James B. Twitchell

James B. Twitchell teaches English and advertising at the University of Florida and has written several books about material culture and consumerism. In the following selection he discusses consumer trends and fashion culture. He describes modern fashion in terms of "diffusion theory," which attempts to explain how fashion trends develop and spread.

Twitchell suggests that the advertising technique of branding has made nearly all merchandise potentially fashionable for the mass market. As a result, not just clothes but also goods such as perfume, home furnishings, and even foods are being marketed as "designer" items. High fashion has become popularized, Twitchell maintains, and is no longer the domain of an elite circle of consumers. Twitchell believes that this phenomenon makes designer goods less prestigious and, therefore, contributes to the decline of designer fashion.