George Simmel was born in Germany in 1858 and established himself as one of the major theorists of the end of the century (?,?). His writings on philosophy and the social sciences included one of the few insights, at the time, into the structure of fashion in society, Fashion, 1904. In this text he expressed his thoughts on society in relation to fashion and style, examining groups social and social sciences. how they used fashion as a form of segregation. He referred to the elite class as trendsetters, differentiating themselves by creating new fashions, and the lower classes as imitators, attempting to associate themselves with an elite identity. This cycle brought about many different fads throughout the 20th century and has been described as the trickle-down effect. Although Simmel's theory describes several characteristics that are still valid today, there are aspects that no longer play a role in the transformation of fashion. Paragraph one: Summary of the theory Georg Simmel explores the impact that social differentiation has had in the 20th century, in the article Fashion, published in 1957 in The American Journal of Sociology, Volume LXII, Number 6. In this text he defines his theory stating: “The elite creates a fashion and, when the mass imitates it in an attempt to erase the external class distinction, abandons it for a new fashion. modality- a process that accelerates with increasing wealth” (Fashion, p.541). Fashion connects those of a higher social class and segregates them from others. Simmel believes that fashion evolves from class differentiation, as members of the elite class seek to distinguish themselves from other classes, and in turn a revolving cycle begins (Blumer, p.277). Members of other lower classes copy the fashion of the elite and with this the elite must change… middle of paper… accessibility to fashion styles and trends. ConclusionFashion denotes changing styles within the social hierarchy. Simmel theorized the basis of fashion with his distinct theory on fashion as a form of segregation. This theory gives rise to an ever-evolving cycle of styles in an attempt to distinguish social classes, exposing aspects within society that influence the decisions individuals make about their choice of clothing. Simmel believed that fashion arises in the form of styles that define an elite group. This belief best defines fashion in the early to mid 20th century as during this time fashion was seen as a form of segregation. When a style becomes a common look it is no longer fashionable in the eyes of trend setters. Fashions are driven by consumers' desire to emulate current trends and their need to showcase their social capital.