The Empire of Fashion.

In the article "The Empire of Fashion," Genevieve Alva Clutario explores the distribution of meaning in fashion and its role in U.S. colonial rule and Filipino nationalist responses in the Philippines. Clutario examines how clothing was used to establish and enforce gender norms, and how fashion became a battleground between imperialist and nationalist ideals of beauty. The author also discusses the importance of beauty pageants in contesting U.S. stereotypes of Filipinas and forging an anti-imperialist political aesthetics. Additionally, Clutario delves into the exploitation of native labor in the embroidery industry and the development of the terno gown as a symbol of national identity. The article concludes with a discussion of trade wars over clothing materials on the eve of the Japanese invasion of the Philippines. Overall, "The Empire of Fashion" offers a new perspective on the aesthetics and politics of colonialism and anti-colonial resistance in the Philippines. [Extracted from the article]