Explorations into how Fashion Practice can support child expression and communication

This follow up presentation explores progress in an ongoing practice based PhD, which uses co-design methods to understand how fashion thinking and practice can contribute to the development of adolescents through tactile artefacts.
This study uses primary qualitative data collection methods in the form of a series of co-design workshops with children. Three workshops were initially undertaken, which included use of an emotion wheel (developed as a means of self assessment for this project) to explore colour and shape symbolism; collage to explore texture and surface, and paper model making to explore scale and form.
We revisit the study with the outcomes of primary workshops analysed and with physical artefacts under construction based on the results of these findings and subsequent literature and practice reviews. The study considers the subject of Fashion as a medium to develop narratives and communicate concepts; rather than considering Fashion from the perspective of clothing or industrial processes and methods. Artefacts are therefore anticipated to be wearable, but not conventional or commercial. The intention of the study is that child participants (wearers and viewers of the artefacts) will be able to engage with the pieces and this interaction will support them through the embodied symbolism associated with the visual and tactile features within.