Blog Post 2: Key themes reflection
If the series of better lives lectures has taught me one thing, it’s that as designers and other workers in the creative industry we have a certain social responsibility and power for change.
The fashion industry faces many challenges during the upcoming years, most of which will consist of undoing all the damage that has been done leading up to this point in time, and completely re-constructing an entire system to be sustainable and inclusive. As a costume student with aspirations of advancing into the elaborate Haute Couture side of fashion as well as costume design for performance. I view it as my responsibility to be one of the next generation designers to pioneer these changes.“Haute couture is inherently a push-and-pull of old and new: old techniques, new materials; old maison, new designer; old silhouettes, new interpretations”. “We must foster the idea of using the preexisting to create the new, because therein lies the solution to a more sustainable future in fashion.’’ (Amy Verner, 2016)
Moving on from the teachings during this better lives unit, I will do everything in my power to help combat the many issues discussed. To help make my designs more sustainable I will be mindful when pattern cutting, using every scrap of fabric possible and laying my patterns in the most effective way. I will use more sustainable materials wherever possible such as recycled Nylon and Polyester, vegetarian leather and organic cotton to name a few. Laura Salisbury’s lecture on inclusivity introduced to the concept of smart textiles, so I would love to become a pioneering designer in developing new sustainable fabrics such as Bolt Thread’s Micro silk that mimics a spiders silk without damaging the environment.
Also inspired by Salisbury’s lecture I have become more aware of inclusivity within my designs. Both Haute Couture and performance costume have a magic element to them. They can act as a form of escapism allowing people a break from reality, to be in awe of the beautiful. I want everyone to be able to share this, so I will design collections for all consumer types because everyone deserves the opportunity to feel like the best version of themselves. Relating to this I will ensure that my cast for either a performance or catwalk are inclusive of all body types, ages and ethnicities as well. Cher Potter’s lecture on Perspectives has made me more culturally and racially aware when designing, so I will understand how to never culturally appropriate, something that so many designers have been rightfully called out for.
However, our mission as upcoming creatives is not just about protecting our fellow human beings, its about a wider effort to protect our planet from extinction. The theme of Sustainability, has informed my practise for the Mask Making and politics project in which I have designed a fashion gas mask that highlights how we are currently killing the ‘lungs of our planet’ through unsustainable production, to draw attention to the change that urgently needs to occur in not just reconstructing our methods but rebuilding the entire foundations of our society in order to sustain positive change, as inspired by Katelyn Toth-Fejel’s lecture.
References
Toth-Fejel, K. (2020) ‘Sustainability and Society’ [Lecture]. Better Lives, London College of Fashion, 19 February.
Salisbury, L. (2020) ‘Inclusion’ [Lecture]. Better Lives, London College of Fashion, 14 February.
Potter, C. (2020) ‘Perspectives’ [Lecture]. Better Lives, London College of Fashion, 14 February.
Verner, A. (July 6th 2016) Fall 2016 couture, Viktor and Rolf. Available at: https://www.vogue.com/fashion-shows/fall-2016-couture/viktor-rolf (16/02/20).