What is the experience of a carbon neutral society? How does it feel to wear a cradle-to-cradle g... more What is the experience of a carbon neutral society? How does it feel to wear a cradle-to-cradle garment? This paper explores how the experiential dimension can enrich the development and communication of sustainability. The authors argue that such an approach can reach where quantitative and abstract language cannot, and foster a deeper relationship with ethical and environmental concerns, thus inviting designers and their colleagues into new and richer idea territories as regards sustainable futures. A series of methods and tools are proposed, designed to promote multi-sensory, and emotive engagement with the sustainability imperative and tested in recent empirical research taking the form of creative workshops. The rationale behind, the operation and benefits of the approaches are introduced through three cases, representing the fashion and automotive industries and a current AHRC funded research project 'Bench-marking Synergy Levels within Metadesign', (Goldsmiths, Univer...
Fashion communication is a multi-faceted subject. It refers to the way fashion is presented and m... more Fashion communication is a multi-faceted subject. It refers to the way fashion is presented and marketed, by fashion shows and catwalk performances, advertisements, photos and editorial material on paper, web or walls, blogs and other 'social media', displays in stores and windows, or icons and models on television and movies. It also includes how fashion communicates a personality or lifestyle. With the abundance of brands and designs, fashion communication is essential to develop a distinct identity and make it visible. Fashion communication is a challenging subject for research efforts. It is truly multidisciplinary and transdisciplinary, as the socio-economical and socio-cultural context is crucial, but to create and spread the message, it involves the sciences of media, management, logistics and technology. Fashion communication is also a function of time. Timely communication is necessary in the rapidly changing, short lifespan fashion world. Society and consumer behaviour also change over time, and the means and methods of communication reflect that. There will be new ways of communication tomorrow, as today's media expressions, like blogs and twitters, are already on their way into retirement. The manifold of ways and perspectives in fashion communication is reflected in this issue of the Nordic Textile Journal. As usual we present a journal with a balanced composition of contributions having design, technology or management, the three cornerstones of the Swedish School of Textiles, as the basis for the approach. Several illustrations help support the discussion on fashion communication, be it from an artistic, societal, historic or scientific point of view. This issue is also a milestone for the journal, as now the contributions have consistently been peer reviewed, to ensure scientific and artistic quality and value. The efforts of the Nordic Textile Journal's new international editorial board in this respect, as well as the valuable contributions of the knowledgeable and professional authors are gratefully acknowledged.
Postprint This is the accepted version of a chapter published in Routledge Handbook of Sustainabi... more Postprint This is the accepted version of a chapter published in Routledge Handbook of Sustainability and Fashion. Citation for the original published chapter: The futures of futures studies in fashion.
Tid beskrivs i den vasterlandska samtiden ofta som lyx. Tid ar ocksa en viktig faktor i design. S... more Tid beskrivs i den vasterlandska samtiden ofta som lyx. Tid ar ocksa en viktig faktor i design. Som modedesigner kan man se tiden som ett slags meddesigner som hjalper till att slipa materialet och ...
This workshop explores power relations in collaborative design research. As co-creation is becomi... more This workshop explores power relations in collaborative design research. As co-creation is becoming more established and even something of a holy grail, it is important to revisit and further under ...
This chapter explores the potential role of Futures Studies, as manifested in fashion forecasting... more This chapter explores the potential role of Futures Studies, as manifested in fashion forecasting, in the endeavour of creating sustainability in fashion. It argues that forecasting can be helpful in advancing sustainability in two key ways: 1) by offering a framework for systemic and systematic scenario building at the nested levels of products, systems and paradigms 2) by offering a zone in the fashion industry for much needed reflection, explorations of values, imagination and envisioning. The approaches can be described as metadesign, a design of design itself, seeds for change, a collaborative and inclusive design process.
An exploration of the challenges, shameful, tricky aspects of working with housing and co-creativ... more An exploration of the challenges, shameful, tricky aspects of working with housing and co-creative research.
The Earth Logic Action Research Plan for fashion is a visionary and radical invitation to fashion... more The Earth Logic Action Research Plan for fashion is a visionary and radical invitation to fashion researchers, practitioners, business leaders and decision makers to call out as fiction the idea that sustainability can be achieved within economic growth logic and instead to “stay with the trouble” of envisioning fashion connected with nature, people and long term healthy futures. The plan does this by placing Earth first – before profit, before everything. This is both simple and changes everything. The plan comprises three parts to support Earth Logic action research in fashion. Part I is a values-explicit context which can be used to plan, select and evaluate research and development projects. Part II is a checklist to keep action research on a radical track. Part III is made up of six holistic landscapes that set out progressive areas for transformation of the fashion sector directed at the whole system of fashion.
The discourse on environmental improvement of textiles has, in the main, focused on the material ... more The discourse on environmental improvement of textiles has, in the main, focused on the material realisation of a particular fabric or garment. The fashion industry is increasingly putting strategies into place to achieve cleaner and more efficient processes, and the specifications of CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) work is becoming increasingly standardised. However, our relationship to textiles and fashion – in our roles as designers, makers and users, cannot be reduced to tick-box lists or explained by numbers, and in its rich diversity it defies streamlined models. The activities of designing, creating, crafting, styling, dressing and creating anew, harbour such a wealth of imagination, stored wisdom, complexity of judgement, connectedness – and pure enjoyment. Much of this is tacit knowledge and easily eludes the author of a CSR document. Yet, this chapter argues that these qualities, intrinsic to all textile work (and play), are imperative in the pursuit of truly sustain...
The objective of this workshop is to create a space for synthesis and to build on the paper sessi... more The objective of this workshop is to create a space for synthesis and to build on the paper sessions on sustainability, with a focus on design education. What roles can designers play in the vision ...
This chapter describes a method of languaging fashion moments, designed to explore relationships ... more This chapter describes a method of languaging fashion moments, designed to explore relationships with fashion at the level of paradigms and mindsets.
Of Mice, Lice and Wo/men : A seasoned fashion and sustainability activist’s attempt to negotiate ... more Of Mice, Lice and Wo/men : A seasoned fashion and sustainability activist’s attempt to negotiate the awkward space of real nature and real fashion
This paper explores how we can know in ways that promote new relations between design and nature,... more This paper explores how we can know in ways that promote new relations between design and nature, for futures of sustainability. The paper shares observations and reflections made over four years in the collaborative process of editing a book (Design and Nature: A Partnership, in press). During the process, we have synergistically tried to explore and manifest what knowing in a paradigm of a more sensitive and careful relationship between design and nature can entail.Insights include the intersectionality of gender discourse with nature and design relations,the opportunities and risks of leaving academic conventions, the centrality of collaboration in pursuing new ways of knowing.
What is the experience of a carbon neutral society? How does it feel to wear a cradle-to-cradle g... more What is the experience of a carbon neutral society? How does it feel to wear a cradle-to-cradle garment? This paper explores how the experiential dimension can enrich the development and communication of sustainability. The authors argue that such an approach can reach where quantitative and abstract language cannot, and foster a deeper relationship with ethical and environmental concerns, thus inviting designers and their colleagues into new and richer idea territories as regards sustainable futures. A series of methods and tools are proposed, designed to promote multi-sensory, and emotive engagement with the sustainability imperative and tested in recent empirical research taking the form of creative workshops. The rationale behind, the operation and benefits of the approaches are introduced through three cases, representing the fashion and automotive industries and a current AHRC funded research project 'Bench-marking Synergy Levels within Metadesign', (Goldsmiths, Univer...
Fashion communication is a multi-faceted subject. It refers to the way fashion is presented and m... more Fashion communication is a multi-faceted subject. It refers to the way fashion is presented and marketed, by fashion shows and catwalk performances, advertisements, photos and editorial material on paper, web or walls, blogs and other 'social media', displays in stores and windows, or icons and models on television and movies. It also includes how fashion communicates a personality or lifestyle. With the abundance of brands and designs, fashion communication is essential to develop a distinct identity and make it visible. Fashion communication is a challenging subject for research efforts. It is truly multidisciplinary and transdisciplinary, as the socio-economical and socio-cultural context is crucial, but to create and spread the message, it involves the sciences of media, management, logistics and technology. Fashion communication is also a function of time. Timely communication is necessary in the rapidly changing, short lifespan fashion world. Society and consumer behaviour also change over time, and the means and methods of communication reflect that. There will be new ways of communication tomorrow, as today's media expressions, like blogs and twitters, are already on their way into retirement. The manifold of ways and perspectives in fashion communication is reflected in this issue of the Nordic Textile Journal. As usual we present a journal with a balanced composition of contributions having design, technology or management, the three cornerstones of the Swedish School of Textiles, as the basis for the approach. Several illustrations help support the discussion on fashion communication, be it from an artistic, societal, historic or scientific point of view. This issue is also a milestone for the journal, as now the contributions have consistently been peer reviewed, to ensure scientific and artistic quality and value. The efforts of the Nordic Textile Journal's new international editorial board in this respect, as well as the valuable contributions of the knowledgeable and professional authors are gratefully acknowledged.
Postprint This is the accepted version of a chapter published in Routledge Handbook of Sustainabi... more Postprint This is the accepted version of a chapter published in Routledge Handbook of Sustainability and Fashion. Citation for the original published chapter: The futures of futures studies in fashion.
Tid beskrivs i den vasterlandska samtiden ofta som lyx. Tid ar ocksa en viktig faktor i design. S... more Tid beskrivs i den vasterlandska samtiden ofta som lyx. Tid ar ocksa en viktig faktor i design. Som modedesigner kan man se tiden som ett slags meddesigner som hjalper till att slipa materialet och ...
This workshop explores power relations in collaborative design research. As co-creation is becomi... more This workshop explores power relations in collaborative design research. As co-creation is becoming more established and even something of a holy grail, it is important to revisit and further under ...
This chapter explores the potential role of Futures Studies, as manifested in fashion forecasting... more This chapter explores the potential role of Futures Studies, as manifested in fashion forecasting, in the endeavour of creating sustainability in fashion. It argues that forecasting can be helpful in advancing sustainability in two key ways: 1) by offering a framework for systemic and systematic scenario building at the nested levels of products, systems and paradigms 2) by offering a zone in the fashion industry for much needed reflection, explorations of values, imagination and envisioning. The approaches can be described as metadesign, a design of design itself, seeds for change, a collaborative and inclusive design process.
An exploration of the challenges, shameful, tricky aspects of working with housing and co-creativ... more An exploration of the challenges, shameful, tricky aspects of working with housing and co-creative research.
The Earth Logic Action Research Plan for fashion is a visionary and radical invitation to fashion... more The Earth Logic Action Research Plan for fashion is a visionary and radical invitation to fashion researchers, practitioners, business leaders and decision makers to call out as fiction the idea that sustainability can be achieved within economic growth logic and instead to “stay with the trouble” of envisioning fashion connected with nature, people and long term healthy futures. The plan does this by placing Earth first – before profit, before everything. This is both simple and changes everything. The plan comprises three parts to support Earth Logic action research in fashion. Part I is a values-explicit context which can be used to plan, select and evaluate research and development projects. Part II is a checklist to keep action research on a radical track. Part III is made up of six holistic landscapes that set out progressive areas for transformation of the fashion sector directed at the whole system of fashion.
The discourse on environmental improvement of textiles has, in the main, focused on the material ... more The discourse on environmental improvement of textiles has, in the main, focused on the material realisation of a particular fabric or garment. The fashion industry is increasingly putting strategies into place to achieve cleaner and more efficient processes, and the specifications of CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) work is becoming increasingly standardised. However, our relationship to textiles and fashion – in our roles as designers, makers and users, cannot be reduced to tick-box lists or explained by numbers, and in its rich diversity it defies streamlined models. The activities of designing, creating, crafting, styling, dressing and creating anew, harbour such a wealth of imagination, stored wisdom, complexity of judgement, connectedness – and pure enjoyment. Much of this is tacit knowledge and easily eludes the author of a CSR document. Yet, this chapter argues that these qualities, intrinsic to all textile work (and play), are imperative in the pursuit of truly sustain...
The objective of this workshop is to create a space for synthesis and to build on the paper sessi... more The objective of this workshop is to create a space for synthesis and to build on the paper sessions on sustainability, with a focus on design education. What roles can designers play in the vision ...
This chapter describes a method of languaging fashion moments, designed to explore relationships ... more This chapter describes a method of languaging fashion moments, designed to explore relationships with fashion at the level of paradigms and mindsets.
Of Mice, Lice and Wo/men : A seasoned fashion and sustainability activist’s attempt to negotiate ... more Of Mice, Lice and Wo/men : A seasoned fashion and sustainability activist’s attempt to negotiate the awkward space of real nature and real fashion
This paper explores how we can know in ways that promote new relations between design and nature,... more This paper explores how we can know in ways that promote new relations between design and nature, for futures of sustainability. The paper shares observations and reflections made over four years in the collaborative process of editing a book (Design and Nature: A Partnership, in press). During the process, we have synergistically tried to explore and manifest what knowing in a paradigm of a more sensitive and careful relationship between design and nature can entail.Insights include the intersectionality of gender discourse with nature and design relations,the opportunities and risks of leaving academic conventions, the centrality of collaboration in pursuing new ways of knowing.
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Papers by mathilda Tham