Personal Essay: Why Is Fashion Important?

I remember the moment I became interested in fashion very clearly.Before said moment, my previous christmas wish lists had consisted of microscopes and computer games. I was an aspiring scientist, who would mock fashion models whenever they showed up in the 7 pm news I watched religiously.

The moment it all changed, took place in Mexico City with my old middle school friend Jessica. She was gorgeous and stylish and poised and refined and everything my tomboy, disheveled self was not. She had a collection of Juicy Couture tracksuits, gold-plated heart necklaces and an impressive array of girly, preppy Abercrombie sweaters, mind you, it was 2006.
Being exposed to these new, shiny things changed me. Before Jessica, I never had access to these

Fast-forward to now, I study at Parsons School of Design, devote most of my time reading, thinking, watching, consuming and obsessing over fashion.

However, my love for this world is not a family legacy, everyone else in my family are academics, economists, intellectuals that are more prone to mock fashion than follow it. As a result, eyebrows are raised, eyes are secretly rolled and questions are asked whenever I speak of my aspirations in the industry.

“Why is fashion important?” is a question that no one has asked me personally but that I know is going through the minds of everyone I meet who is alien to the fashion industry.
If you asked me for my personal response, the answer to that question lays entirely on the fact that a piece of gold-plated, cheesy Juicy Couture jewelry changed my entire identity. Fashion transformed my psyche, my aspirations and it created the person I was about to become.

But I know, not everyone has these transformative, quasi-religious experiences with fashion, otherwise lips wouldn’t be pursed and laughs wouldn’t be boasted whenever one defends fashion from its frivolous reputation.

So why should my brilliantly academic, politically-involved father with a knack for vintage books care about