Investigating Creative Processes and Pedagogy in the UK: Fashion Thinking

Abstract

This article proposes that a new generation of designers is needed within the UK fashion industry with a combined skill-set of designer-led innovation, a critical approach to new technology and an understanding of new engineering, digital and scientific paradigms. The training of a new type of fashion student/researcher/designer is focused necessarily towards one who is able to work in a transdicsiplinary structure, and who also has a deep academic understanding of the field, able to question and hold to account emerging new industrial models. The machinery and techniques commonly used, practiced and taught within the UK fashion industry and academia have not significantly changed in the past 100 years. However, recent manufacturing innovation and other technological advances including Additive Manufacture, nanotechnology, bio-engineering, electronics enhanced fabrics and digital design processes are enabling the fashion industry to reinvent itself at an international level. Led by a newly developing confidence in practice-based and practice-led research methods for fashion, this collection of technologies and capabilities could fundamentally change the future of the UK fashion design industry, therefore radical change is needed in the training of fashion designers in UK design schools.