"Why would anyone need that?"
It’s the refrain of skeptics gazing at an intricately beaded gown, a pair of avant-garde shoes with impractical arches, or a jacket that costs as much as a month’s rent. To some, fashion’s symbolic and aspirational side is an indulgence—a frivolity that serves no tangible purpose. After all, clothing is supposed to keep you warm, covered, and functional, right?
But here’s the thing: human beings need more than the practical. If function were all we cared about, we’d all be wearing beige jumpsuits and calling it a day. Yet, we don’t. Why? Because humans are not merely surviving creatures; we are thriving creatures. We seek meaning, identity, and connection—intangible needs that cannot be stitched into a pocket or tucked into a zipper but are just as vital as staying warm in winter.
Let’s unravel the question of "why would anyone need that" and instead ask: what purpose does the symbolic and aspirational serve? And why is it, paradoxically, far more practical than it appears?
1. Humans Are Meaning-Making Machines
At the core of our being is an undeniable truth: we are creatures who seek meaning. We don’t just wear clothes to protect our bodies; we wear them to tell stories about who we are, where we’ve been, and where we’re going.
A symbolic garment—be it a meticulously tailored suit or an otherworldly gown—allows us to project identity. It’s not about what it does; it’s about what it says. This is why we wear uniforms to represent roles, subcultural symbols to signal belonging, and aspirational pieces to embody who we want to become. That jacket isn’t just a jacket—it’s you saying, “This is me. Pay attention.”
And isn’t that function enough? After all, what’s the point of a life without meaning?
2. Identity: The Great Performance
Fashion, at its heart, is an extension of the self. It’s how we construct and communicate identity, a tool to show the world who we are—or, in some cases, who we wish we were.
Consider this: every time you dress, you’re performing a version of yourself. The suit says “competence.” The leather jacket says “rebel.” The intricately embroidered gown says “look at me—I exist in a world of beauty and artistry.”
The practical skeptic may ask, “But why do I need to communicate identity?” The answer is simple: because we’re social creatures. The way you present yourself shapes how others see you and, in turn, how you see yourself. Fashion isn’t just about impressing others; it’s about shaping the internal narrative of your own life.
3. Emotional Resonance: Clothes That Make You Feel
Fashion has a unique power to stir emotions. Think about the first time you put on something that made you feel unstoppable—a perfectly fitted suit, a dress that seemed to glow, or a pair of shoes that made you strut like you owned the world.
The symbolic and aspirational side of fashion taps into this emotional resonance. A functional garment can keep you warm, but it can’t make you feel radiant, powerful, or ethereal. Great fashion, however, can. Its purpose isn’t in its utility—it’s in the way it makes you feel.
And isn’t feeling something profoundly human?
4. Belonging and Distinction: The Social Value of Style
Symbolic fashion also plays a vital role in belonging. It connects us to movements, communities, and cultural narratives. Wearing a certain brand, style, or symbol can say, “I’m one of you” just as easily as it can say, “I’m unlike anyone you’ve ever met.”
Think of the punk leather jacket, the pristine white of a bridal gown, or the logos that scream status and exclusivity. These garments might not "do" anything, but they represent everything: affiliation, rebellion, aspiration.
Belonging is a fundamental human need, and great fashion satisfies it in ways that transcend language.
5. The Pursuit of the Sublime
Finally, the symbolic and aspirational side of fashion serves a purpose that is, in many ways, its highest calling: it brings us closer to the sublime.
A garment that defies convention, that transforms the wearer, or that takes months of painstaking craftsmanship doesn’t serve an immediate practical purpose. But it serves a higher one—it connects us to the beauty of creation, the possibilities of art, and the aspirations of humanity. It reminds us that life isn’t just about surviving; it’s about elevating.
And isn’t that what makes us human? The desire to rise above the mundane and touch something greater, even if just for a moment?
Conclusion: A Need Beyond Mere Need
Why would anyone need that? The question itself reeks of the pallid rationality of a world obsessed with mere survival, a world content with draping itself in mediocrity under the guise of utility. But let us cast aside this herd mentality and dare to ask a better question: why should one confine oneself to the bare necessities when life itself demands the creation of something greater? Great fashion is not about utility; it is about becoming.
The garment that transcends function, that aspires to beauty and symbolism, is not a frivolity but a declaration of the will to power. It is the individual’s rebellion against the drudgery of existence, an affirmation that we are not mere animals scurrying for warmth, but creators—artists of the self. To wear something aspirational is to say: I am more than flesh, more than need, more than this moment. It is to become the architect of one's own aesthetic.
Fashion that rises above the functional is armor for the soul, crafted not to protect but to project. It demands of the world: See me, and tremble at my singularity. It is a sublime lie, a necessary artifice that shields us from the dullness of a life unexamined, unadorned, and unimagined.I believe Nietzsche once remarked, "Without art, we would perish from the weight of reality," and the sentiment resonates profoundly. The individual who cloaks themselves in the symbolic stands defiantly against the oppressive reign of pure pragmatism, refusing to be subdued by its constraints. They transcend mere existence, crafting themselves anew each day, a living testament to the vision of what they dare to aspire toward.
Ah, but the weak will scoff at this! They will say, “Why such extravagance? Why such artifice?” They do not understand that the human spirit craves not just survival but transcendence. The symbolic and the aspirational in fashion are not indulgences—they are the language of those who dare to reach beyond the mundane and touch the eternal. For what is a garment but a symbol of one’s will, a canvas upon which the self is painted for the world to see?
So, to those who dismiss the grandeur of the symbolic garment, I say: Your mockery is the bleating of the sheep who fears the lion. You may not need such things to survive, but survival alone is the domain of the herd. To be—to truly be—requires daring, artistry, and the audacity to rise above necessity.
To the creator of such fashion, and to those who wear it with purpose, remember: you do not adorn yourself to conform but to conquer. Each thread, each cut, each gesture of artistry is a testament to the truth that life is not given meaning—it is forged by those bold enough to demand it.
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