Final Reflection

As part of my final overview of this project, it is evident that there is still widespread struggle and lack of opportunity that exist within fashion communication when designing for individuals with disabilities. I have come to identify that traditional fashion communication often focuses on visual aesthetics, exclusivity and trend led narratives which can prove to have a negative impact on those with cognitive, sensory of physical disabilities. Therefore this project allowed me to challenge and explore how the conventions of fashion can instead operate with inclusivity and social responsible practices in mind.

Through my material experimentation, I have formed a way in which fashion can be communicated beyond clothing, looking at environments and sensory experiences. This reduces the consensus that  disability is linked to limitation   and instead reinforcers the opportunities for innovation.

As a result, this project has urged me to progress by creating a fully sustainable space which has a central structural book that both communicates fashion design awareness as well as inclusivity and accessibility. Utilizing sustainable materials and fabric structures, this final outcome acts as a physical form of communication encouraging engagement. The book and space will work in unison to challenge conventional modes of fashion communication and offering alternative ways to include disability.

 

Structural Book Experimentation – Structure, Tactility and Communication

As part of my experimentation I progressed with my creation of a small scale books, entirely made from repurposed CD cases. This allowed me to test out and understand structure for my larger structural book outcome in my FMP. Working at this reduced size, enabled me to prioritize material behaviour, general assembly/construction and the layout…

Communication of Design and Disability

As this project progresses i find myself in a state of confusion, i have spent weeks researching and experimenting across multiple design theories and now needed to formulate a clear way of communicating this work deepening the project. This would prevent  all of this awareness and innovative design from becoming scattered. This moment of unease…

Visual Representation – Sensory Environments

Moving on from my adaptive clothing experimentation, the next stage of this project was to develop a visual representation of a sensory environment. The experimentation of of the clothing allowed me to develop an understanding micro level accessibility. The need to move onto spatial modelling was vital at this stage of my project. The creation…

Designing Adaptive Apparel With Accessibility In Mind

Expanding on my research and experimentation into accessibility and inclusive design in relation to those with disabilities, I also set out to explore how fashion and clothing which is a crucial element to the majority of the population whether disabled or not and how it could be transformed. This led me to conduct an in-depth…

Translating Research Into Spatial Vision

At this stage I have created a strong basis of theoretical research on sensory environments, in which I used to translate these ideas into visual and spatial language through the medium of sketching. I have been able to learn and execute a series of sketches using two point perspective drawing, which has affectively mapped out…

Sensory Environments – Biophilic design

Through further research at this stage of the project, i have turned most of my focus toward sensory environments in the aim to fully understand how these spaces can moderate emotional and physical wellbeing. This has resulted in the critical investigation into sensory tools within these environments such as colour, lighting, texture which affect mood…