Symposium on Fashion Communication for Socio-Ecological Transformation

Moderated by Elsa Darlington

10:30-11:15, Q-801 + online

The Framing the Field panel will situate the central themes of our Symposium within their contemporary context, and ground the day ahead in the current Fashion Communications landscape. The panel will bring together pioneering voices and thought leaders from education, storytelling, activism, and sustainability advocacy, to unpack the present state of fashion communication for socio-ecological transformation. How do we presently understand and see fashion communication operating for socio-ecological good, and bad? What are the current pitfalls and obstacles of successful fashion communication, and what can it do when used to its full potential?

Panelists: Rachel Arthur, Stephanie Barker-Fry, Aditi Mayer, Louise Xin

Moderated by Fiona Schlumberger

14:45-15:20, Q-801 + online

The student innovation showcase will feature exceptional work from LCF and AUP students in the domains of art, design, and activism. Students’ projects span multiple disciplines, formats, and problematics, highlighting the need for a variety of angles to solve complex issues. Students will present work responding to questions such as what change needs to be made, where does change come from, who are the agents of change, and who needs to change in this field?

LCF Students: Cloud Dare, Constanca Dias Goulart De Menezes Coelho, Luna Quintanilla

AUP Students: Kathryn Galloway, Charlotte Jenkins

Moderated by Michelle Doyle

17:15-18:00, C-103 + online

This session opens with introductions from leading professionals in the emerging field of fashion communication for socio-ecological transformation. Our distinguished contributors come from diverse backgrounds, ranging from communication agencies to fashion design, creative storytelling, academia, journalism, and beyond. 

Join us to explore the multifaceted pathways and opportunities within the field as our speakers share their insights, experiences, and visions for the future of fashion communication. The opening introductions will be followed by 30 minutes of breakout sessions designed to cultivate meaningful engagement between audience and speakers in their unique areas of expertise.

Contributors: Theodoor Adriaans, Sophie Barr, Amelie Deloche, Aditi Mayer, Naydeline Mejia, Victoire Satto, Muchaneta ten Napel, Matthew Yarborough

FACILITATED BY: RACHEL ARTHUR AND SOPHIE BARR 

For systems change within the fashion sector, addressing production impacts alone will not be enough. Shifting patterns of excess consumption must also be a priority, which means confronting the dominant linear economic model and its accompanying narrative of newness, immediacy and disposability. Join this workshop for a deep dive on The Sustainable Fashion Communication Playbook published by UNEP and UN Climate Change. 

We will explore the power of fashion’s marketing engine, and the responsibility and opportunity that lies with consumer-facing communicators to align efforts to sustainability targets, incorporating both environmental and social factors. The workshop will explore how to take action through 1) countering misinformation, 2) reducing messages perpetuating overconsumption, 3) redirecting aspiration to more sustainable lifestyles, and 4) empowering consumers to demand greater action from businesses and policymakers.

FACILITATED BY: BESTE BONNARD AND MICHELLE DOYLE

This experiential, interactive workshop, led by acclaimed French plant- based dye artist, designer, and author Beste Bonnard explores the intersection of cultural sustainability in fashion and material impact. The workshop begins with a thought-provoking discussion framing the need for diverse and engaging modes of communications conveying the socio-ecological impact of reviving and conserving culturally significant design practices and materials with ethical considerations.

Afterwards, we’ll transition into a creative session where participants will craft their own tote bag by eco-printing with local plants. Through this process, we’ll connect to the impact, meaning and cultural heritage embedded within the practice, witnessing the experience as a conduit of communication.

This workshop offers a unique opportunity to collectively develop communication practices that effectively convey the complexities of sustainability in fashion. By examining the connections we have to our garments through the lens of culture, craft, and material awareness, we can foster meaningful dialogue and advocacy, equipping ourselves with the tools and knowledge to become agents of conscious and intentional communication.

FACILITATED BY: FIONA SCHLUMBERGER

What skills and tools are concretely available to us to (re)develop our relationship to our clothes? This workshop invites you to consider mindfulness and meditation as a skill and communications approach to seeing deeply into how we relate to our wardrobes. You’ll be guided in a tactile garment meditation and group discussions to get in touch with how our wardrobes connect us to the earth, to people, and to our personal histories. Together, we can take this opportunity to slow down and look deeply into what we have, how it can relate us to each other, and how we might develop new forms of agency in our fashion use. This workshop has been developed as part of an in-progress Master’s thesis entitled “The Cosmos in Our Closets: Examining Buddhist Approaches to Repairing the Broken Connection Between Us and Our Clothes”.

FACILITATED BY: TANVEER AHMED

Can we re-imagine a liberatory, global majority centered fashion system based on current fashion terms and vocabulary or is it time for a new lexicon of fashion?

In this workshop we will deconstruct dominant fashion terminology that is often underpinned by dominant Eurocentric and Westernized knowledge systems and histories based on body sizing, wasteful resources and profit based on human exploitation. Instead, we will question what language is needed for a more emancipatory, inclusive and anti-racist fashion system and collectively co- create and re-invent new words to shape and re-generate a more equitable fashion system that works for everyone.

FACILITATED BY: AMELIE DELOCHE AND MADELINE CZARNIK

We will delve into strategies for promoting sustainability authentically, explore influencer case studies, navigate the pitfalls of greenwashing, and learn to monetize ethical communication. Gain insights into effective storytelling and eco-friendly styling while maintaining authenticity.

Whether you’re a seasoned influencer or just starting out in the field, this workshop equips you to advocate for sustainable fashion practices. Don’t miss this opportunity to align your passion for fashion with ethical responsibility!

FACILITATED BY: THEODOOR ADRIAANS AND SYED ZAMAN

As queer people, we choose deliberately to be visible or invisible via our often idiosyncratic clothing styles. But what are the symbols that we affiliate ourselves with? Symbols that are maybe invisible, but that can reveal a lot about our identity.

In this workshop you’ll be introduced to historical and contemporary Queer Semiotics in fashion. All are invited to join in designing and crafting a wearable quilted talisman. Select your own fabrics, threads, paints and stamps, fabric markers, and other materials with which to embellish your piece. Using words, symbols, and imagery, design your talisman to speak about your individual and community values, your theory of change, or your alignment within activism(s).

FACILITATED BY: SARA WYNN

Embroidery, an ancient art form, serves not only as a means of decoration but also as a form of communication, telling stories, preserving traditions, and conveying messages. In this workshop, participants will delve into the rich history of embroidery and its relevance to sustainable fashion and sociological discourse within the industry.

The workshop will begin with introducing participants to the historical significance of embroidery as a form of communication, and an exploration of the role of embroidery in sustainable fashion practices. Afterwards, there will be a guided embroidery session where participants will have the opportunity to practice basic embroidery stitches and reflect on themes of sustainability and communication within the fashion industry.

This workshop will impart practical embroidery skills and encourage participants to critically examine the role of embroidery in sustainable fashion and social communication. By understanding the language of stitching, participants can contribute to the ongoing dialogue surrounding ethical fashion practices and societal change within the fashion industry.

FACILITATED BY: MUCHANETA TEN NAPEL

The Power of Policy and Honest Communication in the Age of Greenwashing is not your average workshop. In this session, we will cut through the noise to show you the real deal behind fashion communication in a world filled with greenwashing. We will deep dive into how policy shapes the truth we hear and the claims we see.

Our goal? To equip you with the insight to spot and support real sustainability. Expect to leave not just informed, but transformed and ready to decode the messages and motives behind the communication tactics of the fashion industry. Prepare to dive into the exciting intersection of fashion, policy, and truth.