However you choose to frame it, it's still about selling a look, whether it's kinder-whore or Klein. Maybe in theory. But fashion is first and foremost a form of personal expression. In our visually oriented age, it sends an immediate first impression. Throughout history, disenfranchised and minority groups such as beatniks, hippies, punks, gangs, and gays have been able to identify each other and bond based on certain clothing and accessory choices.
Fashion statements are often antifashion statements.
Los Angeles street kids wear Hanes tank tops because they're sexy and inexpensive. Whenever a distinctive look, attitude, culture, or type of music becomes marketed on a mass level, it loses its impact. By its very nature, mass marketing mutes complexities and contradictions. When we appropriate the styles of classes or cultures other than our own, respect and understanding are rarely part of the exchange. We can dress up like part of a rebellious group without taking any of the risks or truly understanding its mindset.