INTRODUCTION
In every society, there are many factors such as culture to influence the direction in which fashion is disseminated. This is an argument that shows that in Botswana trickle-cross theory is ideal for the current situation. Influences on fashion define the fashion adaption in a society. Botswana’s fashion involves change, novelty, and the context of time, place, and wearer . The following are points for trickle across theory which is ideal for Botswana against trickle up theory.
Fashion is defined both as an object and as a behavioral process. Objects are tangible and process involves non material aspects of culture or a way of life in general.
According to , proponents of the trickle-across theory or mass dissemination claim that fashion moves horizontally between groups on similar social levels. Evidence for this theory occurs when designers show a look simultaneously at prices ranging from the high end to lower end ready-to-wear which is popular in the fashion markets of Botswana.
states that Field proposed “the status float phenomenon” in which the higher status segment with more power (ability and willingness to buy) imitate those with lower status. It states that the status markers are floating up the status pyramid which is occurs rarely.
FASHION ADAPTATION IN BOTSWANA’S SITUATION
Both theories are affected by Botswana’s fashion which involves change, novelty, and the context of time, place, and wearer (Blumer, 1969). The consumer as the wearer decides on what styles to wear or whether to have influence from the fashion leaders as fashion followers. Among the theories there are seasons of every style. Whether the trickle across or trickle up theory, fashion movement is influenced by the context of time.
In trickle up theory, the art of fashion is initiated from the street or the lower class members of the society such as the poor and the designers make those styles commercial whilst in Botswana there is a horizontal flow concept, as structured by represents a major conceptual framework of contemporary fashion theory. The rich wear their own trending style among their group whereas the in the trickle up theory, the lower income take fashion to the designers by having their own styles until the wealthy adopts the fashion to make it a trend, eventually flows to upper-income groups; thus the movement is from the bottom to the upper level. In Botswana, every group has its own fashion leader. Fashion followers of that particular group then depend or adopt fashion from their own class leaders.
Trickle across suggests that there is mass production and mass communications environment. Fashions tend to spread simultaneously within each social class over time. Locally, the poor copy from the poor and the rich from the rich. Key arguments supporting this proposition are that mass production makes new fashions almost simultaneously available at all price levels, and that mass communications rapidly disseminates information and influence on new fashion offerings.
Robinson (1958) supports the trickle-across theory when he states that any society takes its cue from contiguous groups among different but within each of the same social strata. (King, 1963) also cited reasons for this pattern of distribution, such as rapid mass communications, promotional efforts of manufacturers and retailers, and exposure of a look to all fashion leaders. Chain stores based in Republic of South Africa bring items of similar trends across age groups. Therefore, the poor end up buying the cheap items and the rich buying expensive outfits or opting for ready-to-wear or designer clothes since they have power.
Examples of the trickle-up theory of fashion distribution include a very early proponent, Chanel, who believed fashion ideas originated from the streets and then were adopted by couture designers. This is not the case with our motherland, Botswana. The poor are the low social class, followed by the middle income and the wealthy are at the top of the fashion adaptation level. A very good to illustrate the scenario is the fashion of the German prints especially during the wedding ceremonies which move across the group of the elderly. The elderly wear their own fashion as different from any other level.
CONCLUSION
Botswana adapted to the trickle across theory. The trickle across theory is shown by horizontal fashion flow whilst the trickle up theory is illustrated by the higher class adapting fashion of the lower class. Among all the different fashion groups, there are the groups own leaders and followers. The subgroups within a society have their own factors that influence the dissemination of the objects and processes which are aspects of culture. Both the theories are affected by the context of time, the wearer, place and fashion change.
