In the last blogpost, I discussed how I narrowed down my research topic by excluding certain aspects of the digital fashion design topic. In this post, I will elaborate on the aspects that I do want to focus on, why they are of interest and how their exploration can be formulated into concrete research questions.
The main focus of my thesis will be the digital fashion design process. I decided to focus on this aspect because it will allow me to integrate the practical part of my thesis with the theory part and enable me to incorporate my own experiences from the digital design process. This will also create a possibility to explore the traditional fashion design process as a comparison point for the digital design process. Through this inclusion, I will have the opportunity to feature point of views from traditional fashion designers in the literature and interview section of my research, which will help in broadening the pool of possible experts that I can contact.1
To recap the factors of interest I defined in my last blogpost, the main focus of my exploration of the digital fashion design process are working without materiality, working without a physical body and working without physical space as an influence factor.
I further defined the tension between physical and digital and the implications of these new design conditions as areas of interest in my work. The practical part of my thesis will be designing a micro collection of digital fashion items and finding presentation strategies for the digital clothing items.2 My plan is to incorporate the findings from the practical work into my theory part.
With the above considerations in mind, I proceeded to formulate some possible concrete research questions. Below, I am giving a short elaboration on what using the respective questions could result in within my thesis.
Possible Research Questions:
“How do designers conceptualize the role and purpose of fashion in digital spaces, and how does this differ from the role of fashion in physical spaces?”
This research question would allow me to explore the purpose of fashion (self-expression, status, etc.) in the digital realm, as well as how designers are navigating this space. The resulting thesis could study how digital fashion challenges or expands the traditional purposes of clothing.
“What design methodologies are employed by fashion designers when creating virtual clothing, and how do these methods differ from traditional fashion design practices?”
Through this question, I would focus on the design process itself. It could explore how designers transition from physical garment creation to 3D garment creation and how this shift affects their design philosophy and methodology.
“How do fashion designers perceive the relationship between physical and digital fashion, and to what extent are they integrated into a holistic design approach?”
With this question at the heart of my thesis, I could explore how designers view the two realms—do they consider digital fashion as a distinct category, or is it something they aim to merge with traditional fashion? How do they address the challenges of bridging these worlds?
“What are the cultural and ethical considerations that designers must navigate when creating digital fashion, particularly in relation to identity, body representation, and inclusivity?”
While I did not formulate the sociological aspect as the main focus of my research, this question could enable me to touch on the cultural and ethical implications of digital fashion. For example, how do designers ensure that virtual clothing does not perpetuate harmful stereotypes or exclude certain body types or identities?
“How does the rise of digital fashion impact the role of the designer in the future of the fashion industry, and what implications does this have for the academic study of fashion design?”
This research question would open the door to understanding how digital fashion is reshaping the designer’s role and could have interesting implications for academia and future curriculum development in fashion design education.
„How do fashion designers approach the integration of digital and physical fashion, and what does the concept of ‚fashion‘ mean in digital spaces, where traditional functions of clothing—such as materiality and bodily adornment—are absent?“
This question brings together the key elements I am interested in: Designers‘ perspectives on digital vs. physical fashion, the concept of fashion in a virtual context, the philosophical exploration of clothing in spaces where physical presence is not required.
With these possible research questions formulated, I can now revisit my literature, expand my literature research keywords and refine my methodology further.
1 Clarke and Harris, Digital Visions for Fashion and Textiles: Made In Code.
2 Neuburger “Signature Pieces by Signature Moves : Potentials of Motion Tracking in Digital
Fashion – Infusing Aestethics and Shapes with Apporaches from Club Dance Cultures.”
Sources:
Clarke, Sarah E. Braddock, and Jane Harris. Digital Visions for Fashion + Textiles : Made in Code. 1. publ., 2012.
Neuburger, Magdalena. Signature Pieces by Signature Moves : Potentials of Motion Tracking in Digital Fashion – Infusing Aestethics and Shapes with Apporaches from Club Dance Cultures, 2021.
