Whats to come?

Past weeks (or months) have been rather quiet on this blog, as of much work related to summarizing the learning from my case studies and summing up with the master's thesis. The journey is bending towards an end. Finally. Great feeling of the experience, however still some things to are to be done... Beyond that I have been very involved with my latest project, in collaboration with a fashion designer and some other friends. 

Namely Makeable4u.wordpress.com – the Make{able} workshop series will continue!!! With different concepts we wish to bring clothing design and  a collaborative working to the people. The topics during the workshops will change according to the season, materials and suggestions by our participants. Therefore take a look at our blog and let us know what you would be interested in learning and making.

e.g. coming in autumn... rain cape made of a broken umbrella.

In spite of the positive feedback on the participatory workshops, the question arose whether a market implementation of half-way clothing and half-way products should be evaluated? I wondered if it is possible to reach the critical mass with an open and participatory design approach such as the half-way product? The research showed some potential to experiment further, if the concept – half-way garment in the context of a workshop setting would be appreciated by the average fashion consumer.

Half-way products in (online) stores, especially as a sewing kit, can rarely be found. What are the real market possibilities or are half-way products just another research tool? I imagine that a half-way sewing-kit can be an 'intelligent' product, that requires the consumer's interaction before the first use. The half-way product can offer different stages of difficulty, depending on the consumer's prior skills. However, every piece can be adjusted to measure and personal style. This will result in unique products, that offer more personal value, than prior discussed mass-customization.

On basis of the research, I discovered a broad variety of fashion activism strategies and projects, which were too many to be explained within this thesis. Surprisingly few projects go beyond the research approach and result in a self-sustaining market solution. Those new design solutions, still seem to be the subject of design research only, and not become established in the course of action of consumers and producers.

I came across a Slovenian brand 'PaulMalina' which offers ready-cut garments plus supplies and instructions in one package. This idea combines slow and local production with consumer independency in creation.

In respect of this idea, I interviewed two fashion brands and their respective designers, namely Sophie Schmuckermeier, from 'Fashion-Hackers' (interview on this blog), located in Berlin, Germany and Tjasa Avsec and Tina Hocevar from 'PaulMalina' (interview coming soon :). Both brands use either open source, fashion hacking or the half-way concept in their business strategy. 

Fashion-Hackers for more transparency and participation.

Fashion-Hackers is a new Fashion label, that does not center about the ego of the designer, but puts the client and user of the clothes in the center of attention. 

image from: Fashion-Hackers

Democratizing knowledge and skills as well as taking the fear of trying to make ones first design is a great approach which we have to consider as wonderful step forward or away from the fast and cheap fashion system. This blog post is about the 'Fashion-Hackers' and the designer behind it: Sophie Schmuckermeier. In the following email-interview, I (Anja) asked Miss Sophie (Fashion-Hackers) a few questions regarding her aims, ideology, people and their relationship to clothes and the process of her newly started business. As mentioned in a former post, the idea is about an open design process via social media, and after the collection has been designed, the patterns and making instructions can be found on the 'Fashion-Hackers' website. The brand as well as the website make curious and the easy to follow instructions seem to lower the fear of starting ones own project or at least, submit ideas for the design. I really wish Miss Sophie many participants for the new autumn and winter collection which is currently evolving via facebook. And I hope for more such concepts, as it helps us non-fashion designers to have a way bigger choice than what is dictated by the industry. Thank you very much dear Fashion-Hackers! Without many more words of my side, here is an extract of the interview in German and English:

Facebook page of Fashion-Hackers, voting for the new collection.

Anja 

Wie kamst du auf die Idee deine Schnitte und vor allem die Modekollektion zusammen mit den Konsumente zu gestalten? Hast du dich in deinem Studium schon mit der Idee beschäftigt? Z.b. mit Fashion Activism od. Hacktivismus?

 How did you come up with the idea to use co-design as a tool to develop your collections together with the consumers? Did you get in touch with Fashion Activism or Hacktivism during your studies?

Fashion-Hackers

Nein, eigentlich habe ich mit dieser Szene überhaupt nichts zu tun und auch erst nachdem ich die Idee hatte, angefangen mich damit zu beschäftigen. Ich will aber auch nicht zu viel Ideologischen Überbau um Fashion-Hackers machen. Es soll einfach Spaß machen und ein Hobby sein... ist doch albern zu denken man könnte mit Mode die Welt verändern?!

No, actually I was not involved with that scene, only after I had the idea, I started to look into it. But I do not want to make a ideological brand of the Fashion-Hackers. It should be fun and be a hobby... in my point of view it would be funny to think fashion could change the world?!

Anja

Was denkest du generell darüber ob Menschen ihre Beziehung zu Kleidungsstücken ändern wenn sie sie selbständig anfertigen? Oder wenn sie wie in diesem Falle ein eindeutiges Mitspracherecht am Design haben. 

Generally, what do you think about the possibility that people change their relationship towards their garments if they have made them? Or, as in your case, have a clear choice and voice in the design and making process.

Fashion-Hackers

Ich glaube das ändert die Einstellung sogar ganz gewaltig! Diesen Wandel habe ich an mir selber, aber auch bei vielen Freunden beobachtet, die angefangen haben Kleidung selber zu nähen.

Erstens merkt man plötzlich wie viel Zeit es kostet so ein einfach T-Shirt ordentlich zu nähen und wie unmoralisch ein Preis von 5-10€ pro Shirt daher ist. Man baut also nicht nur zu seinem selbstgenähten T-Shirt eine wesentlich höhere emotionale Bindung auf, sondern lernt auch den echten Wert von gekauften Kleidungsstücken besser zu schätzen.

Durch das Mitspracherecht wird die Beziehung natürlich sogar noch mal zusätzlich verstärkt. Die Idee war Jedem die Möglichkeit zu geben seine eigene Mode zu machen. Hätte ich alleine im Geheimen die Kollektionen gemacht und aber so getan wie wenn man bei Fashion-Hackers selber Designer seien kann, wäre das irgendwie verlogen gewesen. Jetzt geht es wirklich um die Community und der ganze Prozess ist 100% transparent. Das schafft Vertrauen und ich hoffe, dass ich mit diesem Vertrauen, dass ich den Leuten entgegenbringe, eine Basis schaffen kann auf der sie das Selbstbewusst sein haben von ihren Ideen zu erzählen. Dieses gegenseitige Vertrauen ist nämlich nicht so selbstverständlich! Ich würde meine Ideen zum Beispiel nie einem Modelabel mitteilen zu dem ich kein Vertrauen habe...

I believe that this changes the perception a lot! This change I have seen happening with myslef as with many of my friends, who have started to make their own clothes. First of all, you realize how much time is necessary to properly sew a simple T-shirt and how unethical a price of 5 to 10 euros is. This means, people do not just value their self-made items more, but also learn about the real value of a purchased item.

By offering a voice, during the design process, the emotional bonding will be additionally strengthen. The idea was to give the chance to everyone to make their own fashion. If I would have made the collection behind closed doors, but speak about transparency and participation, this would have been a real lie! Now, its really about the community and the whole process is 100% transparent. This builds a base for trust and I hope, that with this trust I offer to the people, I can create a base for open and self confident idea exchange. This mutual trust, is not that natural! For example, personally I would not tell my ideas to a fashion label, that I do not trust.

Anja 

Werden selbständig oder teilweise selbst entworfene Kleidungsstücke mehr wertgeschätzt/ geliebt und werden daher länger getragen?

Do you think that self- or partly self- designed clothes are more valueable and more loved by the owners and therefore worn over a longer period of time?

Fashion-Hackers

Das kann ich so pauschal nicht beurteilen. Ich glaube man ist auf jeden Fall stolzer dieses bestimmte Teil zu besitzen und fühlt sich gestärkt in seiner Außenwahrnehmung. Kleidung ist in gewisser Weise auch eine Art Sprache über die wir ohne Worten kommunizieren... zum Beispiel: wer wir sind, was für Laune wir haben, was wir uns leisten können, wie wichtig wir uns fühlen und so weiter. Da man Kleidungsstücke aber meistens nur fertig kauft ist das wie wenn man vorgeschrieben bekommt welche Wörter man benutzen darf. Bei selbstgenähter Kleidung hast du stattdessen das ganze Wörterbuch zur Auswahl.

I can not say this right away. But I believe that people are definitively more proud to own such a piece and one feels stronger towards the perception of the society. Clothes are in some way like a language, that communicates without words... for example: who we are, what mood we are, what we can afford, how important we feel and so forth. Though, as we usually buy clothes ready made, this is like restricting which words to use. If you sew and design the clothes yourself, its like u have the whole dictionary to choose from.

Anja 

Mit deiner Idee möchtest du hauptsächlich die Arbeitsweise der Modeindustrie verändern oder auch das Verhalten der Konsument? 

With your idea, you mainly want to change the way the fashion industry works, or also the behavior of the consumers?
 

Fashion-Hackers

Wie eingangs erwähnt denke ich nicht, dass man mit Mode die Welt verändern kann und es ist ja auch utopisch zu glauben, dass plötzlich alle ihre Kleidung selbst nähen.

Mir persönlich geht es eigentlich weniger um den Konsum noch um die Arbeitsverhältnisse sondern mehr um die Autonomie des Kunden. Henry Ford hat über seine erstes Auto einmal gesagt der Kunde könne es in jeder gewünschten Farbe bekommen... vorausgesetzt sie ist Schwarz. Und genauso ist es Kleidung zukaufen! Fashion-Hackers handelt davon sich nicht mit einer Auswahl von Schwarz, Grau und Braun zufrieden zu geben und sich auch nicht einreden zulassen man müsste 3 Jahre Modedesign studieren um ein cooles Kleid zu entwerfen!!!

As mentioned at the beginning, I do not believe that fashion can change the world, and its like an utopian idea that suddenly everyone is sewing their own clothes. Personally, I do mostly care about the autonomy of the client, not so much about the consumption or the working conditions. Henry Ford, once said about his first car, that the client can have any color he/she prefers, as long as its black... And the same thing happens with clothing! Fashion-Hackers is about not being satisfied with a selection of black, grey and brown, and to be self-confident enough to not believe that one has to study 3 years of fashion design to be able to design a cool looking dress!!!

Things to change and develop over time.

How can we as Designers support the users to become active makers and so encourage a change in the industry? It is of major importance to understand and follow up with the consumers motivation to get involved. Different key enablers to involve a broader majority, need to be discovered. If the entry level is easy to reach, consumers tend to be more willing to participate. By offering achievable goals, the fear of mistakes can be reduced as well. Co-design and participatory design offer the user the opportunities to customise and change the products according to their wishes. Those design practises aim for designing products together with the user. This gives a new perspective to the current economical system, and challenges it through “greater democracy, improved empowerment and less domination(Fletcher and Grose, 2012, 144).” In the best case scenario, those products allow to be developed over time, living with their owner. Consumers cannot engage deeply with artefacts where there is no growth, no change, no narrative and only predictability(Chapman 2006, 128).” One of the only ways to design sustaining products, is to accept and work with the constant change in consumers desire. Products have to be designed in a way they adapt and are able to reflect the current feeling and mood of their owner. Products that are update-able and made for multi-purpose, like the Self-couture garments/bedding by Diane Steverlynck, offer new spaces for designers to become creative (http://www.dianesteverlynck.be/). Steverlynck's project shows how a 3-layerd bedding can be with the help of buttons be transformed into a dress, blouse and woolen cape. Garments that are modular, and can be refashioned according to the owners daily wardrobe, are more likely to sustain according to consumers fast changing desires (Flechter and Grose, 2012). 

One step of 3, transforming a bedding sheet into a dress. Image from www.dianesteverlynck.be

 

The question of quality.

While evaluating the questionnaires of the latest Make{able} workshop, I came across one quote stating, that the level of value and the reasons for shopping new clothes are dependent on the quality of the garment. I do agree here fully, who likes to wear garments that have holes or lost their shape and colour? The participant stated, that the quality of the self made item differed a lot to what you get in the stores. I can agree here as well, because hand made vs. mass-produced items differ. Though, not necessarily in the aspect of quality, depending how we define quality. The items differ rather through a different feel, appearance and appreciation. If one is a passionate, skilled and detail-loving maker personality, achieving qualitative results is 'makeable'. Those clothes can easily compete with the mass manufactured garments coming from cheap labour countries.

Finishing a half-way Tunic.

Perfection does not need to be the goal of the first own garment. Using a sewing machine is not an extraordinary skill, its a tool of creative exploration. The fear of using the sewing machine, relates from the fact, that the majority has lost the skills and knowledge about this great tool already. They restrict themselves to a way smaller product choice, dictated by the companies and fashion makers. Don’t little mistakes show the learning process and will make the piece unique and facilitate learning by doing for the next piece? If one starts to enjoy sewing and overcome the fear, there is plenty of ways to improve skills to reach the level which makes you more aware of the crafting and design in all the pieces found in your wardrobe. The making process puts the user into another position of understanding the manufacture and duration needed to design and accomplish one piece of clothing. In addition, this knowledge helps to learn how clothes are put together, in case they feel the need to change it. Skilled users, are able to do smaller changes by themselves and thus redefine and create story within this piece of clothing as well.

Beyond this learning process, consumers will also start realising the real qualitative difference between, skilfully made garments, with high quality materials. How to check for longevity in products: http://www.alreadypretty.com/2011/01/reader-request-shopping-for-quality-and-longevity.html or: http://thestyleaficionado.com/2010/06/how-to-identify-quality-clothes/

Sustainable Fashion benefits at the most, form the longevity of products, through a long product lifespan. The less new products and resources the consumer purchases, the better. Therefore, designers have the responsibility to ensure a high product quality, as well as enforce and encourage the use of good materials, and preferably local production. The way people interact and behave towards their garments, is eventually based on the way they are designed.

VALUE{able}

How to design something of value?

Fashion and clothing, as bespoke earlier, is about personal style and identity. Therefore it needs to be in someway adaptable, how else would we make sure it really represents ones identity, beside just copying a style shown in the magazines? In the name of sustainable design, this means, that one piece should grow with the persons style and individual preferences. Therefore I ask, why aren’t there more adjustable, or diy-kits available on the market? I know from my project, it is very difficult to design Half-way products, as you do not have any influence on the finishing of the garment beyond the purchase. How much can we expect of the customers to know about sewing, what materials and tools do they have to finish, are they able to “successfully” finish the garment? How can we secure the outcome to be in this case wearable? Is this what fashion designers are afraid of? Are they scared of the freedom and ideas of their customers? At least I have to admit, that I have had a hard time to find fashion students who would be interested in helping me to design a Half-way garment. I have seen many nice study projects on for example: 'A labour behind the label' in UK (http://fashioninganethicalindustry.org/studentwork/) Even though, most of the projects, were based on working with organic or recycled materials but not tackeling the problem of the participatory aspect. 

Pic from: a labout behind the label

 

For this reason I also decided to work with a less researched idea in the area of fashion and clothing design. This project is an experimental approach to get an idea of what are possibilities for Designers and makers to facilitate a change in consumption habits, and consumers attitude. Half-way products and garments which are planned for co-designing, need to offer the opportunity to be easily customised so they can be changed also over time, and as its best they reveal their life-story by altering in beauty. Because than, those garments encourage a closer attachment and support the idea of a longer-lasting product to person relationship. (Fletcher, 2012) This relationship will aim for a higher product value and in the best case involve that user takes better care for the product. The items may be redesigned and time will be invested to reinvent them. Thereby the products replacement will be postponed and the input of new resources can be decreased, which supports a slower consumption. (Cooper, 2005)

How many products can we really value and attach to? Tim Cooper states in his paper on 'Slower Consumption' that it is uncertain to how many products consumers can create a closer affection. If we compare; human beings are only able to create a deep emotional bonding to a certain amount of other human beings. (Cooper, 2005, p.62) Resulting in the question, how many products are we able to really care for? In the current throwaway culture, it is very hard to make people care for their objects, and prohibit the fast replacement through an update. What creates the need to constantly consume more, and how can it be replaced? (TEDs 10) Can we train, to wish for more? Interesting approach is http://www.thegreatamericanappareldiet.com/ - where you can freely sign up to the community, and share your experience whilst reducing or stoping your fashion consumption for a year. Participation is reducing consumption to the extreme, but will most likely make you forever aware when you will purchase something the next time. Tim Cooper states that for reducing the consumers desire for new products, their values and attitudes need to be understood, that an actual attachment to the products they own can be encouraged. (Cooper, 2005) It very much depends on ones personality, and capability to start a progress of valuing what one owns, similar as some do have more closer friends and take the time to care for their friendship. 

Value through keeping up the memory and attachment.

  Based on the research results and positive feedback of the first workshop, this case study could lead to the assumption that 'making' can be a key to create higher value and attachment towards a piece. Half-way products offer the chance for self-expression, as well as provide an easy base to start, which may prohibit production failure, especially within the setting of a participatory workshop. The gained skills and understanding of the product will help to take good care and redesign the product if desired.

Therefore we could assume, that for supporting an open and sustainable design approach, Half-way products, as well as participatory Design workshops offer an interesting opportunity for further research to be explored. In general, Half-way products can not become a mass-produced new way of fast consumption, they should be seen as a tool, as well as participatory workshops are a tool to encourage and enable the user. In the best case scenario, they reach a higher level of value in the owners wardrobe and help them to develop an independent and personal style, which offers a starting point towards a behavioural change among their makers.

Creating Stories – Uusix Locally 'MADE in Helsinki'

Me building the material forest.

Within the past months I have been rather busy with working at another project that is still closely linked to my thesis. 

It is focusing as most of my other approachs also, on creating stories and memory conected to products and the people. Memories captured in products are most often mentioned as the main reason why people value them higher. My goal is therefore to create stories, memory and meaningfulness within the products so they grow together with their owner, to be kept, cared for and valued for a longer period of time. Even though, if one day the owner decides to give them away, if he/she cares for them, they are less likely to just put them to the garbage, they rather try to find a new owner who will take care. This thought I got at least when talking with friends, and sellers at the flea-market. 
I had a nice encounter a few days ago at the big Valteri Flea-market at Vallila, I found a lovely dress saying 'Made in Finland', and the owner told my a sweet story to it, and that she had so many nice memories conected to it, so she wanted it to find a new owner who would take care of it as well. Now its mine, and I love it already :) I also stayed in contact with the former owner, which is a really nice aswell.

Uusix Room - A space to interact - dive into the material forest.

Also in the research feedback from the Make{able} workshop I often found the key point that creates the higher value, was the making by the owner, or at least finishing and fine-tuning - creating a personal stamp and fit. This will create a memory of making and working with it. 
Stamping things, leads me to my other bigger project with Uusix Verstaat, a social enterprise of the city Helsinki. I have been enjoying to work there and with Uusix since last autumn, creating textile prints for the WDC and 200 years of Helsinki and mainly organising and building their room in Helsinki Museum - Hakasalmi Villa.

Patchwork created from the left overs of the city prints.

Handmade by Uusix

Their products are mainly shaped by the people making them. Me as designer just had the role of providing them with a starting idea – the textile single prints. The products and patterns were mostly created by the people only with some feedback from my side. All the wonderful items are produced locally in their facilities in Kyläsaari, Helsinki. Uusix is part of Helsinki's rehabilitation unit, and is dedicated to people who have been longer-term unemployed. Its main goal is to help them finding back to working life. The products created at Uusix are mainly based on recycled materials, products that host a former life-story already, but have been a discarded or lost their original purpose. Within their various workshops, they find new ways to be reinvented and reinterpreted to become a new life or story. Uusix was now also represented in the recently opened 'Made in Helsinki 1700 -2012' exhibition at Hakasalmi. The past two or three months I was mainly involved in organising planning and building the exhibition room. Which I am after all very happy to see in real action. The room is also named after the whole concept of Uusix and tries to represent the organisation in the best possible way I could think of. The theme called 'New Stories' (Uusia Tarinoita) is very much conform with my thesis idea, therefore I will try to also include it within my writing and thesis studies. The whole room is based on the white space of an unwritten story, filled with materials, to touch and interact, and shaped by the people of Uusix, that surround the room with a 13 meter photography panorama. There are also going to be workshops once a month, always the first Wednesday of each month, starting with the Taideyö (Night of the arts) in August 2012. Currently there are pillows, filled with recycled materials to test, feel and move around as well as a stamping station to create your own postcards with my Helsinki illustrations on mould-made paper. Enjoy and Make! Address and more info straight from the Museums site: Hakasalmi Villa

Stamp your own postcards.