Tailia Boonkul

As a creative direction student, an area I am very interested in is photography which is why I picked it to further develop my skills and understanding of this industry. The Better Lives themes have definitely influenced the way I think as well as my personal development throughout this course. For example, during an online lecture where Daniel Treacy spoke about Cindy Sherman’s work, I couldn’t help but think back to the lecture on ‘Diversity’ by Shahidha Bari. As we all know, Cindy Sherman was highly influential in the late 1970s, her work challenged and critiqued the concept of gender and identity which are both themes that Bari mentioned during her lecture. I think it is very important to always keep in mind the concept of diversity as well as inclusivity when undergoing any project because without it we would be excluding minority groups. 

Continuing on the concept of Diversity, the Better lives themes influenced my work during a visit to Shepherds bush market. During this lesson we separated into different groups to photograph whatever we saw appropriate for the project. I chose to photograph different people in the market carrying on with their daily lives. I decided to do this because I felt like this is one example of a minority group that rarely shows up on magazines, let alone covers. More attention needs to be brought to these group of individuals because they portray reality and I believe people can relate to them more than a model living in Beverly hills. Sometimes the fashion industry shines the spotlight on not necessarily the wrong group of individuals, but a very small collective that we constantly see on covers. I want to see restaurant workers, police officers and cleaners on the cover of vogue, and hear about their life stories, not another 73 questions with a celebrity. Regardless, Diversity in the fashion industry has improved massively compared to just a decade ago. We now live in a more accepting society, however, there is still much room for improvement. 

The Better Lives themes has been very influential and I believe it will continue to affect how I think in the future. I will continue to keep in mind the three themes; diversity, sustainability and social responsibility not only during projects but throughout every aspect of my life. Apart from the better lives project I am currently building my own business and one thing that I really believe in is fair pay for workers, because It is important to support workers and ensure a healthy working environment. Better lives has been a very enjoyable learning experience which I hope will continue because it is important that the messages are heard.

Bari, S. (2020) ‘Diversity’ [Lecture]. Better Lives, London College of Fashion, 14 February.

Sustainability, Diversity, and Social Responsibility are crucial aspects to consider as they play a fundamental role in our future practices.

When discussing these themes in the fashion industry I feel that sustainability is most overlooked now more than ever. Sustainability in the fashion industry today has become a mere “buzzword” where there has been more talk than action. One obvious example is the continuous use of plastic and paper bags, whereas other industries have moved on from this outdated concept by rejecting it entirely. Another example are the concerning use of receipts in all industries, what are the point of receipts when we now live in such a digitalised society? How many trees could we potentially save by eliminating this normalised routine? Examples such as these need to be reconsidered and improved by businesses. However when talking about sustainability in the fashion industry, consumers also play a massive role because they are constantly demanding for lower prices therefore businesses comply in order to survive. As a creative direction student I think it is very important to consider ways to improve consumer perception of this issue because, in this competitive market I can only foresee the prices reducing further.

Meanwhile, diversity in the fashion industry has developed massively within the past decade. Consumers today are more open minded and see beauty as more than just a size. Diversity has become the main concept that the youth culture today seek and support. However sometimes businesses forcingly use the concept as a marketing strategy without really understanding what it means to be diverse and inclusive. An example of this is Balmain’s 2014 advertising campaign which Shahidha Bari mentioned during her lecture titled “Diversity”. The photo included beautiful dark skin models, however people saw it as a deliberate quirk or a tokenistic gesture. Regardless there are many positive and successful examples of fashion businesses embracing diversity for example; Dior’s AW 2020 Menswear show which featured male models with hand bags and embellished scarves. Another example that I love is Sport Illustrated’s 2019 issue which featured Halima Aden as the first muslim model for the brand. I think that diversity in the fashion industry is heading towards a very positive path and  

To conclude, Better Lives has challenged me to question old traditions while empowering me to consider solutions for the future. As a creative direction student, I feel that a lot of things that pointlessly use up nature’s resources today can easily be limited by digitalisation especially now since we live in a digital era. In addition, I believe that the Better Lives themes need to be given more importance to in schools because these topics are crucial for ensuring a sustainable future.

Bari, S. (2020) ‘Diversity’ [Lecture]. Better Lives, London College of Fashion, 14 February.

The Better Lives lectures have encouraged me to reflect and contemplate on the norms and values of today’s society. It has provided me with an insight into three main themes being; diversity, sustainability, and social responsibility. The lectures that have really grasped my attention both fell under the category of sustainability.   ‘Nature’ by Kate Fletcher and ‘Power’ by Julia Crew both spoke the truth about environmental and human sustainability and how as individuals we play a crucial role in both matters. 

To begin with, during Fletcher’s lecture she discussed a word called “The Anthropocene” which initially was a foreign word. The anthropocene is basically a term to describe the period of time whereby human activity has been the dominant influence on climate and the environment. During this lecture she also talked about ‘Easter Island’ which is a clear example of a society which destroyed itself by overexploiting its own resources. The main explanations were that people failed to anticipate future consequences of their action, while losing touch of what was really important, which is ‘Nature’. “We are killing the liveliness of life” Fletcher quoted, a tragic quote but one that definitely made me reflect on myself as a consumer today. I began to realise how small acts of respect to the environment such as rejecting straws and plastic bags were not visibly changing the world but it was definitely a positive step towards the right direction. 

In addition, Julia Crew’s lecture on power was also very eye opening. During the lecture she discussed power in fashion, money, media, consumer and protest. It was really interesting when she spoke particularly about Power in money where she mentioned that 62 very rich people acquire as much wealth as half of the global population which is 3.5 billion people. Julia also mentioned the term “Race to the bottom” which is a situation whereby companies compete with each other to reduce costs by paying the lowest wage or giving workers the lowest conditions.  This wasn’t new knowledge but was still heartbreaking to hear again about the amount of inequality that exists in the world and how those in power control and govern the lives of the lower classes. This lecture influenced me to consider the items I purchase today and question whether all stakeholders were treated fairly in the production of a product. 

Most of the Better Lives lectures have provided me with a food for thought and have influenced me to think in a wider spectrum while also considering my daily consumption and actions. I think the concept of  Better Lives should be more acknowledged and enforced in schools because people need to be educated about the truth and be prepared to change for the better. 

Fletcher, K. (2020) ‘Nature’ [Lecture]. Better Lives, London College of Fashion, 13 February.

Crew, J. (2020) ‘Power’ [Lecture]. Better Lives, London College of Fashion, 14 February.