DHTP Dissertation Proposal Part 2 & DISSERTATION TEMPLATE PART 2 & 3
Please save as a word.doc and change the title to your full name, e.g.: John Smith.doc - do not email the proposal without changing the file name. Copy Paste and Amend from your proposal part 1.
Sample template
Student Name Sarah Mowbray
Course Textiles
Supervisor name Paula Duplock
Email address (Supervisor)
Date (update as you go) 14/03/2011
Using the template
Enter your personal details in the box above. The email address will be used by your tutor and others to contact you. You must check this regularly for news on tutorial dates.
Read each heading carefully and type into the text box below.
Email your proposal to your supervisor and load it up on Safe Assignment of the VLE
Total final word count for Part 3: between 2000-2500 words (excluding bibliography).
Title (max 50 words)
This should give an outline of your research topic. If appropriate use a title and a subtitle. You need to get specific and refine the title to capture your research as best as possible.
Will Sustainable Fashion Become The Future of Fashion? -
How Are Current Designers Adapting to the Use of Re-cycled Materials in their Designs?
(Will it be as successful as previous Centuries?)
Summary (Stage 2 = max 1000 words, Stage 3 = 1500)
Here you should indicate what you already know about the topic. You should already have done some reading around it. Summarise this reading with regards to the research topic and describe the research area. This will provide the basis for a literature review.
Sustainable Fashion is a topic i have become immensely interested in. The more research i do on this topic, the more i am learning about how important this way of designing will become in the very near future. Sustainable Fashion is just a small part of the growing trend of Sustainable Design. This is where a product/garment is produced with careful consideration to the environment and the factors regarding social issues it may have in its lifetime. Sustainable Fashion has been around for Centuries. From the book by Janet Hethorn and Connie Ulasewicz, I read an essay written by Linda Welters: The Fashion of Sustainability. Within the essay she talks about how economical resources was the normal way of life from as early as the 1600's. It was not initially the designer of fabrics from the early periods that made fashion sustainably, but it was the people wearing the fashion that made them recyclable and reusable to adapt to on-going trends. It took a long time to produce fabric and that is why only the wealthiest of people could afford to participate fully in fashion. The poorest people however, would re-model their existing clothes to fit in with the changing trends. Some of the wealthy would also do the same and they sold un-wanted items In the second hand market. This raises the fact that if it was so easy to do in the past, where along the time line did we stop doing this? And how can we re-start it with a bang??!.... I have researched some current designers, who are adapting to the eco-fashion trend, such as Katherine Hamnett, Bora Aksu, Rebecca Earley, and Kathleen Tesnakis. Whether established or more recent, these Designers are to name but a few who are ready to steer us into the eco-fashion world. These designers have already made a huge impact on the design world and they have shown how possible it is to transform re-cycled materials into creative garments. Kathleen Tesnakis is a designer who uses 100 per cent re-cycled cashmere sweaters to transform them into individually designed pieces such as dresses, skirts etc. Tesnakis has received a few awards for her creative eco-fashion, one of which is the ACC award of excellence in 2007. Tesnakis takes careful consideration into her pieces, especially with investigation into where her raw materials come from. While browsing local news, i discovered a Santa Cruz designer called Emily Christensen, who is the designer of the women’s clothing line FILLY. She was invited to Canada’s Eco-Fashion week in Vancouver, British Columbia, on February 24 2011. Her collection of rich and vibrant dresses had the audience stunned. This is the sort of people that would be incredibly helpful in my research as they could outline how exactly they are able to transform vintage materials into modern masterpieces. Junky Styling is another modern sustainable fashion site I stumbled upon from reading a few articles. It has massively and successfully adapted to sustainable design. It was founded by self-taught designers Annika Sanders and Kerry Seager in 1977. Their inspiration came from the prevalence of recycling in places such as San Fran Sisco and Tokyo and the resourcefulness of the people of Vietnam and Thailand. Junky is a highly innovative design-led label. All garments are made from the highest quality second hand clothing, which is deconstructed, re-cut and completely transformed. A focus and belief in individuality means that no two garments are ever exactly the same, a design concept which led Vogue to describe Junky as a 'high fashion street couture'. I have also looked into a few journalists who write about fashion for a living. They have different views and opinions, but they all have one thing in common which is that they believe in Sustainability within fashion design. I came across Suzy Menkes who has been head fashion reporter and editor for the International Herald Tribune since 1988. Menkes declares that ''green is the new black''. She has created a metaphor for sustainable fashion and this metaphor creates a useful analogy between eco-friendliness and fashion. Wendyrosie Scott is freelance broadcast journalist, writer, lecturer and consultant based in London. She has some excellent insights into the ''Old becoming the New again’’; by this she means that recyclable fashion is back and is a rapidly growing trend. An increasing appreciation for vintage style is driving consumers not only to thrift stores and gypsy festivals, but to high-street shops like Liberty and Marks and Spencer’s. Scott believes that the drive from consumers adapting to eco-fashion is creating the styles of the future where parts and pieces of garments find clever homes in restyled, recycled clothing. From all the resources I have looked at so far, I am confident that I will be able to answer my proposed title question in depth.
(Continued over)
Aims: Why are you doing this? (max 100 words)
These are a general statement on the intent or direction for the research – why are you doing this? Refer to theoretical aims and practical ones where relevant. For example: How might this improve your design practice? How does it contribute to the discourses within your discipline? Who else might benefit from your research? Is it aimed at an academic or a wider audience? What do you hope your research will achieve? State your aims concisely, perhaps using bullet points.
• First of all, I will do a bit of background research into how sustainable fashion was used from the 1600’s to the present day, and how successful it was.
• From that, I will investigate some current designers who are adapting to eco-fashion at present.
• I will then look into how they are making these changes and if they are finding it to be successful or unsuccessful.
• I will also look at how they use these vintage materials and where they retrieve them from.
• I want to make my research interesting and accessible to my current and future use of yarns and materials, which will hopefully inspire me to become one of the ‘future eco-fashion/textile designers’.
Objectives: What will you produce? (max 100 words)
Objectives are the things you will produce in doing the dissertation, e.g. a review of the relevant literature, a collection and discussion of people’s experiences/opinions, an assessment of a debate or collection of work etc.
Like your aims, these will help your tutor (and you) assess your success. They may change over time but aims and objectives are useful to keep you focussed. Again be concise here – you may want to use bullet points.
• Research current designers who have adapted to sustainable designing
• Send e-mails to these designers, explain what I am doing and ask for some feedback on what they are doing at present with eco fashion, ask for some examples of their work, and get some interviews set up.
• Find local outlets that are using sustainable fashion
• Investigate these outlets, find somewhere that would be happy for me to shadow them for a couple of days so that I can really get to understand the process of using recycled materials
• Find examples of sustainable fashion
• Compare and contrast sustainable fashion with non-sustainable fashion
• Try and find ways to show effects from using re-cycled materials with non-re-cycled materials
• Gather information from people who use sustainable materials and compare with people who use non-sustainable materials
• Research books and journals from past and present
Keywords (min 5 and max 10)
This should be a list of key terms that help us see if you are aware of where your research ‘sits’. For example, if you are writing on depictions of women in advertising your list might include ‘gender, feminism, representation, advertising, semiotics’. Keywords will help you when doing electronic searched for research materials.
• Sustainability
• waste
• Eco-friendly
• Vintage
• Re-cycle
• Re-use
• Re-invent
• Production
• Consumption
• Environment
Expanded Bibliography (min of 24 books, articles, websites)
Place here alphabetically a list of materials which you intent to use for you dissertation. Format these according to the Harvard Method.
Please make sure you have critically assessed these as being appropriate for your topic and write a short paragraph for each one summarising the content and its relevance to your research area.
• Black, Sandy. 2008. Eco Chick: The Fashion Paradox. Black Dog Publishing
Current reviews of this book look promising. They state that it is a “must have” book for
Designers and fashion students who want to discover the world of eco fashion. I will definitely invest in this book for my research.
• Brown, Sass. 2010. Eco Fashion. Lawrence King Publishing, September 2010
I think this will be a good book to buy because it is very up to date as it was published
this Year. It talks about the different current designers who are making a difference with Eco-Fashion.
• Fehrenbacher, Jill. 2005. Inhabitant. Website; http://www.inhabitant.com
This website was created by Fehrenbacher so that she could document her endless
Search for new ways to improve the world through forward thinking, high tech and
Environmentally conscious design. On this website i also found a link to Stella
McCartney and her eco-friendly lines.
http://inhabitat.com/stella-mccartney-vegetarian-fashion/
She is great designer to look into for my research as she is very successful with her
Vegetarian fashion lines.
• Fletcher, Kate. 2008. Sustainable Fashion and Textiles: Design Journeys. Earthscan UK And USA
This book looks interesting for my dissertation research as it is about lifecycle sustainability Impacts of fashion and textiles, practical alternatives, design concepts and social innovation.
• Gwilt, Alison and Rissanen, Timo. 2011. Shaping Sustainable Fashion. Earthscan Ltd.
I came across this book that has just been released, but unfortunately the DJCAD Library do not have it in stock yet. From the blurb written about this book, it looks into use how the production use and eventual disposal of clothing becoming environmentally damaging.
The book synopsis states that it offers a practical guide to the ways in which designers
Are creating fashion with less waste and greater durability. A great source in which
It will point me in the right direction towards understanding how current designers
Think about sustainability.
• Hethorn, j and Ulasewicz, C. 2008. Sustainable Fashion; Why Now. Fairchild Books
This is an insightful book that covers a lot of areas within sustainable fashion, such as, factors, effects, who to consider, what to consider and how to change the readers thinking into a green way of thinking.
• Hubble, Leesa. 2010. Re-Fashion, Re-Purpose; Designing With Sustainable Style. Surface Design Journal. v 34 no 3(Spring2010) p16-21
This article goes into great detail about present designers using re-cycled materials to
Create sustainable fashion.
• Kilby, Jay. 2009. Eco Fashion Fabrics. Copper string Journals.
An insightful article on eco-friendly and non-eco-friendly fibres. This is good for me for many reasons as it will help me for the dissertation, but also with my current studio practice as I want to learn more on which fibres are better for the environment.
• Lee, Matilda.2007. Eco Chick: The Savvy Shoppers Guide to Ethical Fashion. Octopus
This may be a good book to read up on as it will offer me information on how other people like the author of this book, feels about eco fashion.
• Lee, Suzanne. 2005. Fashioning the Future. United Kingdom, Thames and Hudson Ltd.
An insightful book that looks at the future of fashion, by looking at the history of fashion.
This is exactly what I want my dissertation to consist of. Within the book it has interviews, Essays and statements from the biggest designers in the world such as Paco Rabanne, Issey Miyake and Chanel.
• Pledge, Earth. 2009. Future Fashion White Papers. Earth Pledge
This is a collection of essays by scientists, retailers, farmers, dyers, models, and others in the in the industry, including Diane Von Furtsenburg, Julie Gilhart and Shalom Harlow. This will be great research data for me as it holds thoughts and opinions of everyone related to the Fashion industry.
• Polder, Kim. Website: http://www.ecofashionworld.com
This is an eco-fashion website that is a great resource to all the designers, brands and
Stores involved in the eco-fashion world. The website is constantly collecting information and gathering photographs from all over the world. This is to create an exciting insight into the amazing possibilities for “green dressing”.
• Sanders, Annika and Seager, Kerry. Website://www.junkystyling.co.uk
This website was founded by Sanders and Seager in 1977. Their garments are made of
High quality second hand clothes brought in from customers. Their innovative designs
And use of recycled materials is extraordinary. They are very successful and have
Great ideas for the future of fashion.
• Shi, Amanda. 2008 Website. http://www.avitastyle.com
This is a website formed in aid of AVITA CO-OP which is located in Hollywood, California. It is a shop/website for sustainable fashion and uses only re-cycled materials such as re-cycled sweet wrappers, Coca-Cola bottles, re-cycled rubber etc. Everything is one of a kind.
Here is a list of current designers and labels with their websites who are adapting to eco-fashion at present. I discovered most of the designers from the recent London Eco Fashion Week. These designers will be vital to my research.
• Amana. Website. http://www.amanalondon.com/
• Beyond Skin. Website. http://www.beyondskin.co.uk
• Edun. Website. http//www.edun.com
• Fogle, Tamara. Website. http://www.beatuiful-soul.co.uk
• Greenabelle, Annie. Website. http://www.anniegreenabelle.com
• Hamnett, Katharine. Website. http://www.katharinehamnett.com
• Howies. Website. http://www.howies.co.uk
• Kuyichi. Website. http://www.kuyichi.com
• McCartney, Stella. 2001. Website. http://www.stellamccartney.com
• Ratty, Sarah. Website. http://www.ciel.ltd.co.uk
Sunday, 27 March 2011
Wednesday, 9 February 2011
poster on post-consumerism
This poster indicates what our group thinks about what a post-consumer likes and dis-likes. We have put in colour the subjects that we feel are what a post-consumer would like, and in faded grey, is what we feel is inappropriate for a post-consumer. However, this does not say exactly what a post-consumer likes and dis-likes, as we may be totaly wrong and over stereotypical. It is a mere indication of what we believe to be right.
Wednesday, 26 January 2011
Assignment 1 - semester 2 - Part B
After the test, i met up with my study group. We discussed our outcomes which were as follows:
Tom - Reflector
Karen - Activist
Jackie - Reflector
Brogan - Theorist
Emma - Pragmatist
Libby - Activist
Myself - Activist
This shows that we have a variation within the group which will be usefull when doing group tasks. We have a strong Activist personality with Reflectors close behind. We also discussed what we thought each other would be. The results showed that we clearly do not know each other as well as we thought. The more tasks we do together though, will help us to get to know each other a little better and understand each others way of thinking. I think it is a good thing that we are a varied group, it will be exciting to see how well we work together in the future.
some photos from our meeting:-
I think Libby is a bit tired from our exciting discussion..... :)
Tom - Reflector
Karen - Activist
Jackie - Reflector
Brogan - Theorist
Emma - Pragmatist
Libby - Activist
Myself - Activist
This shows that we have a variation within the group which will be usefull when doing group tasks. We have a strong Activist personality with Reflectors close behind. We also discussed what we thought each other would be. The results showed that we clearly do not know each other as well as we thought. The more tasks we do together though, will help us to get to know each other a little better and understand each others way of thinking. I think it is a good thing that we are a varied group, it will be exciting to see how well we work together in the future.
some photos from our meeting:-
Assignment 1 - Semester 2
For assignment 1, we were asked to complete a test online to evaluate our specific learning styles. My result from the test showed that i am a very strong activist. This is almost exactactly true to my learning style.
This is the defintion of an activist, taken from the website i took the test:
Activists like to be involved in new experiences and are enthusiastic about new ideas. They enjoy doing things and tend to act first and consider the implications afterwards. They are unlikely to prepare for the learning experience or review their learning afterwards.
Activists learn best when:
involved in new experiences
problems and opportunities
working with others in team tasks or role-playing
being thrown in the deep end with a difficult task
chairing meetings, leading discussions
Activists learn less when:
listening to lectures or long explanations
reading, writing or thinking on their own
absorbing and understanding data
following precise instruction to the letter
Analysing this explanation, shows that i do not consider my actions and i would rather worry about it later. I am aware that this can have its good and bad points. Now that i know exactly what my personality consists of, i can now try and use my activist personality to better my learning ability and not rush into things as much. I will try to focus on the good points and overcome the bad points of being an activist.
My test showed that i am weak in the other three areas, i agree with this to a certain extent, but i know that i can be the other three ( reflector, theorist and pragmatist) if i really wanted to! This information can now help me to either change my learning process, or improve what i arleady have.
This is the defintion of an activist, taken from the website i took the test:
Activists like to be involved in new experiences and are enthusiastic about new ideas. They enjoy doing things and tend to act first and consider the implications afterwards. They are unlikely to prepare for the learning experience or review their learning afterwards.
Activists learn best when:
involved in new experiences
problems and opportunities
working with others in team tasks or role-playing
being thrown in the deep end with a difficult task
chairing meetings, leading discussions
Activists learn less when:
listening to lectures or long explanations
reading, writing or thinking on their own
absorbing and understanding data
following precise instruction to the letter
Analysing this explanation, shows that i do not consider my actions and i would rather worry about it later. I am aware that this can have its good and bad points. Now that i know exactly what my personality consists of, i can now try and use my activist personality to better my learning ability and not rush into things as much. I will try to focus on the good points and overcome the bad points of being an activist.
My test showed that i am weak in the other three areas, i agree with this to a certain extent, but i know that i can be the other three ( reflector, theorist and pragmatist) if i really wanted to! This information can now help me to either change my learning process, or improve what i arleady have.
Sunday, 5 December 2010
Dissertation Proposal on Sustainable fashion
DHTP Dissertation Proposal Part 1
We have produced a template for your dissertation proposal, a copy of which is reproduced below. The sections relate closely to the work you did in Level 2 where you investigated a topic by doing a literature search, and using primary research methods such as observations and experiments.
Submission deadline for the final proposal: 5 pm Wed 1 December 2010 - submit via email to your supervisor and to Safe Assignment on the VLE
Please download this form from the VLE.
Please save as a word.doc and change the title to your full name, e.g.: John Smith.doc - do not email the proposal without changing the file name.
Sample template
Student Name Sarah Mowbray
Course Textiles
Supervisor name Mike Press
Email address Scmmowbray@dundee.ac.uk
Date 1st December 2010
Using the template
Enter your personal details in the box above. The email address will be used by your tutor and others to contact you. You must check this regularly for news on tutorial dates.
Read each heading carefully and type into the text box below.
Email your proposal to your supervisor and load it up on Safe Assignment of the VLE
Total word count: between 250-500 words (excluding bibliography).
Working title (max 25 words)
This should give an outline of your research topic. If appropriate use a title and a subtitle. You don’t have to be too specific at first and you don’t have to word it like a question - but you can if you want.
The importance of Sustainable Fashion for the future –
Why do we need to consider this and what effects will it have?
Summary (max 250 words)
Here you should indicate what you already know about the topic. You should already have done some reading around it. Summarise this reading with regards to the research topic and describe the research area.
Sustainable Fashion also known as ‘eco fashion,’ is a topic that I am not too familiar with. I have started to do some research about the topic and I have discovered that it is a very important subject, especially for current and new designers. Sustainable fashion is just a small part of the growing trend of sustainable design. This is where a product/garment is produced with careful consideration to the environment and the factors regarding social issues it may have in its life time. I have found a few designers that are currently adapting to eco fashion. These designers have made a huge impact on the design world and have shown how possible it is to transform re-cycled materials into creative garments. Kathleen Tesnakis is a woman who uses 100 per cent re-cycled cashmere sweaters to transform them into individually designed pieces, such as dresses, skirts etc. Tesnakis has received a few awards for her creative eco fashion, one of which is the ACC award of excellence in 2007. Tesnakis takes careful consideration into her pieces, especially with investigating where her raw materials have come from. This is a very interesting area to look at: the investigation of where materials come from and what carbon footprint is left in the process of these materials reaching manufacturers. Sustainability is becoming more important in the process of design, therefore it will be a huge importance for future designers.
Aims: Why are you doing this? (max 100 words)
These are a general statement on the intent or direction for the research – why are you doing this? Refer to theoretical aims and practical ones where relevant. For example: How might this improve your design practice? How does it contribute to the discourses within your discipline? Who else might benefit from your research? Is it aimed at an academic or a wider audience? What do you hope your research will achieve? State your aims concisely.
I hope to investigate the core depth of sustainable fashion, by looking at the importance of re-cycled materials and what the benefits for the future of the environment will be. I will be looking at where raw materials come from and what effect these materials cause while trying to reach their destinations. Also I will be looking at the process that designers must go through to achieve sustainable fashion lines and the effects on the future. By investigating this subject it will help me to understand the changes the design world is going through at present and how different it will be in the future. Not only will designers benefit from my research, but consumers will also be challenged.
Objectives: What will you produce? (max 100 words)
Objectives are the things you will produce in doing the dissertation, e.g. a review of the relevant literature, a collection and discussion of people’s experiences/opinions, an assessment of a debate or collection of work etc.
Like your aims, these will help your tutor (and you) assess your success. They may change over time but aims and objectives are useful to keep you focussed. Again be concise here – you may want to use bullet points.
• Research existing designers who have adapted to green living
• Send e-mails to these designers, explain what I am doing and ask for some feedback on what they are doing at present with eco fashion
• Find local outlets that are using sustainable fashion
• Investigate these outlets
• Find examples of sustainable fashion
• Compare and contrast sustainable fashion with non-sustainable fashion
• Try and find ways to show effects from using re-cycled materials with non-re-cycled materials
• Gather information from people who use sustainable fashion and compare with people who use non-sustainable fashion
• Research books and journals from past and present
Keywords (min 5 and max 10)
This should be a list of key terms that help us see if you are aware of where your research ‘sits’. For example, if you are writing on depictions of women in advertising your list might include ‘gender, feminism, representation, advertising, semiotics’. Keywords will help you when doing electronic searched for research materials.
• Sustainability
• Green living
• Eco friendly
• Re-cycling
• Carbon footprint
• Eco fashion
• Environment
• Fibre
• Fabric
Annotated Bibliography (min of 12 books, articles, websites)
Place here alphabetically a list of materials which you intent to use for you dissertation. Format these according to the Harvard Method!
Please make sure you have critically assessed these as being appropriate for your topic and write a short paragraph for each one summarising the content and its relevance to your research area.
• Black, Sandy. 2008. Eco Chick: The Fashion Paradox. Black Dog Publishing
Current reviews of this book look promising. They state that it is a “must have” book for
Designers and fashion students who want to discover the world of eco fashion. I will definitely
Invest in this book for my research.
• Brown, Sass. 2010. Eco Fashion. Lawrence King Publishing, September 2010
I think this will be a good book to buy because it is very up to date as it was published this
Year. It talks about the different current designers who are making a difference with eco
Fashion.
• Fletcher, Kate. 2008. Sustainable Fashion and Textiles: Design Journeys. Earthscan UK and USA
This book looks interesting for my dissertation research as it is about lifecycle sustainability
Impacts of fashion and textiles, practical alternatives, design concepts and social innovation.
• Hethorn, j and Ulasewicz, C. 2008. Sustainable Fashion; Why Now. Fairchild Books
This is an insightful book that covers a lot of areas within sustainable fashion, such as, factors, effects, who to consider, what to consider and how to change the readers thinking into a green way of thinking.
• Hubble, Leesa. 2010. Re-Fashion, Re-Purpose; Designing With Sustainable Style. Surface Design Journal. v 34 no 3(Spring2010) p16-21
This article goes into great detail about present designers using re-cycled materials to Create sustainable fashion.
• Kilby, Jay. 2009. Eco Fashion Fabrics. Copper string Journals.
An insightful article on eco-friendly and non-eco-friendly fibres.
• Lee, Matilda.2007. Eco Chick: The Savvy Shoppers Guide To Ethical Fashion. Octopus
This may be a good book to read up on as it will offer me information on how other people Like the author of this book, feels about eco fashion.
• Pledge, Earth. 2009. Future Fashion White Papers. Earth Pledge
This is a collection of essays by scientists, retailers, farmers, dyers, models, and others in the In the industry, including Diane Von Furtsenburg, Julie Gilhart and Shalom Harlow. This will Be great research data for me as it holds thoughts and opinions of everyone related to the Fashion industry.
• Polder, Kim. Website: http://www.ecofashionworld.com
This is an eco-fashion website that is a great resource to all the designers, brands and Stores involved in the eco-fashion world. The website is constantly collecting information And gathering photographs From all over the world. This is to create an exciting insight Into the amazing possibilities for “green dressing”.
• Shi, Amanda. 2008 Website. http://www.avitastyle.com
This is a website formed in aid of AVITA CO-OP which is located in Hollywood, California. It is a shop/website for sustainable fashion and uses only re-cycled materials such as re-cycled sweet wrappers, Coca-Cola bottles, re-cycled rubber etc. Everything is one of a kind. Below is a link to see this shop on you tube;
www.youtube.com/watch?v=HuOrCR4HkiE
This is exactly the information I need to gather for my dissertation, sustainable fashion in action. It shows how successful eco fashion can be.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T_1j5vDEZDo
We have produced a template for your dissertation proposal, a copy of which is reproduced below. The sections relate closely to the work you did in Level 2 where you investigated a topic by doing a literature search, and using primary research methods such as observations and experiments.
Submission deadline for the final proposal: 5 pm Wed 1 December 2010 - submit via email to your supervisor and to Safe Assignment on the VLE
Please download this form from the VLE.
Please save as a word.doc and change the title to your full name, e.g.: John Smith.doc - do not email the proposal without changing the file name.
Sample template
Student Name Sarah Mowbray
Course Textiles
Supervisor name Mike Press
Email address Scmmowbray@dundee.ac.uk
Date 1st December 2010
Using the template
Enter your personal details in the box above. The email address will be used by your tutor and others to contact you. You must check this regularly for news on tutorial dates.
Read each heading carefully and type into the text box below.
Email your proposal to your supervisor and load it up on Safe Assignment of the VLE
Total word count: between 250-500 words (excluding bibliography).
Working title (max 25 words)
This should give an outline of your research topic. If appropriate use a title and a subtitle. You don’t have to be too specific at first and you don’t have to word it like a question - but you can if you want.
The importance of Sustainable Fashion for the future –
Why do we need to consider this and what effects will it have?
Summary (max 250 words)
Here you should indicate what you already know about the topic. You should already have done some reading around it. Summarise this reading with regards to the research topic and describe the research area.
Sustainable Fashion also known as ‘eco fashion,’ is a topic that I am not too familiar with. I have started to do some research about the topic and I have discovered that it is a very important subject, especially for current and new designers. Sustainable fashion is just a small part of the growing trend of sustainable design. This is where a product/garment is produced with careful consideration to the environment and the factors regarding social issues it may have in its life time. I have found a few designers that are currently adapting to eco fashion. These designers have made a huge impact on the design world and have shown how possible it is to transform re-cycled materials into creative garments. Kathleen Tesnakis is a woman who uses 100 per cent re-cycled cashmere sweaters to transform them into individually designed pieces, such as dresses, skirts etc. Tesnakis has received a few awards for her creative eco fashion, one of which is the ACC award of excellence in 2007. Tesnakis takes careful consideration into her pieces, especially with investigating where her raw materials have come from. This is a very interesting area to look at: the investigation of where materials come from and what carbon footprint is left in the process of these materials reaching manufacturers. Sustainability is becoming more important in the process of design, therefore it will be a huge importance for future designers.
Aims: Why are you doing this? (max 100 words)
These are a general statement on the intent or direction for the research – why are you doing this? Refer to theoretical aims and practical ones where relevant. For example: How might this improve your design practice? How does it contribute to the discourses within your discipline? Who else might benefit from your research? Is it aimed at an academic or a wider audience? What do you hope your research will achieve? State your aims concisely.
I hope to investigate the core depth of sustainable fashion, by looking at the importance of re-cycled materials and what the benefits for the future of the environment will be. I will be looking at where raw materials come from and what effect these materials cause while trying to reach their destinations. Also I will be looking at the process that designers must go through to achieve sustainable fashion lines and the effects on the future. By investigating this subject it will help me to understand the changes the design world is going through at present and how different it will be in the future. Not only will designers benefit from my research, but consumers will also be challenged.
Objectives: What will you produce? (max 100 words)
Objectives are the things you will produce in doing the dissertation, e.g. a review of the relevant literature, a collection and discussion of people’s experiences/opinions, an assessment of a debate or collection of work etc.
Like your aims, these will help your tutor (and you) assess your success. They may change over time but aims and objectives are useful to keep you focussed. Again be concise here – you may want to use bullet points.
• Research existing designers who have adapted to green living
• Send e-mails to these designers, explain what I am doing and ask for some feedback on what they are doing at present with eco fashion
• Find local outlets that are using sustainable fashion
• Investigate these outlets
• Find examples of sustainable fashion
• Compare and contrast sustainable fashion with non-sustainable fashion
• Try and find ways to show effects from using re-cycled materials with non-re-cycled materials
• Gather information from people who use sustainable fashion and compare with people who use non-sustainable fashion
• Research books and journals from past and present
Keywords (min 5 and max 10)
This should be a list of key terms that help us see if you are aware of where your research ‘sits’. For example, if you are writing on depictions of women in advertising your list might include ‘gender, feminism, representation, advertising, semiotics’. Keywords will help you when doing electronic searched for research materials.
• Sustainability
• Green living
• Eco friendly
• Re-cycling
• Carbon footprint
• Eco fashion
• Environment
• Fibre
• Fabric
Annotated Bibliography (min of 12 books, articles, websites)
Place here alphabetically a list of materials which you intent to use for you dissertation. Format these according to the Harvard Method!
Please make sure you have critically assessed these as being appropriate for your topic and write a short paragraph for each one summarising the content and its relevance to your research area.
• Black, Sandy. 2008. Eco Chick: The Fashion Paradox. Black Dog Publishing
Current reviews of this book look promising. They state that it is a “must have” book for
Designers and fashion students who want to discover the world of eco fashion. I will definitely
Invest in this book for my research.
• Brown, Sass. 2010. Eco Fashion. Lawrence King Publishing, September 2010
I think this will be a good book to buy because it is very up to date as it was published this
Year. It talks about the different current designers who are making a difference with eco
Fashion.
• Fletcher, Kate. 2008. Sustainable Fashion and Textiles: Design Journeys. Earthscan UK and USA
This book looks interesting for my dissertation research as it is about lifecycle sustainability
Impacts of fashion and textiles, practical alternatives, design concepts and social innovation.
• Hethorn, j and Ulasewicz, C. 2008. Sustainable Fashion; Why Now. Fairchild Books
This is an insightful book that covers a lot of areas within sustainable fashion, such as, factors, effects, who to consider, what to consider and how to change the readers thinking into a green way of thinking.
• Hubble, Leesa. 2010. Re-Fashion, Re-Purpose; Designing With Sustainable Style. Surface Design Journal. v 34 no 3(Spring2010) p16-21
This article goes into great detail about present designers using re-cycled materials to Create sustainable fashion.
• Kilby, Jay. 2009. Eco Fashion Fabrics. Copper string Journals.
An insightful article on eco-friendly and non-eco-friendly fibres.
• Lee, Matilda.2007. Eco Chick: The Savvy Shoppers Guide To Ethical Fashion. Octopus
This may be a good book to read up on as it will offer me information on how other people Like the author of this book, feels about eco fashion.
• Pledge, Earth. 2009. Future Fashion White Papers. Earth Pledge
This is a collection of essays by scientists, retailers, farmers, dyers, models, and others in the In the industry, including Diane Von Furtsenburg, Julie Gilhart and Shalom Harlow. This will Be great research data for me as it holds thoughts and opinions of everyone related to the Fashion industry.
• Polder, Kim. Website: http://www.ecofashionworld.com
This is an eco-fashion website that is a great resource to all the designers, brands and Stores involved in the eco-fashion world. The website is constantly collecting information And gathering photographs From all over the world. This is to create an exciting insight Into the amazing possibilities for “green dressing”.
• Shi, Amanda. 2008 Website. http://www.avitastyle.com
This is a website formed in aid of AVITA CO-OP which is located in Hollywood, California. It is a shop/website for sustainable fashion and uses only re-cycled materials such as re-cycled sweet wrappers, Coca-Cola bottles, re-cycled rubber etc. Everything is one of a kind. Below is a link to see this shop on you tube;
www.youtube.com/watch?v=HuOrCR4HkiE
This is exactly the information I need to gather for my dissertation, sustainable fashion in action. It shows how successful eco fashion can be.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T_1j5vDEZDo
Wednesday, 1 December 2010
Sustainable Fashion; why now? (analysis of book)
SUSTAINABLE FASHION: WHY NOW?
J. Hethorn and C. Ulasewicz
(Fairchild Books, 2008)
Fashion and sustainability together, is an issue that has been around for many years but has only become important within the last 15 years. This book investigates the relationship between fashion and sustainability and the importance the two have on the apparel industry. The authors Hethorn and Ulasewicz include a combination of interesting essays within the book that present a range of reflective perspectives. The book is constructed of three main parts: “Connecting With People On Sustainable Practices”, “Production and Economic Processes In The Global Economy”, and “The Environment, The Planet and Materials Used In Fashion Making”.
The first part presents arguments ranging from the history of the industry to the use of technology to support sustainable practices. Also it talks about strategies being used to inform the next generation of designers on how to include sustainability as part of their everyday thinking. Also the efforts in educating and listing to the consumer, and the ways they can have an impact. I think this is important to my research as I need to fully understand the consumer’s role and how they can in actual fact, help or destroy the eco-fashion world.
The second part addresses the theories and approaches that are starting to change the way we produce fashion and maintain this industry as a sustainable part of the economy. This is also good for my research as this part talks about different fibres and textiles, sourcing strategies and re-cycling which are all important to a sustainable way of producing eco-fashion. In this part of the book, the authors challenge the reader to begin thinking about what creative solutions there are to the issues surrounding sustainability and the global economic health. – Which is also another interesting area to investigate further for my research, because it will offer me arguments on the best possible ways to maintain a healthy economy and green environment and finding the right balance within them.
The final part focuses on what the textile/fashion industry is doing at present to adapt to the environmental issues that has caused global concern. There is an interesting discussion on what possibilities there is out there for the industry to change their use of materials to vintage and second hand garments.
The authors have designed this book to be of importance to anyone with connections to the fashion industry: designers, product developers, marketers, retailers, teachers, students and consumers who also have the desire to help the economy by adapting to green living. I think the authors’ aim in the book is to get the reader thinking about change and the importance it will have in the future. Sustainability is not like fashion trends where it will be tossed out next season, it is a growing trend that will become more and more involved in everyday life.
J. Hethorn and C. Ulasewicz
(Fairchild Books, 2008)
Fashion and sustainability together, is an issue that has been around for many years but has only become important within the last 15 years. This book investigates the relationship between fashion and sustainability and the importance the two have on the apparel industry. The authors Hethorn and Ulasewicz include a combination of interesting essays within the book that present a range of reflective perspectives. The book is constructed of three main parts: “Connecting With People On Sustainable Practices”, “Production and Economic Processes In The Global Economy”, and “The Environment, The Planet and Materials Used In Fashion Making”.
The first part presents arguments ranging from the history of the industry to the use of technology to support sustainable practices. Also it talks about strategies being used to inform the next generation of designers on how to include sustainability as part of their everyday thinking. Also the efforts in educating and listing to the consumer, and the ways they can have an impact. I think this is important to my research as I need to fully understand the consumer’s role and how they can in actual fact, help or destroy the eco-fashion world.
The second part addresses the theories and approaches that are starting to change the way we produce fashion and maintain this industry as a sustainable part of the economy. This is also good for my research as this part talks about different fibres and textiles, sourcing strategies and re-cycling which are all important to a sustainable way of producing eco-fashion. In this part of the book, the authors challenge the reader to begin thinking about what creative solutions there are to the issues surrounding sustainability and the global economic health. – Which is also another interesting area to investigate further for my research, because it will offer me arguments on the best possible ways to maintain a healthy economy and green environment and finding the right balance within them.
The final part focuses on what the textile/fashion industry is doing at present to adapt to the environmental issues that has caused global concern. There is an interesting discussion on what possibilities there is out there for the industry to change their use of materials to vintage and second hand garments.
The authors have designed this book to be of importance to anyone with connections to the fashion industry: designers, product developers, marketers, retailers, teachers, students and consumers who also have the desire to help the economy by adapting to green living. I think the authors’ aim in the book is to get the reader thinking about change and the importance it will have in the future. Sustainability is not like fashion trends where it will be tossed out next season, it is a growing trend that will become more and more involved in everyday life.
Monday, 29 November 2010
Re- Fashion Re- Purpose, desinging with sustainable style (Analysis of Article)
Re – Fashion, Re: Purpose: Designing With Sustainable Style
Personal Author – Hubbell, Leesa
Journal Name – Surface Design Journal, v 34 no 3, (spring 2010) p. 16 – 21
Publication Year – 2010
ISSN – 0197-4483
www.surfacedesign.org
This article is to make awareness of how present designers are adapting to environmental issues by using re-cycled materials.
The author introduces Kathleen Tesnakis, a woman who invented ‘e-ko logic clothing’. E-ko logic clothing is made from 100 per cent re-cycled cashmere sweaters. Since Tesnakis started the clothing line, seven tons of post-consumer knits have passed through her hands resulting in more than 30,000 individually designed pieces. Her core collection consists of felted cashmere hats, topless mittens, re-assembled sweaters, skirts and dresses and it also includes a line of re-cycled cotton knits.
The author also explains the process that Tesnakis goes through to produce her sustainable clothing line. A lot of consideration is taken in to account when using re-cycled materials. E-ko logic has received both a nomination for the rising star of 2001 Fashion Group International award and the ACC award of excellence in 2007.
The author includes a quote from Tesnakis which shows her intensions as a designer. Tesnakis also raises a question that is becoming more important to present designers and it should become a vital question to new designers in the future.
Tesnakis explains…”I consider myself a green textile artist and a recycling designer. I am also a green activist by what I do—but I like to open people's eyes in a gentle way. In Troy I recycle NYC textile waste that travels north 150 miles. With all the green washing that is going on, I feel it is important to find out about the real integrity of the products. You can call your work green or recycled—but where are you getting your materials from?"…..
The author also introduces Kate Goldwater, who finds her raw materials from thrift stores or rummage sales and turns them into ‘AuH20’. Goldwater is known for her creative ‘cut and sew knits’. By hacking up re-joining vintage T-shirts into new compositions, she creates a new form of life. Goldwater is also known for her use of collaborating fashion with politics, by screen printing keywords or images of the causes she cares about on to her garments.
Gary Harvey, former creative director of Levi Strauss (Europe), presented incredible gowns made from vintage denim, nylon baseball jackets, trench coats and Hawaiian shirts as well as military fatigues and plastic laundry bags at the Esthetical Exhibition at London Fashion Week 2007.
A quote from Harvey; …..“I believe we can contribute to a fashion revolution”…..
The author is identifying key events that have taken place within the last few years that are now making a difference within the fashion and textile world. Hubble is trying to make people aware of the changes designers have to make in order to help green living, now and in the future. She is raising the awareness of sustainable designing and how it is becoming the next big thing. I believe the key question that the author hopes to evoke in the readers mind is,
…..“Where has the materials come from that made the clothes you are wearing?”
I imagine that the author‘s intention from raising this question is to make the reader more aware of green living and how important it is becoming in saving the planet in the future.
Personal Author – Hubbell, Leesa
Journal Name – Surface Design Journal, v 34 no 3, (spring 2010) p. 16 – 21
Publication Year – 2010
ISSN – 0197-4483
www.surfacedesign.org
This article is to make awareness of how present designers are adapting to environmental issues by using re-cycled materials.
The author introduces Kathleen Tesnakis, a woman who invented ‘e-ko logic clothing’. E-ko logic clothing is made from 100 per cent re-cycled cashmere sweaters. Since Tesnakis started the clothing line, seven tons of post-consumer knits have passed through her hands resulting in more than 30,000 individually designed pieces. Her core collection consists of felted cashmere hats, topless mittens, re-assembled sweaters, skirts and dresses and it also includes a line of re-cycled cotton knits.
The author also explains the process that Tesnakis goes through to produce her sustainable clothing line. A lot of consideration is taken in to account when using re-cycled materials. E-ko logic has received both a nomination for the rising star of 2001 Fashion Group International award and the ACC award of excellence in 2007.
The author includes a quote from Tesnakis which shows her intensions as a designer. Tesnakis also raises a question that is becoming more important to present designers and it should become a vital question to new designers in the future.
Tesnakis explains…”I consider myself a green textile artist and a recycling designer. I am also a green activist by what I do—but I like to open people's eyes in a gentle way. In Troy I recycle NYC textile waste that travels north 150 miles. With all the green washing that is going on, I feel it is important to find out about the real integrity of the products. You can call your work green or recycled—but where are you getting your materials from?"…..
The author also introduces Kate Goldwater, who finds her raw materials from thrift stores or rummage sales and turns them into ‘AuH20’. Goldwater is known for her creative ‘cut and sew knits’. By hacking up re-joining vintage T-shirts into new compositions, she creates a new form of life. Goldwater is also known for her use of collaborating fashion with politics, by screen printing keywords or images of the causes she cares about on to her garments.
Gary Harvey, former creative director of Levi Strauss (Europe), presented incredible gowns made from vintage denim, nylon baseball jackets, trench coats and Hawaiian shirts as well as military fatigues and plastic laundry bags at the Esthetical Exhibition at London Fashion Week 2007.
A quote from Harvey; …..“I believe we can contribute to a fashion revolution”…..
The author is identifying key events that have taken place within the last few years that are now making a difference within the fashion and textile world. Hubble is trying to make people aware of the changes designers have to make in order to help green living, now and in the future. She is raising the awareness of sustainable designing and how it is becoming the next big thing. I believe the key question that the author hopes to evoke in the readers mind is,
…..“Where has the materials come from that made the clothes you are wearing?”
I imagine that the author‘s intention from raising this question is to make the reader more aware of green living and how important it is becoming in saving the planet in the future.
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