Fashion on the move

What: Our next issue, on the theme of ‘Fashion on the move’, to be published in August 2021. 

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In this issue, we want to hear from you about something that is both personal and a statement to (or perceived by) the world: clothing, fashion, and style. 

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We are interested in hearing about personal experiences of navigating fashion while on the move: How do clothing and dress expectations change when crossing borders?  What role has style, clothing and fashion played in your migration story or perhaps that of your family?

We are also interested in hearing about the bigger picture: fashion itself is constantly on the move, being both shaped by and in turn shaping migration trends as people exchange ideas and know-how while moving in search of jobs. These range from fast-fashion factory workers to high-end haute couture designers. Fashion and clothing choices can – intentionally or not – be deeply political, outwardly or more personally religious, instrumental for protests, and weaponised by governments.

This issue will centre around five main topics relating to ‘fashion on the move’: the movement behind fashion, the fashion of solidarity and protest, the fashion of family, the fashion of crossing a culture, and the fashion of fusion.

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• The movement behind fashion: Where do certain trends, fabrics, or patterns come from? How do elements of fashion tell the story of migration and cultural exchange? 

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• The fashion of solidarity and protest: How has clothing united diasporas and protest groups across borders? How can fashion be used as a form of solidarity or protest? What are some telling outward representations of transnational group identity and belonging? How identifiable are these items of clothing? What do these mean for groups often scattered across the globe?

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• The fashion of family (or ‘fashioning’ a family): What are some family heirlooms that people on the move continue to wear to embrace a common ancestry or link to a territory? What is the story behind these accessories or clothing items? 

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• The fashion of crossing a culture: What are some immediate adjustments that need to be made when a border is crossed? How do second- and third-generation migrants or refugees express both ancestry and country of birth in the way they dress? How do they navigate different expectations and requirements for dress? How is this different from the way their relatives dress? How does this affect family dynamics and articulations of belonging?

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• The fashion of fusion: What are some fashion or clothing initiatives that are anchored in movement or the fusion of two cultures? Are these recent or ancient phenomena? What is the particular richness of fashion that seeks to fuse one or more cultures, and when can it become problematic? What are the stories of the people who started these initiatives?

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We are particularly interested in publishing work that lifts up the voices of people on the move and exploring (im)mobility in its many varied forms.

We are also keen on receiving pieces that analyse current news about migration and (im)mobility, or reflect on cultural developments related to these topics.

Articles should address a broad audience, made of experts and non-experts, and should be originally written in English or Spanish.

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When: The deadline for proposals has been extended until 2 July.

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How: If you are interested in proposing a submission for this issue, please send us a short abstract no longer than 250 words via email to: RoutedMagazine@gmail.com. We would also like to hear about your relationship to migration and mobility (if you are a migrant, a researcher, a student, a practitioner...).

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