Blog 1: Lecture Reflection
by Iris Choi
The Better Lives lectures that I attended was absolutely inspiring . I reflect a lot on how the fashion relate to the society. The lectures that made me reflect the most was about emerging technologies in fashion by Nick Almond.
Everyone are likely to forecasting the next popular trend in fashion or even creating it with the help of developing technology. Technology advanced capability. People are able to turn the realization of knowledge into action in the digital word. Based on Theory of Bounded Rationality(Gigerenzer,2002). It tell us that people can only make decisions based on what they know. For example, the digital camera inventor Steven Sasson was working as an engineer at Eastman Kodak. However, the invention of smart phone start replacing digital camera in most of the people’s heart.
Another interesting technology mentioned in Nick’s lecture was the Artificial Intelligence(AI). AI have been rising and developing in the recent years. It works as a pattern seekers who look for a positive outcomes. Compared with human, it is able to tries countless time to find the best way without sleeping and its genuinely creative. So how does it affect the fashion industry? The X Reality(XR) is the group of technologies that include virtual reality(VR), mixed reality(MR) and augmented reality (AR). With the use of XR , there are AI stylists to assist people to find their style which fit them. It allows designer to create digital clothing and allow people to try it on’ before its even made. It also allows consumer to have a immersive experience through visiting a store with the environment of places that never exit. And more digital influencers will appear. These are technological singularity.
The use of new technology in fashion makes me reflect on the lecture about culture sustainability by Anna Fitzpatrick. Consumerism culture is mainstreaming in most of the western country. As the technological and organizational innovation produced increased output and reduced costs. Mainstream brands can easily produce massive amount of garments and encouraged people to buy more. People believed that they shop therefore they are. Both material and non-material culture can be express by fashion. A lot of traditional handy crafted skills was fading away. With the help of AI, can the situation be reverse? How can handy crafted skills be sustainable in the digital world? Maybe consumer can try on some handy crafted fashion items or experience of some traditional cultural performance even they don’t have to step out of their house.
I believe that all human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. Fashion is made from nature. The ability to be maintained at a certain rate or level is more important right now. Hopefully, emerging technologies in fashion can help human can have a better live.