Fashion concept and context from the perspective of the designer, wearer and viewer

Abstract

This article draws on my practice led PhD at the London College of Fashion proposing alternative practices in a research and design context that explore the edges of fashion, fine art and performance methodology and practice. The project documented and tracked the emergence and development of conceptual and experimental fashion, exposing interdisciplinary practice at the edges of the fashion discipline. The hypothesis underpinning my research was that there can be clearly articulated alternative strategies for fashion design and communication that are concept and context based, rather than being driven by commerce, the market, and trends.

I designed collections of concept-based work, which were driven by concepts and processes and were tested and analysed in a variety of contexts and written up as three major case studies. The process of design developed focuses on the body, movement and behaviour. I argue that designing for contexts such as dance, exhibition and performance requires different approaches considering both concept and context at the point of inception.