Louise Nabridnyj

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Blog 3 – Project Outcome Reflection

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For my chosen creative project, I decided to take on the In and Outside of Fashion: Sportswear Fashion Language and Sub-cultures project.

Our project brief was considering contemporary sportswear styling in a global context, whilst defining new ideas for sportswear and streetwear. To do this, we were encouraged by the course leaders to bring in our own personal experiences to respond to sportswear as a fashion sub-culture.

Throughout the lectures, we looked across a variety of diverse sub-cultures, considering how we can link them to sportswear, being pushed to think outside the box, whilst considering the Better Lives themes, through our styling processes.

In our first masterclass, our group chose the normcore subculture, as we loved its simplicity. We put together a Moodboard of our initial ideas on what we wanted our photoshoot to entail and potential looks. For the shoot, we used our own clothes, linking to sustainability, and put together the looks in Figures 1 and 2. They show how we wanted to incorporate the simplicity of normcore, but mix with a hybridity of uncommon combinations of sportswear. For example, using a bra over the dress is uncommon, but shows the style of a sports bra in Figure 1. Alike the high and tight pony with a headband, mixed with balloon shorts in Figure 2.

Figure 1.
Figure 2.

Our second masterclass’s brief title was ‘Fitness at Corona Times Stay-at-Home style’. We needed to produce one styled look, consisting of our favourite subculture-related garments form our wardrobe, sportswear materials that we have at home, improvised accessories, or DIY headpiece, related to the Better Lives themes. Due to COVID-19 circumstances, we were creatively challenged to work with our own at home resources of garments, as well as the camera and backdrop too.

For my final outcome, I wanted to capture a reflection of what I’ve been doing and wearing at home, whilst considering the Better Lives themes. Therefore I chose the 90s subculture, drawing from their athleisure street-style and animal print usage. As well as choosing a yoga mat representing my fitness practice and the iconic Adidas 3-stripe popper track-pants. Both looks seen in Figures 3 and 4.

Figure 3.

Whilst being at home in COVID-19, I was able to up-cycle an old pair of pyjama bottoms into a crop top, bag, scrunchie, and a protective mask, linking to the sustainability theme. By re-using the material from a single pair of unworn trousers, I was able to make four items that I can now wear and use, avoiding the depletion of resources from the unwanted bottoms. This linking to social responsibility, by thinking about the current pandemic in society, using our new free time to be productive and creative.

Figure 4.

Overall I thoroughly enjoyed the styling project, as it has made me re-evaluate my future purchase habits, avoiding fast fashion brands, and instead choosing brands more considerate of the three themes. Also, it has made me realise I can upcycle and swap my unwanted clothes with friends, instead of constantly making unnecessary new purchases.

References:

Figure 1: Nabridnyj, L (2020) Look One from Masterclass One. [Photography].

Figure 2: Nabridnyj, L (2020) Look Two from Masterclass One. [Photography].

Figure 3: Nabridnyj, L (2020) Moodboard images from Masterclass Two. [Photography].

Figure 4: Nabridnyj, L (2020) Final outcome from Masterclass Two. [Photography].

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  1. Emma Bell: For my project, I chose the In and Outside of Fashion: Sportswear Fashion Language and Sub-cultures project and so I…

    • Louise Nabridnyj: Aw thank you so much! Really appreciate it Emma, such kind words!

Blog 2 – Creative Practice Reflection

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Throughout the process of the Better Lives programme, we as students have been asked to delve beyond the norm and assess the Sustainability, Diversity, and Social Responsibility elements within the fashion industry. Before the programme, as a fashion lover and student, I have found myself slightly ignoring or overlooking these three elements and instead just sharing the love of a particular brand, for the designer or the garments. However, Better Lives highlights the importance of how consumers and brands should not be blind sighting these and so teaches us how to rethink our approach in fashion.

As a Fashion Public Relations and Communications student, the key aspect of our role within the industry, is being able to respond to crises in an increasingly transparent culture, as we are the receivers and communicators of positioning, launching and promoting brands to global audiences. By attending the Better Lives lectures, I have been able to adapt my approach, by taking into the consideration of how I can use my new learning of Sustainability, Diversity and Social Responsibility aspects into my future work process in the PR and Communications world.

Diversity is a consistent factor of PR, though I will now assure that I have truly been well representative of the social and cultural aspects of my work, ensuring that my work practice reflects full diversity and inclusivity through for example age, gender, or class.

Sustainability already played a large role in my creative practice; however, Better Lives has taught me to truly question before accepting to work with a brand, how sustainable they are, and how they as a brand contribute to ensuring the longevity of a more environmentally friendly world. This being through packaging, fabric choice, or carbon footprint, as well as the ethical considerations such as the standards of labour for employees.

Out of the three elements, Social Responsibility was the one I was more intrigued to learn about, as I think it is something brands should become more concerned about and aware of. Due to consumers becoming increasingly more conscious of the brand and products that they are buying from, than ever before. Better Lives has taught me to be more aware of whether a brand is being socially responsible, through the way they respond and adapt their work process to new conscious consumer demands, in a progressively well-informed global world.

The key learning outcome that I will be taking away from the Better Lives programme, is to definitely be more open-minded and confident to question and assess the brands I wish to work with in the future, on their Diversity, Substantiality, and Social Responsibility qualities. As I think it is incredibly important to consider these elements, throughout my whole working career in the fashion industry. Confidently confirming, I have played my part in changing the negativity that comes from the industry, making the globe a better place, through fashion. By not doing so, it could ultimately reflect the wrong impression of myself to others.

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Blog 1 – Lecture Reflection: Power – Julia Crew

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Julia Crew’s lecture of Power led me to question why nobody is taking responsibility for holding the power of the industry, as to this day there are many underlying problems within it, yet with no initial cause. Crew presented a very interesting and informative lecture, looking into the four associations of power, setting an initial insight into the Better Lives themes.

Due to the world having such an unfair inequality of money distribution, this has contributed to a huge divide between humans at the top of the scale compared to those at the bottom. Fashion Revolution shows how the apparel industry has helped create this divide, by helping some become exceptionally wealthy by enslaving others. This through employing millions of people below the legal minimum wage in gruelling conditions, leading them to not even have an essential living wage to provide for themselves and their families, linking to social responsibility.

To be able to meet consumer demands of having ‘choices’, companies are driven to manufacture their clothing wherever they can find the best deal, without considering the impacts on real individual workers, resulting in their brand becoming a part of the negativity that surrounds fast fashion.

The Media holds immense power over the fashion industry, due to the influence of advertising being quick and subconscious, with the volume being higher than ever. Instagram has become a huge contributor for fashion brands, creating the trend of using influencer marketing as an effective campaign strategy, due to consumers wanting to buy what their favourite influencers are wearing to keep up with trends.

‘Missguided’s collaboration with Love Island contestants created an instant 500% sales increase in the garments shown on TV.’
This quote shows how the power of the media will drive the consumption of fashion products to an unsustainable level in the long-term, due to the created pressure of not wearing the same clothes twice, linking to sustainability.

We as consumers are the driver of trends. Holding a huge amount of power, of where and how we spend our money. We need to become more conscious consumers, by being aware of what we’re really paying for or towards. As we are the ones holding the power to reshape this story, due to each purchase resulting in a choice.

Due to the problems the industry has caused, there are now many organisations set up like LOVE NOT LANDFILL, to educate consumers towards shopping less and instead, having a better relationship with their clothes. These organisations demand change by protesting against how power damages aspects of the world.

Linking to the Better Lives themes, after Crew’s lecture I am left questioning Who holds the power of the entire fashion system? – Brands, designers themselves, the consumer, the government, or someone else?

WE as contributors have to ask this question to decide whether there is a balance of power in the industry, or if not, how WE can contradict it. Without change; diversity, sustainability, and social responsibility will be overlooked or ignored.

References:

Crew, J. (2020) ‘ Power’ [Lecture]. Better Lives, London College of Fashion, (Accessed: 14/02/2020).

Fashion Revolution (2020) ‘Money Fashion Power’. Available at: https://www.fashionrevolution.org/resources/fanzine/ (Accessed: 23/02/2020).

Business of Fashion (2018) Missguided Takes Product Placement to the Next Level on Love Island. Available at: https://www.businessoffashion.com/articles/intelligence/missguided-styles-love-island-partnership-product-placement (Accessed: 23/02/2020).

LOVE NOT LANDFILL (2018) About Us. Available at: https://www.lovenotlandfill.org/about-us/ (Accessed: 23/02/2020).

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