You know we’re fans of RSA Animate videos, so here’s another important one to add your video collection – if it’s not there already.
In “First as Tragedy, Then as Farce” philosopher Slavoj Zizek’s questions the relationship between capitalism and charity.
It has become common practice for global apparel brands to showcase charitable acts under corporate social responsibility mandates, but are you buying in?
We’ve added two new books to our required reading list, and you should to! While one approaches fashion through a Buddhist lens, the other looks to draw connections between fashion and justice in the context of democracy – both are by-products of separate investigations led by Otto von Busch in 2012.
Buddha Style: A discussion about the Buddha’s radical teachings on fashion and forgiveness asks: “What Would Buddha Wear?”
The publication documents a conversation between Otto von Busch and Josh Korda, covering identity, impermanence, imitation, non-self, temptation and consumerism and even David Bowie!
Questioning the relationship(s) between fashion concepts, theories and systems with/against Buddhist teachings and practice, new insights emerge.
An excerpt from the text under Indentity:
“We can express some aspects of our personality or world view through fashion. Likewise, we can come to see an aspect of another person through their dress or style, and also some traces of their attitude and skills. But at the same time we can simultaneously “objectify” these signals and make the person only a sum of their visually expressed parts. If we are to take the signals sent through clothing seriously, how can we cultivate an “honest” perspective on our dressed peers?” (Page 21)
For me, this was not a book to simply read, but more a book to sit quietly with, for thoughtful reflection.
Just Fashion: Critical Cases on Social Justice in Fashion is a fantastic resource for/from an every growing community of responsible fashion students and learners. This book was developed in the fall of 2012, via the “Critical Fashion and Social Justice” course at Parsons The New School for Design in New York.
The text covers a broad range of social justice issues, including marginalization, the ‘paradox of aid’ and worker rights, asking “[c]an fashion somehow address the world’s injustices – or can it only feed, and even celebrate, the imbalances of the world?” (Page 9)
An excerpt from the text on “Fashion, Justice and Dependence”:
“Through fashion we think we have equal opportunities, a fair distribution of goods and possibilities, and even that a “democratization” is taking place through fast fashion, as more people have access to a styled life. We are made to believe we have access to fashion while we are simultaneously and bluntly locked out of any decision-making, or any act of empowerment or self-determination, as the goods are already on the hanger awaiting us.” (Page 11)
Digital versions of each are available for free download through selfpassage, with hardcopies available at amazon here and here.
Happy reading!
Have you found meaning in a special piece of clothing? Will you be in Vancouver on Saturday, January 19th? Local Wisdom wants to take your picture!
“Local Wisdom combines ethnographic research methods with design process. It gathers stories and images from the public of how people use their clothes at community photo shoots. These use practices are then the basis and inspiration for design projects in the UK, USA, Canada, Denmark, Australia and New Zealand which aim to amplify these practices and explore their integration into larger programmes or original business models.” (Local Wisdom)
Originated by Dr. Kate Fletcher of the Centre for Sustainable Fashion at London College of Fashion, Local Wisdom will set-up in Vancouver at Emily Carr University (ECUAD) with Hélène Day Fraser, Assistant Professor, Design and Dynamic Media, and lead ECUAD investigator for the Local Wisdom project – ECUAD is one of seven institutions formally partnered with the project.
Do you have a story to tell that fits with the project? A caption from the release:
“Perhaps you live in one of the West’s typical households, where on average, around 30% of a person’s wardrobe sits unused and unworn for at least a year, resulting in a massive CAN$50 billion worth of unloved garments going to waste. Or maybe you’re amongst the growing number of people bucking the fast fashion trend and investing in alternative fashion experiences, in addition to shopping. You might be the proud owner of a treasured pair of jeans that you’ve never dared wash so as to keep their personalised look, or a dress that is shared and covetously passed around your sisters and aunts. If so then Local Wisdom wants to speak to you!” (Local Wisdom Press Release)
Not sure your story is right for the project? Click here to for guidance on the types of stories their looking for.
And while you’re at it, check out the beautiful use practices already documented.
We’re thrilled to see Local Wisdom in Vancouver, and can’t wait to check it out!
If you’re not based in Vancouver but are interested in participating, stay connected with the project through the ‘Craft of Use’ facebook page, and be sure to check out the schedule of upcoming project events around the world.
Next stop? New York – Parsons The New School for Design with Timo Rissanen!
On January 17, 2013, Kate Fletcher will present at Emily Carr University in Vancouver, Canada, through the TD Speaker Series/Designer in Residence Program.
“Over the last 15 years, Kate’s original thinking and progressive outlook has infused the field of fashion, textiles and sustainability with design thinking, and come to define it. Kate is one of the founders of the ‘slow fashion’ movement and instigator of directional sustainability projects, including Local Wisdom, which has engaged hundreds of people worldwide with the ‘craft of use’ and ‘post-growth’ fashion and was shortlisted for the Observer Ethical Awards in 2010.” (Emily Carr)
When? January 17, 2013 – 7:00pm – 9:00pm
Where? South Building, Room 301, Emily Carr, 1399 Johnston Street, Granville Island –Vancouver, Canada
This event is free and open to the public but you must register your place online – space is limited!
Click here to learn more.
See you there!
The University of British Columbia Law Review has recently published one of Nadira’s papers.
Nadira presented “Transnational Business, CSR, and Governance in China” at the Corporate Social Responsibility in the Pacific Rim conference held in Vancouver on April 15, 2011 – a conference organized by The Asia Pacific Dispute Resolution Research Project, The Centre for Business Ethics Research Network (CBERN) and The National Centre for Business Law (NCBL).
So if you’ve ever wondered what Nadira’s up to with her research at City University in Hong Kong, have a look and get in touch!!
The Cotton Film : Dirty White Gold | Crowdfunding trailer from Leah Borromeo on Vimeo.
Directed by Leah Borromeo, The Cotton Film: Dirty White Gold investigates fashion crimes in India, challenging viewers to get out and do something about them.
Why? Because reports estimate 300,000 Indian farmers have committed suicide since 1995 at the hand of crippling debt.
Can’t wait to see it!
Follow the film on twitter, @dirtywhitegold, and on Facebook, here.
Mark your calendars! The second ‘Fashion and …’ symposium will take place April 19-21, 2013, at the University of Minnesota. This year’s theme? Social Responsibility!
“This symposium connects fashion to the topic of social responsibility. Through a series of scholarly presentations, panel discussions, design presentations, the symposium participants will explore, define, and document the interconnections between fashion and social responsibility.” Click here for more details.
Registration opens February 1st, watch this space for more details.
Note: this is not a free conference, so you may need to apply for funding.
Image: University of Minnesota
Happy 10, Creative Commons!
Creative Commons licencing is a powerful tool for change; it allows researchers, artists, musicians, etc. to share their work in a safe space – the CC community supports and protects attribution, while encouraging collaboration and innovation.
The sense of urgency present in responsible fashion research is there for good reason – the issues at hand are themselves urgent: human rights, living wage, environmental security, health and safety, etc.
With CC, our community can share and build research faster than ever before.
If you are not yet familiar with the licence, or what it means to us, please take a moment to learn what it’s all about.
A big happy birthday to the Creative Commons! Here’s to the next 10!
The Mountain from TSO Photography on Vimeo, CC-licensed.
Will you be in London this Friday, Oct. 26th?
Mayamiko Trust is holding a fundraising event for their efforts in supporting women in Malawi through training and education, with all proceeds going towards building a skills and production centre.
‘Spark’, a creative fundraising event, will be held at Corbet Place, London (just off Brick Lane) on Oct. 26th at 7:00pm. The night will feature responsible designers, musicians, performers and artists.
Here Today Here Tomorrow (one of our featured ‘Projects for Change’ – right sidebar) will be showing work at the event.
For more information, click here.
Sounds like an amazing event! Good luck!
The Catalytic Clothing Story from Helen Storey Foundation on Vimeo.
As you know, we’re huge fans of Professor Helen Storey (London College of Fashion) and Professor Tony Ryan (University of Sheffield) for their breakthrough interdisciplinary work and research on such projects as Catalytic Clothing.
So, here’s some exciting news if you’re close to the UK: from October 27th to November 12th the Manchester Science Festival will be featuring projects Field of Jeans and The Soap Box.
Admission is free and you don’t have to book a space!
What is Catalytic Clothing?
“Catalytic Clothing is a radical project that brings together the worlds of fashion and chemistry with the potential to clean the air we breathe […] Employing existing technology in a new way, it seeks to explore how clothing and textiles can be used as a catalytic surface to purify air. It is the brainchild of artist / designer Helen Storey and chemist Tony Ryan – people from very different worlds whose minds have come together over recent years in highly successful art/science collaborations.” (Catalytic Clothing)
Follow Catalytic Clothing on Facebook, here.
Follow Catalytic Clothing on Twitter, here.