Encouraging innovation in the fashion industry through university projects

Abstract

A challenge facing the clothing and fashion industry is the need to integrate different perspectives of visionary innovation. Within current circumstances of the industry and contemporary trends, there are many examples of fashion products and ideas being inspired by, or developed from interdisciplinary and technically oriented components. Based on this direction, curricula in fashion design related departments are being revised to take into account different perspectives of innovations and new technologies related with fashion products. In addition, the interaction between university and industry is an important parameter for the dissemination of the innovation concept from different perspectives, a process in which higher education institutes play a critical role.Within this context, a case project was conducted in the Department of Fashion and Textile Design in a university in Turkey. The aim of the project was to promote a new approach to combining material knowhow with the creative process, and thus draw attention to the intersection of fashion design, technology and innovation. Other investigation issues in this study were the necessity of taking an interdisciplinary approach (and research) for innovation and the contribution of university-industry collaborations.A group of students from different design disciplines were given topics related with technically enhanced fabrics, such as high-visible fabrics, thermal range fabrics, industrial launderable fabrics, flame retardant fabrics and microencapsulated fabrics. Creating a design concept embracing these technical areas was seen as presenting a suitable level of challenge for students. A knitwear production company provided the fabrics for use in student products. At the end of the project, student projects were assessed by university instructors and company representatives. Student comments were also evaluated through survey analyses. Therefore, evaluation of projects was based on three main pillars: the instructors, the company and the students themselves. As a result, it was seen that this project was a new approach for students, and helped them to work with different restrictions in design to find innovative solutions. Students were able to improve their understanding of the effects of technology in fashion design issues, and to extend the boundaries of their creativity by working in an interdisciplinary manner.Such a university-industry project with students from different disciplines could be suggested as representing an important challenge, with the potential for promoting the development of fashion industry and academic growth, especially in countries like Turkey, where industry faces an extremely-competitive environment.Keywords: Innovation, Fashion design education, Interdisciplinary, Creativity, Turkey, University-industry collaboration