For my peer task review I chose to comment on the blog post by Jia Hui Lim. They did their Better Lives project on makeup and building a character, something which I think is one of the most intriguing disciplinaries that could be taken in this project. I also applied to do, but I sadly didn’t get it.

I am commenting on their project outcome blogpost, and from my perspective they really understood and tried to implement what the Better Lives philosophy is all about. They looked on how the character they were building could be in tune with the ethos of Sustainability, Social Responsibility and Diversity. 

In their blogpost, Jia Hui Lim discusses the different ingredients that compose makeup formulas and how some are more environmentally friendly than others. But what I found particularly interesting is that they question, is there really a possibility from completely environmentally friendly makeup, with the amount of waste and chemical processes that go into it? I think there are pathways to take into consideration for more eco-friendly cosmetics, but to achieve 100% success seems still a long way. Most ethical companies nowadays are trying to do responsible sourcing of materials and focusing more on a natural approach, with herbs and essential oils as main ingredients instead of super processed products with parabens and sulphates, that not only have a big impact on the environment but also on the user’s skin. Cruelty free makeup is also more and more common to find nowadays, and it is great to see how brands are pressured to stop testing their products on animals.

Jia Hui Lim also questions her own practices in her execution of her project, as they discusses how they have used A4 new paper, instead on a computer program that would have generated 0 waste. The approach Jia Hui Lim took was quite interesting, as they designed a character that, after all human beings have consumed from Earth, this character is a representation on the so called ‘’cycle of life’’ and feeds back to Earth, and as the Earth was, is sucked the life out of it in more degree than it can sustain. As Jia Hui Lim quotes ‘’I am trying to envision a world where humans would give back to nature.’’

To wrap up, I think Jia Hui Lim had a very good overall comprehension of what this unit was about, and was thoroughly committed to put the main values into practice and examine her own actions, which I think Better Lives is really all about. If anything, this unit should help all of us be more careful with our actions and realise the impact they have in the planet and other people before doing them, and I think in this Jia Hui Lim succeeded.

Blog 3. Project outcomes and personal development

Group projects always associate with amazing collaboration and extensive gain of different kinds of skills and for sure knowledge. Following the final week, our group was working on the final project. The whole group was in anticipation of creating something significantly valuable for the modern world, taking into account ecological disasters and other threats that the fashion industry brings with itself.

It is important to add, that we have chosen one concept from the list of proposed and discussed plans. By the way, we came up with a vast variety of notions starting from 3D dissolving fabric and finishing with an ecologically sustainable underground e-money society. As we had a lot of ideas, we have been discussing them upon, doing a SWOT analysis, and thinking of what good cause it may bring to the world.

And finally, we came with an idea of a vintage cloth app called Retrograde. This app is an amazing mix of fashion, sustainability, and emerging technologies. Moreover, the app predicts trends for vintage cloth, as well as helping people to make money from their wardrobes with the ability of the app to calculate how much your wardrobe worth. We have decided to create trend mapping that helps to get familiar with local trends. Also, it is very exciting how the vintage fashion market excessively overtakes high street fashion. Transgenerational application is one big step in slowing down the fashion industry, which is vitally important in the nowadays ecological situation. We also have paid great attention to the informative side of the app, rising consciously aware consumer ship providing information on different issues like major fashion houses and their vintage heritage and influence. All these features make these programs unique and irreplaceable for people who are interested in vintage items as well for ones who want to start their journey in slow fashion.

As for me, during the process of polishing, reflecting, and extending the idea, I realized how I can combine and use different technologies in making one application, that it is extremely interesting to me. Furthermore, it was an amazing opportunity to learn how you can use data in building respectable software. I was concerned about how to create useful and full in different features program that for sure would be able to make this world better, but also would be able to change consumers’ attitude and make major companies review their policies and manufacture. Besides this, I think that not only big companies should have advisors in trend predicting, but everybody as it sharply minimizes the production and consumption of fashion products, moreover it has chances to change the psychology of shopping. 

To sum up, said below information, the project taught me all nuances when it comes to creating an app. I was lucky to learn tread mapping, partly coding, and data usage. After completing the project, I feel way more confident in the approach that emerging technologies are highly important for the mechanism of the fashion industry.

Blog 2. Theme reflection

Before starting Better Lives Unit I was very enthusiastic, as it was the start to enter into the world which I imagined while reading scientific novels and learning major informational theories that were like a skeleton before facing reality during my chosen pathway – Emerging  Technologies in the fashion industry. I always was extremely interested in new era technologies. I always wanted to connect these two channels of my inspiration and interest, as united these two can really change a concept of fashion and even change hierarchy and whole international order.

Thanks to the lecturer Nick Almond, it was very thoughts provoking sessions on the blockchain system, virtual reality, bitcoin, and coding. With the help of these technologies and vast use of them, I steeply understood that it might change a great number of things and prevent plenty of crises. Even more, with smart incorporation of ones, it might be able to fully change hierarchy and make the fashion industry less aggressive in both environmental and mental dimensions.

 During followed lections, our group discovered a list of different high-tech technologies and its working algorithms. Gained information was vital in building an image of futuristic reality that we might face in the nearest future. With every single lection, I have managed to open a new door in my consciousness and interact with the world around me through this prism. It may seem to a lot of people that there is no place for creativity for such a subject as Emerging technologies, but it may be the biggest misconception, as in the mention below theme is a major place for creativity. It has appeared during our brainstorm on choosing and creating our final project. My groupmates and I came up with amazing ideas, that made our practice extremely enjoyable. Moreover, discussions during lections made me think other way around, thinking how is it possible to replace dying art with the breath of fresh air of high-tech and get rid of negative staff in the fashion system. 

 To tell the truth, this unit was highly important to me as I always search for some kind of innovation, for me it is impossible to work in the old system and use “cliché” things, as well it gave me a fresh boost to integrate new technologies into the fashion sphere. Personally may say, that this kind of creativity was the one I wanted to experience, as It is the duet of technological and fashion arts, that really could make our lives, mankind and the planet for sure better. Being a part of better lives unit I understood what I want to do in my future and how can I change the mechanism that is in some way pugnacious and violent, as well allowed me to discover myself from the side I always wanted to. 

For the project in Better Lives unit I chose to do ‘’In and outside of fashion: Sportswear Fashion language and sub-cultures’’ which is part of Styling course. I had always had a great interest for the practice of styling and I think it is one of the most interesting disciplines within fashion, as it allows one of the most tactile experiences and certainly the most hands on when it comes to working with the clothes. 

The project was carried out by the Head of the Styling course, professor Karen Savage, who did a great job at explaining the job of a stylist and all the research and referencing it takes. She explained its role as an examiner of influences and cultural/historical references in order to convey a message though the clothing. We were given lecture on the history of styling as well as some insight into some subcultures and the evolution the image fashion has had through out the 20th century into the 21th century.

This part of the project also consisted In two Masterclasses, in which we would take into practice the knowledge we had acquired in styling and subcultures and had to come up with our own looks. The first Masterclass was done at the Lime Grove facility, and we played around, choosing models within the class and putting an outfit together. I found it a very fun little project to do, as we all had different ideas and inspirations, and came to sportswear as a common ground to play around with. The second Masterclass, due to the Covid-19 pandemic we are experiencing, was delivered through online classes. I chose to do mine inspired on the Mod subculture and the swinging fashion era, and I translated it via the medium of a collage with pictures screenshots of Frank Sinatra music and a sporty colour blocked outfit in Chelsea boots. This is what I wrote about it.

‘’My style has always been extremely influenced by the clean lines and colour blocking of 

the 50’s and 60’s. I thought this could be an opportunity to honour that inspiration and take sources from 60’s mod fashion from the swinging London period.

With little access to material or pieces, I took the opportunity to reach my mother’s closet and mix up her pieces and mine to give it a more relaxed and modern take to the creative foundation. I tried doing some layering and giving the look some more texture by overlaying materials. I took use of a collared top belonging to my mum, a pair of black and white Chelsea boots and mixed it up with more casual pieces to allow the outfit to have a more athletic approach.

I think re-using, re-purposing and re-imaginaning pieces that we might find in our house, our grandma’s place or just some charity shop is a great way to aim towards sustainability. If we are able to give all this pieces in our hands a longer, more complex life we’ll reduce significantly the waste of materials and be able to add value to the pieces in our hand.’’

Blog 1. Lecture reflection

Weeks ago were held different lectures that helped to build links upon major industries and fashion itself. After attending versatile lectures it became clear how powerful and even districting the fashion industry is, that makes sense for the unit called Better Lives. 

The most grasping lecture for me, was by Jekaterina Rogaten on well-being and fashion, as this session reflected all my thoughts and affords to make connections between these two vital for me industries, fashion, and psychology. The lecturer helped me to puzzle all my contemplation, as I paid great attention to cognitive aspects of fashion psychology, as in some way is the impact that sometimes is invisible but very strong in outcomes. As well as behavioristic psychology which has a big impact on human well-being.  

It was extremely engaging to remind one more time some basics of psychology and find a place of fashion aspect in it. Essentially,  Maslow’s hierarchy of needs is a vivid example of it, as fashion plays multiple roles in this famous theory, as expressing oneself through the cloth, enhancing self-esteem, belonging to one or another social group and last and not least self-actualization which encompasses a lot of self ‘building’ aspects which as well are shown with the help of fashion.

To my point of view, the lecture was highly actual as nowadays fashion became a very negatively influenced industry at different levels of one. Maintaining a well being and positive attitude seems to be difficult not only for consumers but for future and existing professionals. It’s not news that the fashion industry is very stressful and disbalancing as it always has a direct dialogue with our psychological portrait. It was remarkably intriguing to learn ways of improving personal well-being taking into account the number of theories of such scientists as Mayer, Richins, Csikszentmihalyi, Masuch & Hefferon, Belloti & Rogaten, Tassel & Bardey, and others.

After having attended the lesson, my head was full of different thoughts, which has provoked me to make small research because from my knowledge in the field of evolutionary psychology I started questioning myself if all this is the outcome of the recent evolution of the human brain. Since such a major organ of the human body as the brain is always in the prosses of developing because it is cognitively influenced by lifestyle and technological development of the century. This prosses is revealed in the research of Japanese scientists Daki Sato and Masakado Kawata from Tohoku University, which gives evidence that the brain has overcome a few mutations that make people more prone to anxiety.  

According to the beforementioned information, it is crucial to talk widely about maintaining the well-being of the mind using fashion and changing ruining features of this business making it more fruitful in making the world better not only at psychological level but other negative effects such as ecological crisis, ethical issues, diversity and inclusivity, and monopoly. Also, with the received knowledge I became more conscious of a healthy mind in terms of fashion phycology and its problems from both sides consumers and professionals.

The Better Lives project revolved around three major subjects: Sustainability, Social Responsibility and Diversity. Three issues that I think are crucial in the development in fashion for the present and the new coming decades, as it has been throughly proven the negative impact the industry has both for the planet and individuals in social and economic disadvantage.

I believe for years we have been extremely ignorant to the way the works of the fashion industry is both elitist and oppressing to some many in the chain of production, and I’m glad it is a significant part of out education to understand how this chain of production and distribution is building a world that destroys an array of opportunities for our planet and people living in it. 

I study Fashion Media Practice and Criticism, which is centred in reflecting on practices within the Fashion Industry and a critical communication with this practices. Thanks to the Better Lives unit, we have been giving an insight on the amount of product waste that is caused by fashion manufacture, plus the contamination by dyeing and toxic emission in factories around the world. 

This is no issue we should be sleeping on for any longer. Fast fashion companies are creating infamous amount of waste product and are a significant contribution to the rapid decay of our planet. We as fashion students are (hopefully) going to shape the fashion industry one day, and it is our responsibility to make sure our craft is empathic to the world we live in and the way we are on the breach of colossal disaster. As it is understood, we are more informed than the average person, and we are the ones in need to respond to this issues, promoting locally and ethically sourced materials, as well as re-using and elongating the life of garments and fashion pieces.

One artist I was recently inspired by was Judi Werthein, an Argentine multidisciplinary artist who created a shoe called Brinco in 2005. Brinco was a high top trainer, that was manufactured in a  sweatshop in China for 17$ (as a way to bring light to the poor conditions in this manufacturing processes). The Brinco shoe was distributed in limited quantities in shops in the USA for 200$, while simultaneously been given for free to people trying to cross the border between Mexico and the USA. The shoe was equipped with flashlight, a compass and a map with the most common routes from Tijuana to San Diego, plus pockets with money and pain killers in case people got hurt in the way. This shoe, that helped people do the ‘’brinco’’ or jump in English showed from many different perspectives the hypocrisy of neo-liberal consumerism while helping people for a difficult task.

I think fashion having a more utilitarian approach while being conscious of the sourcing and manufacturing process is the only way to be respectful to a planet that is sooner than later not going to be able to provide for mass amount of consumption, while being mindful of the vast amount of livelihood’s depending on this industry and its fair work.

For the peer review I chose to look at Gabija Pocuitte’s blogs and focus on the 3rd post where she evaluates her final project outcome with some reflection on the themes of better lives. Gabija is originally a fashion photography student but was alongside me on the make up course for Better Lives and it was interesting to see how differently we approached the idea of the ‘Fashion Mistake’ to create final looks. She used 3D objects as well as normal make up products to seam together an intriguing and experimental look targeting the idea of sustainability and the disposability of certain objects within the beauty/fashion community.

Gabija chose to focus more on the sustainability aspect and to use household beauty items such as hair bands and hair grips to design a look. She mentions further research into artist Rie Sakamoto who also created a collection made of rubber bands and this research gave the look context and development as she was able to create more iterations from her initial look. It’s important to have artist references and it’s something that I felt was somewhat lacking from my final outcome evaluation because it would give more context to my project. She draws inspiration well in regards to basing her colouring on the collections and trying to incorporate some of the same elements of boldness and contrast into her work which works well with the two statements made by the objects (sharp and round). She considers the overall composition with critical outlooks and determined that the colours used are not too powerful but bold enough to make a statement yet not overpower the piece.

She provides and interesting outlook on the theme of sustainability within the beauty community and fashion by utilising items that are viewed as disposable when really they are harmful to the environment and we should be more careful with the way we treat and take care of such items as many of them are not recyclable at all.

One area that Gabija could improve on is considering a more well-rounded concept or explanation of the final look as for this outcome, she has mentioned mainly just sustainability as opposed to reflecting on all the other themes of Better Lives such as social responsibility and diversity. Although she does go in depth about these issues in other blog posts, it would benefit the final evaluation of her project if she had mentioned them even briefly in the final outcome to tie together the project more.

Overall, Gabija’s blogs are thoughtful, insightful and well written, she has clearly done a lot of research and has engaged fully with the themes presented in the project which lead her to have a very successful outcome.

 Researching a brand’s values, ethics, beliefs, what they stand for and support is extremely vital for me before purchasing a garment therefore, I choose the Fashion Activism theme for my project.

 For our project, we were split into groups of 5 where we got a chance to meet and collaborate with students from other courses across LCF which was an amazing opportunity as we each bought different talents from our respective courses to the table.As a group we had to create a moving image that was suitable to be posted on the social media of a brand that was assigned to us in order to inform, excite, inspire and motivate audiences keeping in mind the brand aesthetic and its values. We were assigned a brand called TRAID, which is a charity shop that transforms clothes that are given to them as cast-offs into high-quality stock. At Traid the themes of Sustainability and Social Responsibility are given the utmost importance, where they work towards reducing carbon emissions, consumption, and waste along with improving working conditions for textile workers.

Initially, our group planned to visit Triad’s charity shops and film our moving image in a park however, that was not possible due to the pandemic. Being from different parts of the world and having to battle with varied time zones,technology was our best friend during this time which helped us stay connected and enabled us to create our moving image with great ease.

For our moving image, we choose TikTok as our platform, where we styled and filmed ourselves in a garment that was cast away or borrowed from our family member’s closet and made it trendy just as Triad does by collecting clothes to sell for other generations to rewear and restyles them. Through our video, we aimed to challenge other consumers to rewear, restyle, and borrow clothes instead of throwing them away and share with us how they restyled a garment by using the hashtag #RewearChallenge.

Contributing to reducing my carbon footprint was never really of the utmost importance to me,however, after having completed this project it is evident to me how essential and easy it is to do so by simply reducing my consumption of fast fashion along with supporting and promoting local charity shops like Triad who are trying to make this world a BETTER place and are doing so much in this fight to save our planet. I am confident that through our video and throughout the course of the project the better lives themes have influenced the thinking of our group and will be stuck with us as we step into the world.

The following is the link to view the final outcome of our project,hope you enjoy it as much as we did filming it.

https://web.microsoftstream.com/video/a04bc328-d043-47a9-b086-374112bb07c7?channelId=490f8d2f-85d4-4daa-9b6d-cdc70dfe01c6

The Better Lives Unit revolves around the themes of Diversity, Sustainability, and Social Responsibility. After attending a few of the lectures the unit offered, it became clear to me about what a long way the fashion industry as come as well as how it has constantly had to change over time. Initially, I found myself confused about how I would implement all the information I have retained from the lectures into my daily life, however, after starting my project in regard to Fashion Activism and discussing the themes over with my peers everything began to come together and I was able to understand the themes in a better light as well as consider the opinions of my classmates.

Previously, I was of the opinion that, saving the environment is too big of a task and would be impossible to accomplish by a sole individual doing right by the environment. I believed that in order to invoke change big manufacturers and companies had to become conscious about their waste consumption along with their carbon footprint. However, after having attended the Better Lives lectures and projects I was convinced that true change comes from within, I cannot possibly wait for big companies to simply change their ways if I was not changing mine, it was hypocritical for me to do so. I started to look at sustainability more individually rather than collectively. Since having completed my project I have worked towards limiting my consumption of plastic and thirst for fast fashion. I am currently using this time given to me due to the lockdown to reflect on other ways on how fashion can create better lives and am working towards playing my part individually.“ Little drops of water make a mighty ocean”

I am currently studying Fashion Public Relations and Communication, the Better Lives Themes have changed my approach on multiple factors I did not previously consider. As a Fashion PR student collaboration and networking will be a big part of my future as I step out into the world, therefore after understanding the importance of Diversity, Sustainability and Social Responsibility I will aim to collaborate with brands that implement these important themes in their work and are playing their part in making a change towards a more sustainable, kinder future.

I chose navigating through clothing for better lives workshop and I am deeply satisfied with this (costume design) course. Now I am currently in fashion styling and production course to be a stylist but I would like to call my future career as an image maker. As an Image maker I want to show a story through images or videos with using fashion as method. 

When I have a shoot for my personal work, designer friends work or fashion brand I usually like to add some storylines. Or at least write a main sentence for it. When I put a story line for fashion shoot I can feel that image qualities are being upgraded. It’s because story lines make big synergy with garments and sometimes it touches consumers’ heart. To create a storyline I have to characterised a character(model) and have to guess what do they like to do, how do they gonna wear clothes, and what kind of attitude do they go to show through images or videos. 

During my 2nd class with Jessica, we characterised a real life person. Jessica gave us life-style portrait images and asked us to imagine their name, age, job, favourite music, and secrets. I have got a young male portrait photo who looks like very artistic and calm. I named him as Aidan shore who is 31 years old, life style magazine editor, like to listen old French pop music, love to wear womenswear and stole some garments form his sister. We also did re-characterised  a fiction ‘Hansel and Gretel story’. I was especially attracted to the role of Hansel and Gretel’s stepmother. It’s because every time when I watched a movie or series I truly believe that all villain have a hidden story.  To re-create a character Jessica gave me some tips. Think about 1.how do they describe themselves, 2, how others describe them, and how story tell who they are. So she was reborn as a woman with hidden children by me. Thus to show her grief I would like to dress her up with deep purple tutu, velvet black cape and various rings.  It might sounds like I justified her misdeed, but the beauty of costume design is I can show new characters by fashion.

Like these kind of activities, we experienced how to make a character with various elements.

These taught me a precious and fresh lesson which I can adapt to my shoot storylines. And also can show characters’ personalities with proper creative objects.