Daniele Facciuto

Among all the good blogs written by my fellow course mates, I have been engaged by the works of Umberto who, like me, chose to discuss on power’s lecture and moreover, I found out we have common perspectives on the current  world’s situation and how the course of better lives has been essential to help us to embrace these difficult times. Both of us expressed clearly the most important concepts of this unit: Sustainability, Social responsibility and diversity. 

I was very captivated by Umberto’s concerns and vision on ways which this moment can influence not only the fashion industry but everyone to focus and adapt new sustainable measures to save lives and the planet. He pointed out the importance of being socially responsible towards our communities and those who right now are going through intense times to save lives and keep the essential supply chain working. I agree with this statement and I believe that better lives taught me as well as to Umberto to have new and conscious approaches to this situation. For example, we had both to adapt our creative projects with limited tools and resources, this surely helped us to be even more creative and think outside the box by coping without our pre-pandemic comfort zone. 

Nonetheless, Umberto had clear concerns and ideas on the theme of sustainability which sees as protagonist the whole fashion industry. In my opinion, I believe as much as Umberto that big names and companies who has power in the industry should educate the consumers and new generations of buyers to act responsibly through an ethical and responsible marketing campaigns. I undeniably believe that this should start from the big fashion houses to have a clear impact on smaller businesses in the industry. Indeed, I found coherent that Umberto sustained this by mentioning the projects and works of the house of Giorgio Armani and Vivienne Westwood who could be considered as two pioneers of this new chapter of the fashion community. 

Overall, I would say that I am very enthusiastic to see my peer who, like me, used this unit to leave the comfort zone and experiment something new and especially sustainable. Umberto indeed, decided to take the course of make-up for fashion which helped him to think outside the box and produce some outstanding make ups with illusion and distortion effects. I really enjoyed reading his loyal approach to the project when he mentions that even though, it was all new and difficult, at the end he managed to put himself  in this new subject and learn from the unit to collaborate effectively with his course matesand last but not least to be more secure and sustainable when throwing away some of the products he used. 

Umberto’s Blogs:

BLOG TASK 1: Reflections on one or more of the Better Lives lectures and how they have influenced your thinking

https://1920betterlivessmc.myblog.arts.ac.uk/2020/05/01/blog-task-2-reflections-on-how-the-better-lives-themes-might-change-how-you-work-in-the-future/

https://1920betterlivessmc.myblog.arts.ac.uk/2020/05/01/blog-task-3-reflections-on-how-the-better-lives-themes-have-influenced-your-project-outcome-and-your-personal-development/

This unit gave me the opportunity to choose a subject completely different from my course’s degree: Fashion Portrait photography. Working and realizing visual content with a camera has always been my favorite creative passion among others, therefore, I found very exciting beginning this new course. 

In my opinion this specific subject is fully relatable to two of the main themes of Better Lives: Diversity and Social Responsibility. This is because, diversity is found in any work and pictures that my fellow course mates shared for the main project, moreover, thanks to the hard work of our tutors, the project has been adequately adapted to the current pandemic crisis, and it especially involved to be socially responsible towards our communities as we had all to work and be creative from home.  

Nonetheless, I found relevant to think again outside the box and create something which is meaningful and reflects myself and my cultural background. I got to the final outcome of my pictures through reflecting and investigating on my story although, I am very thankful for the help of my friends and family who even though they live far away from me, they managed to get involved remotely.  

The three pictures I used for the project come from three different photoshoots: the first one showing a nude of my friend was taken at friend’s house at the beginning of the lockdown in Italy, it was also the last time I saw my friend who came over to the UK from Italy, this made this photo shoot more meaningful as it reminds me of the last funny day spent with one of the best people of my life. The second shooting was as well with another dear friend from Italy who enjoys spending his quarantine by creating outstanding makeups for his drag queen character as well as for his studies. At end it was worth it as we both pushed the boundaries of our comfort zone and improved my editing skills on photoshop as I had to enhance the quality of the pictures which are originally some screenshots done with my old 2014 IPad. Last but not least, I was very impressed and delighted by the positive feedback of my tutors about my last shooting, the idea came after I was playing with a funeral headpiece which my mom wore years ago, I was very engaged by the movement of the fringes which I clipped on a hoodie, therefore I have decided to include more than one picture in order to make the spectator have that dynamic feeling.   

Overall, this course encouraged me to think more positively and feel much more secure of my aesthetics and point of views. Moreover, I found very insightful the lectures about different case studies of photography which inspired my creativity. Finally, it was mind blowing to see how my course mates have created amazing pictures with limited resources, and it made me realize that creativity goes over the lens of the camera.  

Blog 2 

After the outbreak of Covid-19 in my home country, Italy, I was self-isolating in my room in West London and since then I have been home trying to don’t let the situation overwhelm me and to reflect on my own perspectives about the pandemic and my future afterwards. 

The unit of better lives, honestly, helped me over this difficult time to reflect or improve my way of thinking and working for the future. The most useful thing of this whole academic unit, during Covid-19 outbreak, was learning how to adapt to limited spaces, materials and resources to complete my creative assignment for Fashion Portrait photography. For example, I could not, of course, meet new people for photoshoot, but I have decided to use Facetime and take pictures of friends who have diverse epitomes. One of them is my friend Edoardo from Italy who actually is known as well as LoLa, he’s proudly part of the Drag scene of Milano, and since the beginning we have been working together to develop the character and aesthetic of LoLa. I really appreciated them for helping me with my project, but the best thing we gained from this experience was being all socially responsible on others and not leaving our homes to go and shooting pics around the city. Therefore, social responsibility is, in my opinion, the most relevant theme of this unite because it guided me and my peers to respect our society in this critical time. 

Generally, my favorite theme among others has been Sustainability. This is because, In the recent months, I have been writing articles and curating the public relations of the new issue of MESS MAGAZINE called “Sustainable x Conscious”. This made me discover and meet real evangelists of the sustainable fashion wave of designers and entrepreneurs of the industry. Essentially, writing and researching about them, made me get to the conclusion that the whole industry might turn page after the Covid-19 crisis and become more sustainable. How, you can wonder…? This unit alongside my job, made me understand that being a vegan since almost 3 years now, is not enough to help our planet. This is because, Sustainability does not only refer to reduce the production and consume of clothes but in my opinion, it is more about the life and work conditions of the employees and the promotion of supporting local shops. Therefore, I have stopped buying in high street shops but now I usually buy in secondhand shops or in local and niche stores.  

Overall, this theme of Better lives makes you reflect not only on the global unsustainable situation but more about your own footprint and how you could help to improve the environment and I found my way.  

After the outbreak of Covid-19 in my home country, Italy, I was self-isolating in my room in West London and since then I have been home trying to don’t let the situation overwhelm me and to reflect on my own perspectives about the pandemic and my future afterwards.  A week later, I found out that my mom would start working at the hospital in front line to help the patients and save their lives.  

The unit of better lives, honestly, did not help me over this difficult time to reflect or improve my way of thinking and working for the future. Although, the useful thing of this whole academic unit, during Covid-19 outbreak, was learning how to adapt to limited spaces, materials and resources to complete my creative assignment for Fashion Portrait photography. For example, I could not, of course, meet new people for photoshoot, but I have decided to use Facetime and take pictures of friends who have diverse epitomes. One of them is my friend Edoardo from Italy who actually is known as well as LoLa, he’s proudly part of the Drag scene of Milano, and since the beginning we have been working together to develop the character and aesthetic of LoLa. I really appreciated them for helping me with my project, but the best thing we gained from this experience was being all socially responsible on others and not leaving our homes to go and shooting pics around the city. Therefore, social responsibility is, in my opinion, the most relevant theme of this unite because it guided me and my peers to respect our society in this critical time. 

Generally, my favorite theme among others has been Sustainability. This is because, In the recent months, I have been writing articles and curating the public relations of the new issue of MESS MAGAZINE called “Sustainable x Conscious”. This made me discover and meet real evangelists of the sustainable fashion wave of designers and entrepreneurs of the industry. Essentially, writing and researching about them, made me get to the conclusion that the whole industry might turn page after the Covid-19 crisis and become more sustainable. How, you can wonder…? This unit alongside my job, made me understand that being a vegan since almost 3 years now, is not enough to help our planet. This is because, Sustainability does not only refer to reduce the production and consume of clothes but in my opinion, it is more about the life and work conditions of the employees and the promotion of supporting local shops. Therefore, I have stopped buying in high street shops but now I usually buy in secondhand shops or in local and niche stores. Overall, this theme of Better lives makes you reflect not only on the global unsustainable situation but more about your own footprint and how you could help to improve the environment and I found my way. 

The Better Lives unit and specifically the lectures about money and power raised some fascinating points in reference to the evolution of the clothing industry throughout history and powerful icons which included: royalties, politicians, business professionals and musicians too. This brought me to genuinely reflect on how wealth and fame shape our epitomes in relation to the “self” and our fashionable identity.   

Many social scientists claimed that: Fashion, most commonly in urban areas, is a form of showcasing of the “self” by which everyone is free to express its uniqueness and beliefs through the external appearance of our own style and apparel. I partly agree with this belief as fashion has always allowed me to disclose and celebrate my inner identity and moreover, to detach from the social crowds who are currently living in my hometown and in London too; this is predominantly analogous to my enthusiasm related to my sexuality and sympathy towards the fashion industry.   

On other hand, I arguably think that the whole industry shaped in a way through which marketing powers affect societies worldwide by unconsciously exploiting our true identities, therefore, constructing and forging similar models of human association. Indeed, it is not ambitiously difficult to identify who holds power within the actual fashion industry. Media, marketing associates and more specifically, social networks are the pioneers of nowadays fashion’s power, as they have a quick and subconsciously impact on our ideals and market power. 

Many social identity theories came out with the belief that Identity is indefinable as humans tend to shape and move from a group to another, although, marketing power forces can be identified as leaders of this phenomenon.   

 A pure example of this argument is the even more expanding social media influencers controlled through strategic marketing planning. In other words, the social model of the influencer aims not only to sell brand’s items but is nowadays the main point of reference through which particularly younger generations build not only their closet but their appearance and ways of thinking. 

Overall, I believe societies around the world should mindfully limit their obsessions and repercussions of the before mentioned influencers, this is because, our aesthetics, style and skills is what creates and portray our own “Brand”. The lecture about powers made me think that who and what holds higher authorities should solely be a model of inspiration and not identified as a way of living. Therefore, we should be the influencers of our personal brand only this way we can break the boundaries of social insecurity and categorisation.  

Generally, discussing in detail the impacts of power on fashion and society was very mind-boggling. It made me further reflect on the roles of social media who took over the global fashion scene by persuading us and our aesthetics and creating new walks of life.   

The Better Lives unit and specifically the lectures about money and power raised some fascinating points in reference to the evolution of the clothing industry throughout history and powerful icons which included: royalties, politicians, business professionals and musicians too. This brought me to genuinely reflect on how wealth and fame shape our epitomes in relation to the “self” and our fashionable identity.   

Many social scientists claimed that: Fashion, most commonly in urban areas, is a form of showcasing of the “self” by which everyone is free to express its uniqueness and beliefs through the external appearance of our own style and apparel. I partly agree with this belief as fashion has always allowed me to disclose and celebrate my inner identity and moreover, to detach from the social crowds who are currently living in my hometown and in London too; this is predominantly analogous to my enthusiasm related to my sexuality and sympathy towards the fashion industry.   

On other hand, I arguably think that the whole industry shaped in a way through which marketing powers affect societies worldwide by unconsciously exploiting our true identities, therefore, constructing and forging similar models of human association. Indeed, it is not ambitiously difficult to identify who holds power within the actual fashion industry. Media, marketing associates and more specifically, social networks are the pioneers of nowadays fashion’s power, as they have a quick and subconsciously impact on our ideals and market power. 

Many social identity theories came out with the belief that Identity is indefinable as humans tend to shape and move from a group to another, although, marketing power forces can be identified as leaders of this phenomenon.   

A pure example of this argument is the even more expanding social media influencers controlled through strategic marketing planning. In other words, the social model of the influencer aims not only to sell brand’s items but is nowadays the main point of reference through which particularly younger generations build not only their closet but their appearance and ways of thinking. 

Generally, I really enjoyed the points that the lecture Julia highlighted over the lecture. Indeed, I think this Better Lives unit is crucial to make us think outside the box and to critically explore the variou aspects of the industry. Indeed, discussing in detail the impacts of power on fashion and society was very mind-boggling and made me further reflect on the roles of social media who took over the global fashion scene by persuading us and our aesthetics.  

Overall, I believe societies around the world should mindfully limit their obsessions and repercussions of the before mentioned influencers, this is because, our aesthetics, style and skills is what creates and portray our own “Brand”. The lecture about powers made me think that who and what holds higher authorities should solely be a model of inspiration and not identified as a way of living. Therefore, we should be the influencers of our personal brand, only this way we can break the boundaries of social insecurity and categorisation. 

Generally, I really enjoyed the points that the lecture Julia highlighted over the lecture. Indeed, I think this Better Lives unit is crucial to make us think outside the box and to critically explore the variou aspects of the industry. Indeed, discussing in detail the impacts of power on fashion and society was very mind-boggling and made me further reflect on the roles of social media who took over the global fashion scene by persuading our aesthetics and analagously transforming identy.