During this Better Lives unit, I took part in Mask Making and Politics classes. The task was to design and create a political mask and so, I chose to focus on deforestation and the forest fires that are an effect of this. Looking into the way it affects nature and animals, my mask consisted of an orangutan face with flames appearing on the top half of the mask.
We spent the classes working on the sculpts for the mask and planned to create them after the Easter break, choosing between papier-mâché or vac-forming plastic. As my mask was based around conservation of nature, using plastic didn’t seem to be a good idea. I was informed however that we would be using recycled plastic to create the mask, but in the end I planned to do papier-mâché as it suited the shape and design of my mask better.
With the whole global pandemic occurring at the moment and everyone working from home, it was clear that we would not be able to physically work on the masks as intended. Instead, our task has changed to be design-led. I stuck to the basics of my design, only changing the material it would be made of if time and budget were not of concern. After having watched the Better Lives lectures, I took in what was said about sustainability and considered this thoroughly when researching materials for my mask.
Since it was a conceptual mask, I had a wide range of materials to consider. I wanted the materials to be of a sustainable source whilst still giving the appearance I want. In the end, I chose bamboo for the base of the mask as it has the wooded texture and appearance whilst being much more sustainable than standard hardwoods. For the flames, I chose tinted resin but later when presenting my idea to the class, Caroline Gardener suggested looking into natural saps and rosins as they would give a similar appearance but are of a much more natural source and thus, are more sustainable.

It was interesting to research into this as previously I only looked at papier-mâché and vac-forming plastic, the minimal options making it simpler to choose but not expanding my mind. It was purely practical in my mind, focusing on how to shape the clay and how I would paint the mask in the end. Changing to the design and research aspect has made me focus on choosing from all of the possibilities, making me really consider how sustainability plays into the creation of the product and how this would affect the design process.

I am very happy with the outcome of my conceptual mask design. I feel that it clearly portrays the issue at hand, making a statement within itself. One thing I missed out in my presentation that I noticed in other people’s presentation, was how the mask would be put onto the head. Some of their designs covered around the head, sitting like a helmet of sorts. As mine only covers the top half of the face, I would have fabric straps that sit around the circumference of the head and one that goes down the centre line of the head, connecting to the horizontal straps. This way, the mask will sit securely to the head and not slide down. They would be made out of organic linen since it is very sustainable. It requires minimal water and pesticides, no part of the plant is wasted, and it is strong and fully biodegradable when untreated. Leaving it to its natural colour will suit my mask design well.

Over the course of two weeks, I got to chance to virtually attend many lectures, each delving into the major themes of sustainability, diversity and social responsibility. With each lecture, I was led to thinking new ideas and concepts linking to fashion and art, and projects people have done to help others or to help others be more aware. In particular, it was the topics linking to diversity and sustainability that gained my attention the most.

It is evident that in the recent years, these two topics have been made predominant in the world, with many brands ensuring the promotion of diversity and many putting more focus and attention to sustainable materials and production.
When thinking about diversity, my mind automatically goes to race and size, but the lectures have reminded me that there is much more to it that that; it’s the inclusion of age, of those who are disabled, and those who aren’t heteronormative. As Shahidha Bari said in the lecture: “fashion is a visible medium”. It reminds me of the importance of representation and how this can empower people by seeing their likeliness being shown. It brings more confidence to individuals and leads to more self assurance. By showing more inclusivity, it will inspire others to do so, ultimately creating a chain and reaching out and touching more people’s lives. And within an individual, the more confidence they have can lead to a better well-being and way of living.

In one of the lectures of diversity, Sinead Burke was mentioned and how she considers the disabled in fashion, how to alter designs and to make them more accessible. It’s something most people forget, however unintentionally, that the standard way of clothing is not easy to use or is as suitable for those with a form of physical disability. Designers who consider this into their clothing can really make a drastic difference to someone’s life. With clothes being a part of everyday life, having something that is altered from the norm to fit to their situation, makes that part of their lives more manageable.

Fashion is very powerful and as something that is highly visual, it is of utmost importance that diversity and inclusivity is shown when promoting it. As well as creating a positive impact on those who feel represented, it also shows others what the world is made of and shows the beauty of the diverse world. In the modern day, diversity is being promoted now more than ever, but there is still so much that can be done to continue to inspire and to make better lives.

This project was honestly one of the most affected by the Covid-19 lockdown for me – I’m a generally ill person and I can’t say for sure (as tests weren’t available), but I now believe I had it for just over two weeks before the lockdown even began. If not, I had a different nasty virus. Either way, I missed all of the in-person lessons for this unit due to my illness which meant that I felt very out of the loop in this project and it was difficult for me to engage fully with my class as I’d never actually met them.

The brief for the critical design unit was to create a trailer using a “wicked problem” of our choice as the theme, with the aim not being to show how we would solve the issue as much as raise awareness of it. I chose to look into waste – needlessly throwing things in tips and how fast fashion is slowly destroying the planet. My trailer begins with clips of piles of plastic bags and me theatrically dumping a box full of scrap material and old clothes onto the grass as a way of representing this theme. The following scenes are clips of me taking things from this pile and sewing them together to create a reusable bag and ends in me standing in the same place I originally dumped the scraps, wearing the bag and a jumpsuit made from old curtains. My intention here wasn’t so much to offer a solution to the problem – not everyone has boxes full of fabric scraps to make bags out of or a sewing machine to make them with, instead I wanted to add an aspect of hope to the theme.

After watching the Well-Being lecture by Jekaterina Rogaten, I found myself looking at my main topic for the Critical Design project from a more psychological standpoint than I would’ve prior to the lecture. This influenced my work greatly, I now wanted to put into practice some of the methods of maintaining my own well-being and happiness during this lockdown through the process of completing this project. Rogaten talks about ways we, as consumers and creators, can sustain our own well-being. One ideology that particularly inspired me was the concept of achieving happiness by doing things for the “greater good” – how purchasing sustainable clothing helps us feel fulfilled, not just by our consumption of fashion but by the positive effect it has on other people and the world. This is why I chose to focus on slow fashion – and up-cycle some material that I already had into a piece that was well made, aesthetically pleasing, and would last. I honestly believe that there are already enough clothes in the world to last humanity forever – on a purely practical level – and my goal was to highlight the fact that this level of waste is not unavoidable.

From the moment I started sewing, I’ve been up-cycling and using old fabrics and clothes to create new garments. I was particularly excited about this project and leaning more about the Better Lives themes, as sustainability in fashion has always been a passion of mine, and I’m always wanting to learn more about ongoing issues in the world and their potential remedies.

Despite my love of creating new things from old, filling my wardrobe with unique pieces that I’ve made myself in a sustainable manner, I have always felt like my avoidance of fast fashion and attempts at making everyday choices that are kind to nature and other people, have been somewhat futile in the grand scheme of things. All the issues covered in this project seem (and honestly are) far larger than me. However, this has done the opposite of disheartening me. If these lectures have taught me anything, it’s that education plays a key role in any kind of change. If people are well informed on issues, it’ll influence their thought processes and decision making and while what we can do as individuals might only be small, when large groups of people focus on a goal, anything can be achieved. Whether or not it feels like it, the power is in the hands of the consumer and if we all come together to demand change, change will happen.

In the future I plan to continue creating up-cycled clothes, bags etc. and I would like to start selling them. I’ll also try and inspire as many other people who have the means to do so too because, while I think it would be fantastic for large corporations and fast fashion to be boycotted, it’s not going to happen unless more sustainable alternatives are readily available. I now believe that more conversations need to be had concerning these topics in order to raise awareness and educate as many people as possible. I’m aware of the fact that none of the themes in this unit have easy, realistic, straight-forward answers but there are definitely everyday things – such as being conscious of where the products you buy come from and choosing not to participate in things that are harmful to people and nature – that can be put into practice to help make the world a better place. I’m afraid I’m going to have to end this by paraphrasing my favourite Gandalf quote from the Lord of the Rings, however I think it perfectly sums up my thought process right now – “It’s believed that it is only great power that can hold evil in check, but that is not what I’ve found. I found that it is the small everyday deeds of ordinary folk that keep the darkness at bay… small acts of kindness and love.”

One lecture that really captured my attention was the one on the topic of Well-Being by Jekaterina Rogaten, specifically talking about the concept of well-being, the importance of well-being in fashion and what can be done to promote it in the context of fashion. I think this stuck out to me because, personally, when I think of the many problems that the fashion industry creates in the world, I immediately think of the devastation of nature and the urgent need for change to save our planet. I think of sustainability and what can be done to try and fix the mess that’s been created. The effect it has on our mental health as consumers, designers, makers and retail workers seems so much more personal and so close to home that it’s ironically one of the last things that comes to my mind. I find this interesting because really, when it comes to making positive changes in the industry and trying to “saving the world” everything starts with the consumer.

Rotagen talks about how, as consumers, buying ethically and through more sustainable routes not only contributes to helping shift the world into a generally better, healthier, kinder place, but about the affect this has on the consumer. The term “eudaimonic well-being” is used to describe a lifestyle focused on meaningful experiences, self-realisation, personal growth and a desire for purpose in life which is “bigger” than yourself. I believe the key to shifting away from excessive fast fashion is this exact feeling of doing good with the decisions you make and the products you buy.

The theories spoken about and points made in this lecture helped me look at the fashion industry in a way I haven’t before. For example, Rogaten brings up the “hierarchy of needs”, a concept highlighting the different areas and needs that must be fulfilled in order for someone to have a “happy life”. From meeting our basic physiological needs such as food, water, sex, sleep, to the next level – safety and security, to esteem/ self-confidence and finally self-actualisation – the point where one is able to concern themselves with morality, creativity, and problem solving. When you reach the highest state and have all the other areas satisfied you can afford to care for ethics and the environment and you’re able to produce good artistic work. I find this template fascinating in the context of fashion because when it comes to fashion and clothing, the importance of how we dress can just about be fitted into any of these categories. The many problems within the fashion industry alongside my desire to live a life where my choices are based on my morals and love of nature vs my love of clothes and making them has been an ongoing battle in my life, so looking at the positives and potential/ realistic changes that can be made in the industry from a psychological perspective has been extremely insightful and helpful for me.

To set us on the right foot for the group task ahead, Sophiaand Leigh, our tutors for the Messaging Fashion course thoroughly explained the areas and roles in the production of fashion we would for-fill and focus on. As mentioned in my previous post (Blog Post 2:Being Allocated with Messaging Fashion/ PR),  I interpret workers involved in the business side of things such as Public Relations almost as the backbone of the industry, therefore, putting this effort in to gain an understanding of what they do appears a professional responsibility.

As part of our project, we had to put together in groups a PR campaign for a brand formed in the north of the UK called House of SheldonHall. Steven Sheldon and Emma Hall are the head designers of the brand, hence the name, whommet at College in Sheffield whilst studying Art & Design and both then went on to the University of Huddersfield where they studied Costume and Textiles. In doing further research I discovered that for the production of their own brand which began in 2014, Emma takes up the role of embroiderer and seamstress while Steven is illustrator and pattern cutter. The background of the brand upon first impression sounds all familiar to me as someone from northern England myself who studied Fashion and Textiles for 2 years also. This for sure kept me intrigued and my peers certainly took advantage of that when it came to local research!

We came to the decision that our cause would be a fundraiser enabling us to give what we can to the Independent Domestic Abuse Services, the largest specialist charity in Yorkshire supporting people affected by domestic abuse and sexual violence. We feel strongly with dread about the rise in critical cases occurring across the country, both during the current COVID-19 pandemic where families and partners are forced to stay in their homes and in the first place. This would be an effort fromHouse of SheldonHallto give back to women while focusing on their local community in the north of England. 

In terms of event and raising this money, we made an arrangement where HOSHwould host an Instagramliveand Instagram TVpost in which they would auction some of their archived pieces from previous collections. An idea that could bring people together on a large scale virtually, at home where they can stay clear from infection. It is an opportunity for HOSH customers to enjoy their dresses while at the same time having the chance to be charitable supporting a cause that they are very likely to care about. The auction would be presented by influencer and activists Florence Givenand Paris Leeswho is also a journalist. It will be later posted on the Stylist Magazine’sInstagram profileas well as the influencers’ and the brand’s. Florence spends her career focusing on female empowerment while on the other hand, Paris is an award- winning journalist and a powerful voice for the transgender community- A choice of influencers that we feel further resonates with the brand and its potential customers. We came to this conclusion due to the shapes and colours we see represented in the garments such as curves, frills, polka dots, triangular skirts and much more that typically represent femininity and flamboyance. 

Credits:

• Sophia Plessas + Leigh Odimah [lectures], London College of Fashion, Lime Grove campus (SMC), February 2020 
• Blog Post 2: Being Allocated with Messaging Fashion/ PR , 4^thMay 2020, Charlotte Baldwin https://1920betterlivessmc.myblog.arts.ac.uk/2020/05/04/blog-post-2-being-located-with-messaging-fashion-pr/
• House Of SheldonHall, Steven Sheldon and Emma Hall https://www.houseofsheldonhall.com
• Independent Domestic Abuse Services https://www.idas.org.uk
• Instagram https://www.instagram.com/?hl=en
• Florence Given https://www.instagram.com/florencegiven/?hl=enhttps://www.florencegiven.com  
• Paris Lees https://www.instagram.com/paris.lees/?hl=enhttps://www.theguardian.com/profile/paris-lees
• Stylist https://www.instagram.com/stylistmagazine/?hl=enhttps://www.stylist.co.uk
• [Presentation] Charlotte Baldwin 19017421,April Ella Mccarthy 18003888, Esther Nieto Canales 19020697, Sara Tocha 19020402, April 2020.

by Samantha Stone

It was a struggle to pick one blog to review many had extremely interesting points and views although after looking at several different blogs there was one that invoked my curiosity. A blog posted by Solomia Zakhatkiv who talks about working in a group to produce a short video corresponding to “Nubian Skin”. Which she states was established in 2014 by Ade Hassan who decided to create a different kind of nude. 

Following the previous lecture taught on representation by Telecia Kirkland it flows in nicely with this theme of diversity and social responsibility and is something I’m always quite interested in. Being a woman of colour myself I was inspired to read that Solomia and her group felt it was vital to highlight the fact that everyone deserves to be powerful, beautiful and connected. Which can sometimes be lost in this world that can make one feel like they should be something that they’re not. However, I would have liked to know more about her role in the group as I feel that it wasn’t spoken about much.

I can say with confidence that the Better Lives unit has influenced our way of thinking in a very positive light. It’s brought up situations and challenges that are often overlooked and not talked about. Along with this pandemic it’s also allowed us to think outside the box at how we collectively could address these themes.  

I agree with Solomia that working with other creative practitioners can heavily influence and develop our work and our way of thinking. I can be sure that the Better Lives themes will has given me new essential skills definitely that I will use in my work in the future.

By Samantha Stone

Before starting the Better lives unit, I had doubts how it would broaden my knowledge of the fashion industry. However, having watched numerous videos from the Better Lives lectures, I can confidently say that they have inspired my outlook at fashion and my emotions towards it. Diversity was one of the themes that invoked curiosity in me and an option I wanted to explore from the get-go. After listening to the lecture on representation by Telecia Kirkland I was immediately drawn in. this lecture exploited the perspective of the black community and how it has been represented in the media. 

Being a woman of colour myself I can empathise with some of the struggles people of different colour or diversity can face on a day to day let alone in the public eye.

Being stereotyped for the way you dress is often one of the challenges that get overlooked every day. 

This lecture has widened my knowledge of the differences between cultural appropriate and cultural appreciation. Although they sound quite similar, they are segregated by a very small point. Which is why now we have the ability to know what is socially right from wrong. One of the things that shocked me the most was when I learnt about outraged marketing. I can’t contemplate how companies; brands could purposely target and abuse minority groups in order for their brand to be spoken about. It just affirms that in society money is more important than humanity and above all.  

To sum this up representation plays a big part of the fashion industry. Being able to distinguish factors such as characteristics or common interest, understanding how different cultures have contradictive views is essential at making sure you do it correctly. 

The final outcomes we developed as a group is called Retrograde, an Online Vintage Trendology App, as the group theme highly involved data analysis and machine AI learning, the app heavily invested in data that’s related to the fashion and pour the data into machine learning, the app profile expand the idea and the chance of how it is profitable, which with the premium membership, I think the highlighted part of the app is that it is highly inclusive, the set up of profile will allow you to chose you to wish to go either trendy or anti trendy, by doing so the target user for the app can be heavily expanded and with included of the free users, we encouraged people to download and experience the app, meanwhile contributed the data for the app ecosystem.

Overall I’m very satisfied with the group final outcome, I think the idea is very innovative and it touched the area I never stepped on before and even though the idea is still very unpolished, we still managed to present a workable, profitable application that could help improved fashion industry. A little flaw was that due to the time consuming we weren’t able to develop it is VI and UI, to make it more presentable.

As my personal development, as an illustrator, I tried to create a fashion editorial video fully on digital, with a workflow of    Clo3d, Cinema 4D and Daz studio; As my research carried out, I realized that most of the virtual editorial shoot, not like a traditional photo shoot, as the freedom of creating everything barehand, 3D artists always like to create a story of the shoot,  for instance, Vogue Chinese International is called ‘future transit’ and Paper Lady Gaga issued was called ‘transformation’.

Therefore I named my shoot ‘beauty of glitch’ to reference the idea of ‘beauty is painful’ and throughout the video, the characters are always binding with glitch, I imagine it would be painful and unpleasant, so he jumping around and try to get rid of it, with one clip he seems to succeeded but turned out it was just temporary, in the end, he decided to live along with the environment, to me, it reflects the situation of compromising of the young generation of people who try to make something different and at the end blend into the society.

As a conclusion I consider my personal development is a success, I tried something that I never tried before and successfully debunk some technical wall that I wasn’t able to break through, but still, there are some technical issues I still unable to solve and as the time consuming I wasn’t able to polish it more so the general outcome still looked quite not ‘life alike’, but it is a very valuable experience and I think this experience helped me a lot.

Blog Post 2 

• Reflections on how the Better Lives themes might change how you work in the future;

Reflecting on my creative process the Critical design classes highlighted key issues going on in our society. These classes made me realise aspects of diversity, sustainability and social responsibilities that I didn’t necessarily think would be needed as much in this practice. This class tested me as a creative to really think outside the box when trying to portray a powerful message; in one of the lessons we looked at Rhea Dillion recent campaign which was a huge inspiration. The classes taught me when brainstorming for an idea it is important to be consider the resources you use carefully and to be inclusive of ethical production as for our final outcome we had to create a trailer based on a topic about the society we live in however before Corona I had various ideas of set and I wanted to collaborate for my trailer however I now need to use more home based items and surroundings which is actually more sustainable then producing a set.  

What I learnt in Critical Design can also be applied to my creative practise as a fashion image maker, for example the art of research and sustainability when shooting using recycled products and remaking using borrowed clothes even when illustrating making it more digitally based as that decreases paper waste. The Critical design classes at the beginning was quite difficult to understand what the purpose was but later on I realised it was about testing us as creatives and how to use our voices to portray an ideology or opinion on a topic. Additionally for my project I began looking at  meritocracy and how those from more privileged backgrounds have it easier whereas someone for a less privileged background has to work harder in order to climb that ladder of the fashion industry. I looked at clear case studies such as Alexander McQueen compared to Stella McCartney. However later on within my research journal I started to side track and look at a different topic which was Inclusivity relating it back to my fashion illustrative background looking at the representation of different body types, races, etc. I began to dive into my research focusing on these key titles diversity, sustainability and social responsibilities. Moving forward when researching and starting a new project I want to focus on these key points. 

Lastly moving forward in my own creative practise I will focus on the key themes I listed in my research and always find a way to make my project sustainably for example the media I use could be ethically sourced or recycled and perhaps making my own sketchbooks from recycled paper. The Better lives project will keep me informed in my Critical design classes where I am to create a trailer based on a  ‘wicked problem’ a wicked problem is when a problem requires a great number of people to change their mindsets and behaviour is likely to be a wicked problem a clear example would be sexual harassment, political instability, healthcare, social inequality and economic unfairness.