Paige Leadbitter

For my groups work for the better lives project unit, we decided to create a short video to be shared on the social media platform Instagram. The video that we made is a reflection on our mental health, and how we are coping or struggling due to the COVID-19 outbreak and quarantine. Main focuses were on the isolation we are all feeling, which is not helped by our mental illnesses. The video featured video clips of group members doing their distraction techniques and coping mechanisms, as well as a voice over track speaking a poem, the video also included different small doodled animations. Personally, I have been struggling with the lack of difference in each passing day so a way to solve that issue I have been attempting different activities such as jigsaws with my mum, or drawing. However, even though I have been doing these things to the best of my ability I have still struggled some days to even get out of bed let alone complete something that I really do not feel like doing. I think that our video was a good way to create a modern and accessible conversation started as to how we can cope and just try our best during these unprecedented times. Our choice to choose a format suitable for Instagram was a good idea as most people have social media and this creates an accessible way for people to view it.

Now that I have begun my work in response to better lives it has reignited my passion for creating a better and brighter future for all, I guess that is why it is called better lives. I think that this project has been important for me to reflect on my own values when I shop, and I can now recognise why I buy certain products that suit my needs. However, it is not always been at the forefront of my mind when I have been looking for some sort of product or garment to purchase, how this experience would be for someone who is not like me. Someone who is has different mobility issues than me, someone who is a different gender to me, someone who can afford more or less than me. This has been really an important reflective project; it’s helped to open my eyes and recognise how life would be different for myself if I weren’t me. These lectures have also made me wonder how products could be better suited to me, to someone of my body type, my aesthetic, and my budget. How can the industry become more inclusive? I think that these lectures will give me more perspective in my future work as an illustrator. I have always found it important to represent different people in my work, but in the future, how could I improve that? How can I make my work become more inclusive to different people, how can I continue to create work that is respectful of other culture? Whilst this project has taught me a few new things, I do think that it has helped to just move forward with my critical thinking and simply improve on my already acquired social knowledge. I know that it’s my responsibility as a white person to allow a platform for other races to speak up, however how can I use my privilege to help give different people platforms and how I can be respectful whilst doing this. It is important that with my privilege I am not talking over the voices of minorities that I claim to give a platform to. I find that a lot of people in my position with use their so-called ‘acceptance’ to gain personal momentum rather than uplifting the voice that is less heard. Specifically I want to use this new knowledge within my better lives group work, this is a perfect opportunity to practice listening to other people from different minority groups to create a well-rounded and influential product that is accessible to different people not just people like myself or one single individual.

The lecture that I have decided to do my first reflective blog post about is ‘Inclusivity in fashion’ which was presented by Laura Salisbury. I have chosen this lecture because I found it extremely interesting and informative, and I think that the topics that she spoke of are exceedingly important within the modern-day world. Our fashion industry has come a long way in the past one hundred years to become a more accepting and welcoming to different types of people, whether that is due to their sexuality, disability or ability, gender identity, profession or lack thereof, age, class, race, etc. Our industries now do strive to include more and more people, which I think is of the upmost importance if brands wish to stay afloat within our ever-changing modern society. A question that has always consumed my mind regarding all industries, not just fashion, is why choose to not be more inclusive? Why not increase their target audience to a wider margin? Surely this would create more business, a better reputation within their circles, and become both better and more successful in most ways. The answer that I usually to believe to be true is that a lot of brands don’t care about being inclusive, they don’t care about peoples opinions or feelings, they don’t care that not everyone has different body shapes, and lives and viewpoints. However, there are quite a few brands that are emerging onto this scene of inclusivity within fashion. Which, in my opinion, is incredible. For example, Laura spoke of Yves Béhar, a designer who created Fuse Project, Aura power suit. A mobility aiding suit designed for assisting elderly people with restrictive mobility issues to complete simple tasks around their homes. For example, walking, climbing the stairs, standing, reaching for high shelves or cupboards- just to name a few. This suit is said to ‘use artificial intelligence to react to the body’s natural movements and add muscle power to aid the wearer in getting up, sitting down, or staying upright.’ The studio Fuse Project states that when choosing the colours and materials for the power suit they wished to avoid the clinical look that seems to surround a lot of muscle support, or disability supportive clothing, this is why they chose modern hexagonal shapes and a bright teal colour for accenting the power suit. However, as Laura stated in her lecture, ‘just because a garment could have amazing functionality doesn’t mean it will be used- Is it comfortable? Is it wearable? How is it worn? Would the aesthetic match with the user’s personal style?’ If any of these questions are answered with a no or any other form of insecurity, can it really be considered as an inclusive product? I think that an attempt to create a fully inclusive product for a specific audience is better than making a product or garment that does not try to achieve any inclusivity.

Morby, A. (2017) Yves Béhar’s Aura Power Clothing helps the elderly with mobility. Available at: https://www.dezeen.com/2017/01/12/yves-behar-aura-power-clothing-helps-elderly-mobility-design-museum-london/ (Accessed: 04/05/2020)