Through the previous blog entries, I narrowed in my research topic to a specific area of digital fashion that proved to be my main interest. I was able to determine that I am mainly interested in exploring the design process specifically and that two factors in this process would be of special interest to me. These two factors are materiality and the body as a parameter of fashion design.
In the literature research, the topic of the body as a design parameter in fashion design was discovered to be a fairly recent focus of the research in the field. The body has always been central to fashion design, but an increasing interest in exploring its role has come up over the past decades. This trend extends to the digital fashion space. Baek et al. in their systematic review on digital fashion define the body as “the third most dominant theme within the digital fashion literature”1
This is not surprising, since the absence of the physical body is a central element in digital space by default. Apart from the digital space, the question of physicality remains an interesting topic in traditional fashion design as well. It is a continuous area of interest to investigate how consideration of the human body influences the design process, whether physical or digital. An example of an interesting study on the body in the design process is Julia Valle-Noronha’s design led study, which among other things poses the question if “the personal experience of wearing clothes can be reflected on the making of new clothes”2
The factor of materiality is another central aspect of traditional fashion design. Materiality is crucial in fashion design because it directly impacts the aesthetics, functionality, sustainability, and emotional experience of a garment. It affects several crucial aspects of the design process and the final product. Materiality directly impacts aesthetic and design expression. The texture, drape, opacity, and sheen of a fabric all influence the final look and feel of a garment. Designers choose materials that align with their creative vision and their unique requirements for garments, whether it’s structured tailoring, flowing silhouettes, or avant-garde experimentation.
Materiality also determines a garment’s functionality and wearability. The choice of material affects factors such as wearer comfort, durability, breathability, and movement. A winter coat needs insulating fabrics, while activewear requires moisture-wicking and stretchable materials.
Advances in textiles, such as smart fabrics, biodegradable materials, and 3D-knitted garments, push the boundaries of fashion by offering new possibilities for design and performance.
The material factor also significantly influences considerations on sustainability and ethics. Designers are increasingly turning to recycled, organic, and biodegradable textiles to reduce waste and pollution. In connection to this, there are also economic and production factors that influence material choices. The cost and availability of materials affect the scalability of a design, influencing pricing, accessibility, and production feasibility.
On the more abstract end of the spectrum, materials often facilitate cultural and emotional connection to clothing. Fabrics often carry historical and cultural significance, connecting wearers to traditions, craftsmanship, and storytelling. Additionally, textures and materials evoke emotions and sensory experiences. This last aspect especially makes it challenging to think about the factor of materiality in digital spaces. An exciting experiment on the sensory experiences as a material in itself was introduced by Jan Tepe in 2021.3
Materiality is at the heart of fashion because it determines how a garment looks, feels, functions, and interacts with both the body and the environment.
Through evaluating these issues, I revisited my preliminary master thesis structure and finally arrived at the research question:
How do the parameters of materiality and the human body influence the design thinking process in digital fashion, and how do these constraints and possibilities compare to traditional fashion design workflows?
Through this research question, the master thesis will explore the hypothesis that the shift from traditional to digital fashion design requires a fundamental change in design thinking with regards to designing fashion, as digital materiality and digital body shapes and characteristics redefine garment construction, functionality, and creative constraints. Digital fashion offers expanded creative possibilities in the design workflow of a collection but also introduces new limitations compared to traditional workflows.
The main goals of the thesis are to design and develop a digital fashion micro collection in the form of three avant-garde full-body looks as a case study to explore the constraints and opportunities of digital fashion design. To analyse through a personal design project how digital materiality and (non)- human body shapes can impact the design thinking process compared to traditional fashion workflows. A further goal is to identify key differences and challenges in digital versus traditional fashion design, supported by expert interviews with traditional and digital fashion designers. Additionally, the thesis will document the design process of a personal digital fashion design project in depth, showcasing the iterative nature of digital fashion design and how designers must adapt to digital tools and environments.
1 Baek et al., “Defining Digital Fashion: Reshaping the Field via a Systematic Review.”
2 Valle-Noronha, “The Body Within the Clothes: A Case Study on Clothing Design Practice From a Practitioner Viewpoint.”
3 Tepe, “Investigating Sensory Perception as a Material for Fashion Design,” May 8, 2021.
Sources:
Baek, Eunsoo, Shelley Haines, Omar H. Fares, Zhihong Huang, Yuwei Hong, and Seung Hwan Mark Lee. “Defining Digital Fashion: Reshaping the Field via a Systematic Review.” Computers in Human Behavior 137 (August 4, 2022): 107407. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2022.107407.
Tepe, Jan. “Investigating Sensory Perception as a Material for Fashion Design.” New York City, New York, United States of America, May 8, 2021. https://doi.org/10.1145/3411763.3450384.
Valle-Noronha, Julia. “The Body Within the Clothes: A Case Study on Clothing Design Practice From a Practitioner Viewpoint.” Conference Paper. Helsinki, Finland, 2017. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/323336313_The_body_within_the_clothes_A_case_study_on_clothing_design_practice_from_a_practitioner_viewpoint.
Futher Reading:
Body and Space Research Lab. “The Body and Textiles at the Intersection of the Physical and Digital Through Movement — Body and Space Research Lab,” n.d. https://www.bodyandspace.com/the-body-and-textiles-at-the-intersection-of-the-physical-and digital-through-movement.
