Fashion is always political, but now maybe more than ever, we need to make it so. It’s up to us all. There is little incentive beyond personal ethics, for revising the rules of the game that continues to be revered, supported and endorsed. And for those who do want to play fair, re-setting the goals is something that no organization can do alone. Those who have learnt to play the game well by current rules, are not finding it easy to re-set them and then play by them.
That’s why those who approach each new collection, endeavour and idea in fashion as a rebellion against what has come before, as a critique of what’s going on around us, they are the ones who will create unprecedented opportunities for change. Rebellion has two elements: negation and affirmation. It is about the rejecting of what should no longer be accepted and the championing of what represents a new understanding of success.
In my role as a professor and researcher, I am committed to creating and living by a radical manifesto for change, whilst also recognising my own privilege and part in the system. We work with creatives who are re-defining the role of the fashion designer and this is incredibly rewarding and inspiring. It gives me hope that the next generation will change the course of the industry from the inside out. Through a project called Fostering Sustainable Practices, we are gathering an extensive evidence base of the designers who are balancing environmental, social, cultural and economic sustainability.
Designers within our programs are proving that it is possible to work differently within the current system. Some work with and train those who would otherwise not be able to work or develop new skills, including women in shelters, or experiencing homelessness. Sourcing existing materials, they create collections and installations that challenge the accelerated pace of fashion by implementing ‘made to order’ production. There is a movement to reject certain fashion industry norms that create inequality, all the while keeping the emphasis on creating pieces that are stunning in aesthetic and technical terms.
Others are producing garments through a localised fashion system, for example, producing pieces in factories in and around London and the UK. A spectacular level of detail is applied to ensuring value in every element that goes into the creation of a product. There are start-ups who have devised entirely new business models and practices for co-creation, ownership, and made-to-order fashion. They begin with an idea which is posted on an online forum, and in a democratic sense, online users can pursue, progress and develop their own product before it is manufactured. The final product is then owned by the online community who created it. Similarly, technical advancements in engineering are allowing designer to explore new methodologies for extending the lifespan of garments. They can now develop clothing which changes shape as required, expanding with children as they grow taller to challenge the ingrained notions of our throwaway culture.
The designers with whom we are working on this research are designing with nature in mind, and challenging outmoded ways of thinking about fashion. Although design plays a vital role in fashion and sustainability, designers are not the only ones with the ability to re-conceptualise our understanding of fashion. Students across London College of Fashion, from all disciplines, from journalism and photography to psychology and management are questioning all aspects of the industry. They are questioning why we have come to be defined by our consumerism, and why fashion has been commodified as product when in fact we are all citizens who are contributors to and recipients of fashion in economic, social, cultural and environmental contexts. We have normalised the fact that fashion exacerbates modern day slavery and ecological destruction, and consequently we are complicit in the system. Instead, we need to contribute to the creativity of design practices that recognise the interdependencies of fashion and recognise that every single element of fashion is a precious resource.
Words by Professor Dilys Williams FRSA