The fashion industry is both an economic and a cultural powerhouse, but its detrimental global impact in social and environmental terms is incontrovertible. As the journal’s subtitle indicates, Fashion Practice: The Journal of Design, Creative Process and the Fashion Industry was developed to demonstrate how innovative design-led research and creative practice could positively impact the processes of the fashion and clothing industry, whether at larger or smaller scales. This is particularly relevant to help to redress the iniquities of the system in the context of the net zero agenda. Understanding the need for innovation and change in fashion industry practices and formulating appropriate responses provides the underlying theme for this issue of the journal, demonstrated in diverse practices and contexts.
The six articles featured address a range of issues and design problems directly related to consumer needs and trends in the commercial fashion industry, and present several case studies developed directly with businesses. The articles identify and explore how and where innovation and change can take place in both consumer behaviour and industry design processes that cover different topics and locations, most combining both practical and theoretical perspectives. The papers emanate from diverse countries and communities, on subjects ranging from the development of customized school uniforms in China to the inclusive design of wearable technology in Finland, alongside a review of research literature focused on the growth of the athleisurewear industry in Australia, and a UK-based analysis of promotional messages featuring wool fibre on Instagram social media, amongst others.
The first article An Investigation on the Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on New Zealand’s Knitwear Manufacturing Sector by Mitali Nautiyal, Frances Joseph, Amabel Hunting and Donna Cleveland, examines the effect of the pandemic on the formerly significant knitwear industry in New Zealand, that was introduced and developed in parallel with wool production by British settlers in the nineteenth century. The authors surveyed seven knitwear manufacturing businesses that responded to their call, and although cautioning that this is a small sample, it nevertheless represents half the workforce in the current New Zealand knitwear industry. Valuable insights were gained into the contemporary knitwear industry in New Zealand and its adoption of advanced technology, together with strategies that the businesses implemented for survival through the crisis induced by the Covid-19 pandemic, and evidence of the importance of government support. A variety of impacts and responses are presented together with recommendations for future scenarios that aim to reduce dependence on tourism and overseas services and encourage the development of the domestic market.
In response to the great decline in importance of wool to the UK economy since the 1950s, the second paper focuses specifically on the contemporary image and communication of wool as a sustainable fibre for fashion. In #Instawool: Wool Narratives of Sustainability on Instagram, Tiziana Ferrero-Regis and Silvia Gambi examine the way in which six major international stakeholders in the wool industry promote wool on social media to an audience largely between 18 and 34 years old (Millennials and Gen Z), specifically through the Instagram platform. The authors conducted a detailed content analysis of Instagram posts (both text and image) over a two-month period, with a particular focus on how wool is promoted as a sustainable fibre. Their analysis builds upon Barthes’ seminal work on the semiotics of “image clothing” and “written clothing” (Barthes Citation1990) to formulate a framework for understanding narratives and storytelling about wool promotion on social media. The findings of the analysis are categorized into three main areas: use of animals and their welfare to promote emotional responses, the material (physical) aspects, and the immaterial (aesthetic and cultural) aspects. However, the authors argue that the information presented in the posts is insufficient to educate younger generations fully about the production and life cycle of wool.
Next we turn to an analysis of the extent of literature regarding the development of the consumer trend for “athleisurewear” – a combination of “athletic” and “leisure” wear. Himesh Perera, Lester W. Johnson, Gordon E. Campbell and Jill Bamforth discuss the topic from an Australian perspective in Behavioural Analysis of Athleisurewear Consumers: A Systematic Literature Review and Future Research Agenda. The authors note that sales of athleisurewear are forecast to surpass all other types of casual clothing, and were boosted by the trend towards casual wear resulting from the Covid-19 pandemic lockdowns. However, there appears to be little academic discourse and research dealing with this phenomenon, and the article presents a systematic review surveying 39 available examples of journal articles, industry articles and grey literature to identify a future research agenda. Initial findings suggest that wearing of fashionable athleisurewear is associated with aspiration to a fitness-inspired lifestyle and can increase self-esteem when worn for everyday activities. In addition, the literature implies athleisurewear may inspire environmentally-conscious behaviour. The authors propose that research utilizing Adam and Galinsky’s (Citation2012) concept of “enclothed cognition” warrants further investigation in relation to the influence athleisurewear consumers could have on promoting sustainability within the fashion industry.
The following three papers focus on product development and design case studies in different fashion contexts and locations, tackling both practical and theoretical considerations. In Challenges and Changes to the Product Development Process for Fashion Omnichannel Retailers, Rachel Parker-Strak, Stephen Doyle and Rachel Studd examine the processes required to develop new fashion products in the specific contemporary context of omnichannel retail, where many retailers develop own label products. Referencing the previous literature discussing new product development in general and the limited literature on fashion product development, the authors interviewed fashion buyers from market leading retailers operating in multiple countries. Buyers (rather than designers) were selected due to their overview of both operational and strategic issues inside the business. The research found the demands of multiple sales channels (both physical and online) operating simultaneously entails a more complex product development process requiring continuous cycles of overlapping activities. The authors therefore propose an updated theoretical model specifically for fashion product development that reflects this change in context, informed by both internal and external factors.
Jenni Hokka, in Gender and the Diversity of the Human Body as Challenges for the Inclusive Design of Wearable Technology, discusses the influence of gender on the design process for accessories and clothing incorporating responsive technological functionality, known generically as “wearable technology”. The study, based in Finland, examines how inclusive design is interpreted in the context of wearable technology, utilizing four design case studies of companies producing functional watches, rings and sports clothing for both men and women, from the exclusive end of the market to everyday items. Interviews were conducted with representatives from each company, working in design/product development or with user research, to elicit information on the implementation of inclusive design and development processes. The analysis of the findings takes an approach based on the sociology of design for diverse users, discussing “the broader social, cultural and/or political contexts in which design as a way of thinking is situated”. The author finds that, for a number of reasons, the companies interpreted inclusive design as unisex design, and from their application of user research, that cultural factors including gender perceptions and norms need to be constantly updated in order to counter any presumption of gender-related user expectations.
The final paper in this issue responds to the increasing demand in the Chinese market for customized school uniforms. In School Uniform Customization Design Platform Based on Virtual Display Technology, Xue Li, Lei Shen and Wanning Song describe their four-stage process of developing a new online platform to streamline the provision of school uniforms customized to a school’s own requirements, with the aim to reduce sampling and improve efficiency. Using both qualitative and quantitative methods, the authors first established the demand via interviews with schools and school uniform enterprises, then developed a comprehensive database of uniform styles, that was converted into modular components. These modular elements were visualized in virtual 3D software. The online customization platform was established and, based on a specific avatar size for boys and girls, the customized 3D uniform could be visualized. The final stage of the research demonstrates the efficacy of the platform through the physical creation of a sample uniform and its positive evaluation by school uniform industry professionals, clearly exhibiting the potential for such a virtual display system for customization in this sector.
The papers discussed illustrate a range of topics and approaches that seek to respond to diverse circumstances, including the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic on consumption and clothing habits. As consumers seek ways in which their activities can positively mitigate global sustainability issues, it is clear that companies and systems that can provide products that more closely meet specific needs through customization, or meet multiple needs through inclusive design, have the potential to contribute to reducing consumption and production. The problem of over-production and over-consumption must remain a key focus of attention if ambitious climate goals are to be achieved. This issue presents some new insights into the multiplicity of research approaches towards such complex topics and potential means to address them, particularly through fashion practices. We hope you enjoy reading it!
Centre for Sustainable Fashion, London College of Fashion, University of the Arts London
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Disclosure Statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.