THE DESIGNERS Workshop
JAN.25.20
Throughout the last year of research and Lab events, one distinct group of people, and their stories have consistently cut through. They are designers.
At this point, it is worth noting that the fashion industry has largely positioned sustainability roles within the supply chain and marketing teams. The irony is that Fashion is a creative industry, powered by designers, but for the most part designers are not in positions of power to influence decision making and the radical thinking this moment requires. And that has consequences in how designers feel about their work.
Conventionally, people pursue Fashion Design as a career inspired by a love of color, sculpting with materials, and playing with identity and image making. Fashion as an industry, however, has been distorted by the influence of Fast Fashion, and design now comes with a heavy environmental cost. These impacts are just beginning to be taught in design schools, meaning that designers become aware of the impacts of their career only AFTER going to design school. In the PRETTY/UGLY research, anger ranks highest when designers are surveyed about their feeling toward the issue. The pace of change in the world today is more than most can keep up with, meanwhile working inside a Brand the ability to make the kinds of dramatic changes required to address the impacts of Fashion is maddeningly slow. That leaves this group of creative professionals sitting at their desks producing more and more work, with a growing feeling of discomfort, frustration, and lack of agency. There is a tension between love and discomfort for these designers. PRETTY/UGLY believes this is a tipping point.
These findings inspired PRETTY/UGLY to host THE DESIGNERS Workshop, an event for working fashion designers to visualize their collective feelings and frustrations, map their personal assets and barriers, and to prototype radical redesigns of the fashion system.
JAN.25.20
Throughout the last year of research and Lab events, one distinct group of people, and their stories have consistently cut through. They are designers.
At this point, it is worth noting that the fashion industry has largely positioned sustainability roles within the supply chain and marketing teams. The irony is that Fashion is a creative industry, powered by designers, but for the most part designers are not in positions of power to influence decision making and the radical thinking this moment requires. And that has consequences in how designers feel about their work.
Conventionally, people pursue Fashion Design as a career inspired by a love of color, sculpting with materials, and playing with identity and image making. Fashion as an industry, however, has been distorted by the influence of Fast Fashion, and design now comes with a heavy environmental cost. These impacts are just beginning to be taught in design schools, meaning that designers become aware of the impacts of their career only AFTER going to design school. In the PRETTY/UGLY research, anger ranks highest when designers are surveyed about their feeling toward the issue. The pace of change in the world today is more than most can keep up with, meanwhile working inside a Brand the ability to make the kinds of dramatic changes required to address the impacts of Fashion is maddeningly slow. That leaves this group of creative professionals sitting at their desks producing more and more work, with a growing feeling of discomfort, frustration, and lack of agency. There is a tension between love and discomfort for these designers. PRETTY/UGLY believes this is a tipping point.
These findings inspired PRETTY/UGLY to host THE DESIGNERS Workshop, an event for working fashion designers to visualize their collective feelings and frustrations, map their personal assets and barriers, and to prototype radical redesigns of the fashion system.
PRE WORK
DESIGNERS SURVEY
In advance of the Workshop,PRETTY/UGLY surveyed Fashion Designers to understand the gaps between their fashion and environmental training. Questions covered professional training background, current working status, formal and informal understating of sustainability, current feelings in response to the issue, and their assessment of their power to drive change.
The Survey revealed that a majority of fashion designers care deeply about the impacts of their work, but nearly 90% had no earth science or sustainability training. Meaning, they learn about the enormous impact the industry has on the environment only AFTER starting their career. The industry at large has placed decision making about sustainable practices in the hands of the supply chain and finance teams, meaning that designers are largely left out of the conversation. Reported feelings map along the Kugler-Ross Five Stages of Loss and Grieving.
DESIGNERS SURVEY
In advance of the Workshop,PRETTY/UGLY surveyed Fashion Designers to understand the gaps between their fashion and environmental training. Questions covered professional training background, current working status, formal and informal understating of sustainability, current feelings in response to the issue, and their assessment of their power to drive change.
The Survey revealed that a majority of fashion designers care deeply about the impacts of their work, but nearly 90% had no earth science or sustainability training. Meaning, they learn about the enormous impact the industry has on the environment only AFTER starting their career. The industry at large has placed decision making about sustainable practices in the hands of the supply chain and finance teams, meaning that designers are largely left out of the conversation. Reported feelings map along the Kugler-Ross Five Stages of Loss and Grieving.
TOOLS #1
Feelings Mapping
The survey had revealed the complex emotions felt by the Designers. What was unclear was whether or not the Designers themselves had interrogated their feelings individually or collectively.
The Feelings Mapping Tool was designed by PRETTY/UGLY as an icebreaker and collaborative activity. The Tool was based on the Abraham-Hicks Emotional Guidance framework. The designers were given five key questions to answer ranging from how they felt about their role, their future, and their power as creative professionals. The collective output was a visual metaphor that allowed the group to align and find community.
Feelings Mapping
The survey had revealed the complex emotions felt by the Designers. What was unclear was whether or not the Designers themselves had interrogated their feelings individually or collectively.
The Feelings Mapping Tool was designed by PRETTY/UGLY as an icebreaker and collaborative activity. The Tool was based on the Abraham-Hicks Emotional Guidance framework. The designers were given five key questions to answer ranging from how they felt about their role, their future, and their power as creative professionals. The collective output was a visual metaphor that allowed the group to align and find community.
TOOLS #2
Barriers and Assets Mapping
To document how the Designers felt about their power, PRETTY/UGLY designed two maps to enable attendees to share their ideas on these two topic by using post-its. Barriers to Change used the Iceberg framework to uncover the hidden barriers to change, and a 2x2 grid to document personal and collective power.
Valuable conversation happened naturally during the process as the group discussed the meaning and merits of their responses.
Barriers and Assets Mapping
To document how the Designers felt about their power, PRETTY/UGLY designed two maps to enable attendees to share their ideas on these two topic by using post-its. Barriers to Change used the Iceberg framework to uncover the hidden barriers to change, and a 2x2 grid to document personal and collective power.
Valuable conversation happened naturally during the process as the group discussed the meaning and merits of their responses.
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TOOLS #3
Mini Prototyp
Finally, the third part of the Workshop allowed the group to mini prototype alternate realities for the industry. PRETTY/UGLY initiated this section with six prototyping prompts from the tactical to the extreme: “Unlikely Partners”, “Regenerative Systems”, “Mending”, “Storytelling”, “Designer’s Manifesto”, and “Rebellion”.
Designers formed groups according to the prompt idea that resonates most for them. PRETTY/UGLY provided a canvas to facilitate the process, walking the designers through a scaffolded ideation process to create and visualize concepts.
Mini Prototyp
Finally, the third part of the Workshop allowed the group to mini prototype alternate realities for the industry. PRETTY/UGLY initiated this section with six prototyping prompts from the tactical to the extreme: “Unlikely Partners”, “Regenerative Systems”, “Mending”, “Storytelling”, “Designer’s Manifesto”, and “Rebellion”.
Designers formed groups according to the prompt idea that resonates most for them. PRETTY/UGLY provided a canvas to facilitate the process, walking the designers through a scaffolded ideation process to create and visualize concepts.
PRETTY/UGLY WORK
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