Published in Fashion Practice: The Journal of Design, Creative Process & the Fashion Industry (Vol. 15, No. 1, 2023)

Abstract Knitwear producers in New Zealand are looking for ways to deal with the uncertainties that have arisen due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This research considers the impact of the pandemic and its effects on the development and long-term survival of the knitwear sector. An anonymous online survey was undertaken among New Zealand’s established knitwear manufacturers, with seven taking up the survey

Abstract This article focuses on the phenomenon in which fashion functions as play in digital media. It delves deeper than fashion’s functional purposes of decoration or physical protection and examines its emergence as an independent tool for creating play culture. This article discusses the four characteristics of play in the context of the digital space—free activity, departure from space–time,

Abstract There has been a growing interest in entry-level 3D handheld scanners, since they require little space, are affordably priced for individual purchase, and their level of precision is improving. Therefore, this study was designed to evaluate the accuracy of anthropometric data from scans of both mannequins and human subjects acquired with Occipital’s Structure Sensor scanner as a representation

Abstract As the discipline of fashion design desperately tries to remake itself more sustainable through the introduction of transparency in supply chains, ecological materials, and various modes of recycling and circularity, the question remains if these initiatives have enough impact to make a difference as the markets of fashion keep growing. Across the design field, there have been calls for more

Published in Fashion Practice: The Journal of Design, Creative Process & the Fashion Industry (Vol. 14, No. 3, 2022)

Abstract The emergence of digital technology as a ‘cure-all’ for sustainable practice has captured the imagination of observers and entrepreneurs alike. Among these technologies, blockchain has been cited as the ideal tool to optimize supply chain transparency. However, despite the abundance of effusively disseminated information in the media, the lack of blockchain applications that are universally

Abstract With increased mobile traffic to fashion retailers’ websites, conversion rates are lower than for desktop users. Mobile consumers more readily abandon retailers if not satisfied with their shopping experience. There is a dearth of literature involving Google Analytics to analyze digital consumer shopping behavior and customer journeys. Retailers need to innovate the ways they approach the

Abstract Accelerated by the global pandemic, the speed of technology adoption has significantly increased, resulting in new business opportunities, channels, touchpoints and digital toolkits. One such burgeoning technology which is generating increasing attention is Nonfungible tokens (NFTs). Adopting an exploratory approach, this study aims to develop a deeper understanding of the value of NFTs from

Published in Fashion Practice: The Journal of Design, Creative Process & the Fashion Industry (Vol. 14, No. 3, 2022)

Abstract Sustainability has been one of the most salient issues in the fashion industry in recent years. The COVID-19 pandemic has prompted a reawakening of the environmental and ethical issues in garment production and consumption. Young consumers are actively raising their voices on the currently unsustainable state of the fashion industry system. Despite this, their perspectives on policy intervention

Abstract Worries about the marketing of fashion to pre-teen girls and the power of fashionable clothes to sexualize these girls, have been on-going for some time. However, there is little research with this age group of girls that explicitly explores the ways in which fashionable clothes are understood and worn by the girls themselves and the impact on their sense of identity. Yet girls are increasingly

Abstract This article examines the phenomenon of “Experiential Retail Environments” (EREs) in the fashion sector in view of being useful to retail design practice. A discovery-oriented research approach was applied to understand: (i) what an ERE is; (ii) how in-store experience is triggered; and (iii) how the experiential dimension is integrated in the retail designer’s processes. Data were collected

Abstract Amidst the contemporary global trends of “hyper-localised” and “sustainable” fashion, the craft-based industries have been given substantial importance in recent times. Realising the competence of the Handloom weaving industry in Sri Lanka within the global fashion industry, this research proposes a new product development approach using the socio-emotional identities of the Handloom artisans

Abstract As research has well established, the fashion industry has a significant and growing waste problem. In response, experts argue that our clothing needs to have a longer life. However, not all items of clothing can be used for a long period of time. Children’s clothing, for example, can quickly become obsolete, creating a waste issue. To explore this issue further, we examine the Swedish childrenswear

Abstract The purpose of the study was to explore instances of cultural appropriation by fashion designers and brands (FD&B), identify cultural sources of inspiration, and, through a justice-centered lens, critique how practices of appropriation manifest as violence. A latent content analysis approach was utilized to focus on the underlying meanings of cultural appropriation in the fashion design practices

Abstract This article traces the long career of the international fashion buyer and recruitment consultant, Vanessa Denza. It is the first study to document Denza’s profession and incorporates research secured from access to her private work archive, which was located at her home in Berkshire, England. With no formal education in buying, Denza took a series of internships that formed the beginning

Abstract To be competitive in the marketplace, the community handloom craft business needs to be combined with contemporary sensibility and innovation in order to create goods that meet existing consumer demands. This study explores craft-design collaboration possibilities and finds co-creation is an effective means to overcome challenges to design intervention and market identification. Through a

Abstract This paper reports on a research project aimed at investigating ways in which fashion activism and making can be used to catalyze positive socio-economic change and activate legacies within a local community. The project focused on a neighborhood in London with a previously strong industrial profile in fashion and textiles, and now challenged by concerns regarding deprived youth, skills shortage

Published in Fashion Practice: The Journal of Design, Creative Process & the Fashion Industry (Vol. 14, No. 2, 2022)

Abstract This paper explores user perceptions of the design personalization of fashion products using a computational design method from the designer’s point of view. As for the research methodology, ten participants were asked to design textile patterns for their own fashion clutch bags by using a design personalization tool developed using Generative Design Methods (GDM), one of the computational

Abstract Framed within Entwistle’s perspective of dress as “situated bodily practice” and olfactory impression management, we explored the topic of odor in clothing. A series of eight focus group interviews were used to explore the types of odors that can adhere to clothing, commonalities among clothing or textile properties that accentuate odor, and odor management practices to control, reduce or

Abstract Using choice-based conjoint analysis, this research explores consumer behavior for sustainable fashion in Spain. We confronted consumers through an online survey with a real marketplace situation in which they had to make trade-offs between different attributes and where the importance of the price factor was explicitly considered. Specifically, the information available for consumers on clothing

(2022). Editorial—Inclusivity and Influence. Fashion Practice: Vol. 14, No. 1, pp. 1-4.

Abstract Mindy Scheier, a former fashion designer and mother of a child with a disability, developed adaptive apparel design innovations focused on three categories: (a) magnetic closures; (b) adjustable pant legs, sleeves, and waistband; and (c) the flexibility of donning and doffing using different points of entry. The adaptive design features were incorporated into a first-of-its-kind adaptive children’s

Abstract The activity of designing fashion is intimately connected to the bodies of others. While the garments designers conceive enclose wearers’ bodies in direct physical contact, those garments also create opportunities for participation, social connection and inclusion as well as possibilities for amorous encounter, novelty and self-expression. Drawing on the outcomes of a research project investigating

Abstract Anecdotal evidence suggests that eco-labeling can be used as a communication tool. Although a considerable amount of eco-labeling research has been undertaken over the last few decades, only one study was conducted in India. The majority of labeling studies were conducted in the United States and Europe. The overarching objective of this study is to investigate how gender and age may affect

Abstract Using the case of nubi in South Korea, this study proposes the significance of a traditional fashion practice in terms of its potential to contribute towards cultural sustainability. Nubi refers to a particular stitching technique applied to clothing and textile objects. Both tangible and intangible qualities of nubi are reflected using a practice-based approach. From the material’s quality

(2021). Fashion Design Practices. Fashion Practice: Vol. 13, Fashion Design Practices, pp. 327-330.

Abstract An upcycling practice involves working with remnants of material culture. It is about engaging with and responding to signs of wear. Interacting with traces of use—a smell, finger prints, imprints of a body that are left behind—this study documents and questions the experiences of working with clothing from a specific 1920s–30s historic archive belonging to a deceased female, and the way it

Abstract In future, if all garments are to have multiple lives, how would this change the design process? This practice-based exploratory research project was designed to provide a conceptual model for a new fashion design process for circularity. The concept of designing garments specifically for the rental market or to have multiple users is still in its infancy. A new combination of design intentions

Abstract Fast changes in fashion trends have stimulated customers’ buying behavior; this has increased the demand for leather products. Fulfilling this demand requires unsustainable practices of overproduction and utilization of resources leading to increased waste generation. By far, the highest percentage of waste generated in the leather product industry is from the cutting section. Since leather

Abstract Jewellery has been widely used for personal beautification or adornment for generations. In recent years, studies have shown the use of alternative materials for jewellery that promotes environmental sustainability. This study conducted by undergraduate students in an art studio context, therefore, aims at producing textile jewellery pieces that are environmentally safe, made from alternative

Abstract This paper describes the creation of garment designs influenced from Ga-Adangbe cultural elements as a personal practice of the author Elsie Rebecca Osei conducted in an art studio context at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology located in Kumasi, Ashanti Region-Ghana. These cultural elements aided in developing interesting fabric designs using dyeing and embellishing techniques

Abstract This study aimed to design a unique gown collection for Pakistani Muslim women. Qualitative data were collected to identify the Islamic dressing requirements and demands of Pakistani Muslim women. Thirty Pakistani Muslim women were interviewed, and three key themes emerged, including (a) a new proposition is needed for Pakistani women’s fashion; (b) Modesty is the priority; and (c) Faith,

Abstract Whilst zero-waste fashion with creative pattern making is shaping sustainable fashion, excessive pattern pieces, complicated workmanship, and limited fashion styles are continuing to trouble designers. As a means of addressing the problem, the key attributes of clothing style, body dimensions, and textile performance are the basis for this research. This article proposes a zero-waste pattern

Abstract This interview-article is a commentary on some of the early reverberations of Covid-19 on the fashion industry. It introduces R.I.(a)P., a work by fashion designer and professor Wowo Kraus to pull focus on some of the immediate industry reactions, and the underlying ambiguity of fashion, branding and death. Fashion evades death, just as death continues to be tabooed in global Western culture

Abstract The textile industry has a significant role in the globalized market. However, this sector is responsible for extensive social and environmental impacts, that comprise unhealthy work conditions, huge pollution footprint, and intensive throw-away practices. Aiming to promote solutions to these problems, this paper traces the barriers and windows of opportunity for a transition to a circular

Abstract Computer-aided-design (CAD) software packages have been applied to apparel product development and have their specific uses. In this study, we want to explore a more economical and efficient solution for made-to-measure (MTM) and investigate factors that affect the fit outputs of the MTM systems. Gerber AccuMark and Telestia Creator were evaluated for this purpose. Four body shapes were selected

Abstract A decluttering movement swept cultures around the world in 2019 with the release of a streaming television series based on Marie Kondo’s book “Sparking Joy”. The widespread tidying trend reportedly led to overflowing secondhand markets and landfills. This study examined the impact of the decluttering lifestyle movement to gain understanding of the influences, process, items, and perceived

Abstract The fashion industry is experiencing structural change as new manufacturing and distribution technologies emerge. Simultaneously, the environmental impact of garment production and the sector’s record on workers’ rights provokes increasing disquiet. This article explores how new technologies for distributing and making clothes interact with a shifting industrial policy agenda as neoclassical

Abstract Fashion models are often assumed to have a glamorous job with limited consideration for their well-being. This study aims to assess the well-being of models through semi-structured interviews with six professional fashion models and six industry professionals. Thematic analysis revealed that although models experienced improved self-confidence, they also reported heightened anxiety levels

Abstract Fashion conservation practices could overlap with sustainable fashion design methods in some instances, and one of the most prominent upcycling methods, "repair," is such an example. Sustaining the longevity of garments and repairing the damages to give multiple lives to a garment is a common intent for both practices, yet, the interventions and manifestations of repair could be opposite intentions

Abstract The purpose of this study has two parts: a) to investigate how fashion brands use Instagram as a marketing tool, and b) to identify factors of Instagram posts influencing followers’ engagement. A content analysis was conducted on Instagram posts created by the top 10 fashion brands based on the ranking of the engagement. The researchers analyzed brand posts covering a 4-week period from October

Abstract The kilt is one of the most recognizable garments in the world and is an important element in Scottish national culture, and although the Scottish kilt has existed for approximately 500 years, there is scant literature available that documents Scottish kiltmaking design and production processes. Due to this lack of attention it is important to understand kilts and kiltmakers more deeply. Therefore

Abstract Despite the potential to support ageing in place, there is still low Assistive Technology (AT) uptake among older adults. Smart Materials (SMs) have the potential to play an important role in AT innovation without detracting from the aesthetic appearance and ease of use. The MATUROLIFE project aims to develop enhanced AT products for older adults by employing smart metallised textiles, through

(2021). Editorial. Fashion Practice: Vol. 13, No. 2, pp. 189-191.

(2021). Designing Fashion’s Future, Present Practice and Tactics for Sustainable Change. Fashion Practice: Vol. 13, No. 2, pp. 324-325.

Abstract The aim of this study is to learn what is needed to improve the user’s experience of the purchase and wearing of used clothing from the secondhand marketplace. In South Korea user experiences related to purchase of secondhand clothing have been most positive when related to luxury accessories, such as designer handbags. Few studies explore the experience of South Koreans with other categories

(2021). Editorial. Fashion Practice: Vol. 13, Fashion and Aging, pp. 1-6.

Abstract Vital Involvement (VI) in older adulthood is a construct that underlies multiple aspects of elder well-being, engagement, activity, and psychosocial health. Designers’ term “active aging” fits well within this construct, and it offers a social-science and developmental scaffolding on which to “hang”/“pin” many elements of designing (e.g., clothing, accessories, objects, spaces, and social

Abstract Women in the United States are often subjected to unrealistic standards of ideal appearance. These ideals are even more extreme in the fashion industry. Because professional women who hold creative positions in the fashion industry are in the business of creating style and beauty, there is a high level of expectation toward them to maintain their dress and appearance at a not explicitly stated

Abstract This research investigated the experiences of women, average age of 72 years with active lifestyles and living in one locale in the USA. Experiences of these 54 women with desired appearances and dressing patterns were determined through a survey and selected follow-up interviews. Keeping an up-to-date appearance was important to these women, as was dressing in a coordinated manner and to

Abstract Older adults are at higher risk for fire-related injuries and deaths than younger people due to their impaired physical and sensory functions. However, current fire-safety products could not satisfy their requirements. The purpose of this study was to develop a novel fire-safety product to help older adults safely evacuate from fire. A multifunctional fire-retardant clothing item was developed

Abstract Functional clothing products for older individuals are plentiful in the consumer market, and they are developing rapidly. However, the evaluation methods used for these products are relatively subjective and lack reliability. In this study, we reviewed some objective and quantitative indicators for evaluating functional clothing products and proposed a new method for evaluating functional

Abstract Unlike previous generations, aging American women continue to be active and to purchase new clothing based upon their expressed needs and values. Based on the literature review and interviews of a cohort of women 50+ years, this group can be considered an underrepresented market in the fashion industry. Through the design of four ensembles, the design process is outlined: techniques, procedures

(2021). Book Review. Fashion Practice: Vol. 13, Fashion and Aging, pp. 185-188.

Abstract Women’s upper body changes with age are categorized and analyzed. The researchers validated shape-related measurement variables, extracted principal components, and classified the shapes of 423 women ages 40–69 using 3 D body scans from the CAESAR database. Shape and posture differences were quantified according to four age groups based on 47 measurements processed into 27 shape-related variables;

Abstract This article examines life writing as a research method to uncover new insights about the interrelationships between beings and place including with fashion and clothing. In it, the practice of using oneself as a site of enquiry is presented as a route to ecological understanding where finite, direct experience builds towards rooted, embodied, plural and relational knowing about how we live

Abstract This paper seeks new solutions for greater inclusion of non-standard body types in the apparel industry. 3D body scanning, virtual design tools, and computerized 3D knitting are assessed on their ability to facilitate the mass production of inclusive apparel for persons with disabilities. Four research participants from the disabled community have worked with the author to co-design custom