Project Outcomes and Personal Development Reflection – Post 3
Reflecting on the themes of Better lives, I have been heavily influenced by the circulating ideas around sustainability, diversity and social responsibly. Due to the unpredictable circumstances in which we have landed in, I have since realised the fragility of the planet and the ways in which societies are inter-relate. This has been closely prompted by the project of Mask Making and Politics, providing a vessel of new techniques and understanding.
Having to adapt the ways in which we approached our projects, the Mask Making and Politics group developed strong, conceptual mask designs. Relating each of our designs to a chosen political movement/form. We were driven to think intuitively and individually, in which I found rather daunting at the beginning of this process. My ideas and thoughts instantly crashed due to the thought of the lack of accessibility to different materials in which I wanted to explore. Therefore, having to settle with choosing materials in which were unfamiliar to me was quite unnerving. But, through doing so, and having my skills be malleable to the current situation, I have since learnt that unfamiliarity can be a grace to the design process. It allowed my exploration to grow outside of the box I was originally stuck in.
The current circumstances we are under have further emphasised the diversity and creativity of mine and my peers ideas. My desire to explore what would have been originally unaccessible due to restricted use of materials was enhanced. This paired with the adaptation of producing work digitally has led me to new routes of design. Also, it caused me to begin to work more sustainably. I am now not using copious amounts of excess materials like paper and plastic to build up research, but using images and editing to do the same.
By using digital recourses to design, I received feedback suggesting that using such techniques has actually benefitted my project. Being able to place the mask designs upon the intended wearer, gave the ability to see the finished outcome before the product had even been made. Vitally, this caused me to engage more with how the finished product could actually be depicted by those both looking and wearing the mask. This was feedback in which my peers could improve their mask designs on, providing useful ideas into how to design digitally.
Through adapting my skills and reviewing both mine and my peers work online in lectures, the project of Better Lives has caused a new awareness of diversity, social responsibility and sustainability – particularly within the design process. The new engagement of digital design can stem new ways of sustainable working with exploration of new techniques. Henceforth, providing a diverse range of designs completed by individuals.
As suggested by Claire Swift, ‘Fashion is uniquely placed to respond to the issues faced by society and the industry.’. Current circumstances society is facing leads me to finish with this quote – reminding us that design and fashion is a response, one in which we can change for the better.
References
Swift, C. (2020) ‘Intro to Social Responsibility’ [Lecture]. Better Lives, London College of Fashion, 14 February.