Clothing is a universal need shared by everyone across the world. It is a necessity to protect our skin from the harsh environment. Throughout history clothing has served many purposes, but one purpose in particular has separated and connected people since the beginning of civilization. This is the desire to stand out and look good aesthetically. With this demand came the creation of clothes so expensive the person buying it would immediately be recognized for their wealth. These clothes are known as “High-fashion,” or “designer,” and they have increasingly become more popular in today’s pop culture.

High fashion has always been in existence, for example wealthy Brits had high demand for beaver fur in the early to late 1700s. This, in turn, sparked an era of frontiersman and fur trappers. The apparel of the rich influence what others wear, thats why when celebrities endorse a brand their sales go up. This  why when the first lady is spotted in a new dress the sales of that dress go up. Designer become expensive because their notoriety rather than appearance. The endorsement of designer brands can bring a rise in their popularity. This is common in modern hip hop, where designer clothes have become a staple of the hip hop lifestyle. This has been seen as early as the early 70s with rappers such as grandmaster flash wearing ridiculously exaggerated clothes. High fashion also made an appearance in professional wrestling, where Ric “Nature Boy” Flair would regularly wear expensive and designer. Ric Flair arguably kickstarted the modern surge of high-fashion. The influence of high fashion can be seen everywhere pop culture, nevertheless its influence has created a sub culture of people yearning to imitate the rich and famous.