Blogpost 1

From the start of our better lives unit I was looking forward to expanding my knowledge of the fashion industry and learning more about sustainability, culture and diversity within my course; while following the lectures I have been trying to relate each one back to my individual work and give myself a better understanding of what each lecture can mean to me personally. 

When reflecting specifically onto how fashion can create better lives I am strongly drawn back to the lecture held by Laura Salisbury on Inclusive Fashion and Design. This session broke down each level of fashion design for a further purpose than just aesthetics and followed Laura herself through the process of development. One part I found very interesting was how we can design for multiple people at once, thinking about circumstances that can affect people in permanent, temporary and situational ways. We were looking at designing for somebody who only had one arm and how we could also use this design for somebody who has a temporary arm injury, or a parent carrying a baby. Learning how to think about designing with a more inclusive thought process gave me the understanding of how to change my thinking in my own work. I think this also highlights how designers can create work that is more inclusive and easier for people to use in their daily lives. The way that designers can use smart materials to adjust to outside conditions and create things like the sports hijab, which means that wearers can work out in a more breathable and waterproof material, and wearable technology such as a heart rate sensor, designed comfortably to fit in a bra, allowing the wearer to be discreet and feel happier and more comfortable while knowing they are still able to monitor and take care of themselves. More adaptable designing techniques and smart materials are the beginning of something really positive for the fashion industry, and could heavily improve the way of life for more vulnerable or disadvantaged people. Using fashion as a form of escapism and being able to continue following fashion trends while wearing something created for your ease is amazing for peoples wellbeing and can have a huge impact on the community and peoples personal sense of self, and this is why I think we should all think more about inclusivity while we work. Being open minded is something I find very important when in the creative field of work because you have to be able to explore and work with varying techniques and stylings, so to understand more about the practicalities of design was also really interesting to me. I think as a whole the lectures throughout the better lives unit have opened my eyes to more aspects of the industry and allowed me to think about the way I am working both in my main course (Hair and Makeup for Fashion) and my Better Lives project (Contemporary Portrait Photography) and given me an insight on how I can adjust my work to help more of the community and make a difference.