental and social sustainability Contributions: This study contributes to interdisciplinary research in design, sociology, and cultural studies, emphasizing fashion’s evolving role in self-expression, sustainability, and societal norms. It underscores the need for ethical and responsible consumption in fashion, aligning with principles of responsible consumption and production as outlined in SDG 12. By integrating theoretical and empirical insights, this study provides a nuanced perspective on fashion’s role in shaping identity, aesthetics, and resistance while addressing its impact on responsible consumption and production in the 21st century.