Paper Short Abstract:

Niessen introduced the concept of "deFashion" to describe dress cultures that operate independently of capitalist, growth-driven clothing systems. This poster aims to showcase a typology of mythological garments that embody diverse cultural values, from knowledge sharing to functionality.

Paper Abstract:

The Emperor’s New Dress, the Philosopher’s Cape, the Hair Shirt of the Saint, the Iron Shoes, Nessus’s Shirt, and Dresses that Make the Wearer Invisible – mythologies and popular culture are rich with garments carrying spiritual and ritual significance. These clothing traditions stand in stark contrast to capitalist, self-expression-centered, and trend-driven fashion systems. Sandra Niessen coined the term deFashion to describe such alternative clothing systems.

The aim of this paper is to evoke defining tales from human culture that are connected to clothing and to identify their shared elements. Based on a systematic analysis using the ATU Index, this typology highlights the most recurring motifs associated with garments. Four main categories emerged:

The Essential Dress – a garment inseparable from its wearer, such as Little Red Riding Hood’s red cape or the philosopher’s cloak.

The Superpower Dress – clothing that grants exceptional qualities to its wearer, such as Cinderella’s glass slipper.

The Punishing Dress – garments that torment the wearer as a form of punishment, whether it can or cannot be escaped. Examples include the iron shoes and the cursed red shoes.

The Functional Dress – garments defined solely by their practicality, where their use is central, such as the saint’s hair shirt.

This poster aims to collect visual representations of these ritual garments as they appear in contemporary popular culture, including video games, movies, and television series. By doing so, it seeks to highlight the ongoing presence of alternative clothing systems that challenge the dominance of capitalist fashion.