The paradox of fashion

This article 'The paradox of fashion' has evoked some thoughts in me. Indeed fashion is a paradox. But the beauty of fashion is the paradox that makes a person be an individual as well as belonging to a community. This is the desire to be oneself, when a person pics something she finds will suit her, on the other hand, she does'nt pick anything, she picks the article with the features that are in vogue, because she wants to belong to a particular group. Thus whereas she picks a trench coat, it will be not the same as everyone is wearing, but with features, probably cuts or colours that are suited to her taste. Thus fashion at once is a sense of being individual and at the same time, that of belonging to a fraternity. Infact, this ambivalence about fashion makes companies produce the same product with different features, colours etc. Which is a good business, of course.
Fashion has got other elements of ambivalence too. It is a continuation of the past and indicative of the future, but worn in present. It simultaneously conceals and reveals ones body and soul. Also it is a result of conflict between imitation and differentiation. These 'paradoxes' are what makes fashion management so challenging for marketers.