Graduate Fashion Week: June 2011
A Diversity Network to pioneer new design approaches for Diverse Body Ideals.
Run by Director Mal Burkinshaw: Programme Director of Fashion at Edinburgh College of Art and located at the Scottish Academy of Fashion at Edinburgh College of Art, the goal is to create a long term ‘Network of Excellence,’ for research relating to emotionally considerate design for a range of body shapes. The network will be a hub for dynamic and challenging creative research that will span the breadth of modern fashion pedagogy.
Academics say…
“Graduates are the future – as identified by the All Walks Beyond the Catwalk initiative; will need embrace and understand diversity in an increasingly complex global market, the Edinburgh College of Art and All Walks Beyond the Catwalk, Diversity Network, will tackle research questions such as:
• How can academic institutions develop emotionally considerate graduates?
• How can businesses communicate emotion and add meaning to their products and brands to enhance value and engage with more diverse markets?
We are entering an era where emotion and experience are increasingly important in both personal and professional development… people are looking for diversity, meaning and integrity in what they do and what they buy and embracing individualism after a prolonged period of mass-market consumption. How does design affect mood? Can specific design elements such as colour, size and style affect consumer behaviour? Can psychological issues related to identity and well-being be fused into fashion to comfort the consumer? The idea of Emotional Engagement could revolutionize both the way we teach our design students and how businesses market their products globally.”
Students say…
“I wanted to let you know how much I enjoyed the Diversity Network event – Body Talks. The talks from all the speakers really inspired me as they cemented the fact that there are people in the fashion industry who talk openly about issues and have strong moral values. This then made me think that by the time I come to graduating and start working that I don’t have to change who I am to fit into the industry and can succeed but remain down to earth like all the speakers were. Another reason they were really inspiring was that I feel strongly about seeing everybody as equal, being grounded and being my own person which these talks showed me were possible in the fashion industry.”
Rhys McKenna – Edinburgh College of Art.
Project Principal Contact:
Mal Burkinshaw, Programme Director of Fashion, Edinburgh College of Art, Lauriston Place. Edinburgh, EH3 9DF Contact: m.burkinshaw@ed.ac.uk
See key team here.
See Director Mal Burkinshaw’s aims here.
Research Project Team:
Linda Shearer, Programme Organiser, BA (Hons) Fashion Business, Caledonian Business School, Glasgow Caledonian University
Karen Cross, Course Leader, BA (Hons) Fashion Management, Aberdeen Business School, The Robert Gordon University
Jo Royle, Head of Department of Communication, Marketing and Media, Aberdeen Business School, The Robert Gordon University
Anne Chaisty, Course Leader BA [HONS] Fashion Studies The Arts, University College at Bournemouth
Philip Clark, Programme Leader Fashion Photography and Communication: Southampton Solent University
Jacq McMahon, Research Development advisor.
Key Partners/advisers:
Caryn Franklin, Debra Bourne, Erin O’Connor: All Walks Beyond the Catwalk
National Galleries of Scotland
Scottish Academy of Fashion
Denise McKeever: Designovater
With thanks to Rinaldo Girasoli, Former Lecturer in Pattern Cutting, Edinburgh College of Art