Situated Empathy: Constructed theoretical discourse addressing the empathetic motivations shared by fashion design for sustainability, and the potential of Socially Engaged Buddhist Ethics to inform design practice. This thesis is submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Susan Thomas MA, PGDP, PGDP (DES), BA (HONS) School of Architecture and Design Design and the Social Context Portfolio RMIT University March 2011 DECLARATION I certify that except where due acknowledgment has been made, the work is of the author alone; the work has not been submitted previously, in whole or part, to qualify for another academic award; the content of the thesis is the result of work which has been carried out since the official commencement date of the approved research program; and any editorial work, paid or unpaid carried out by a third party is acknowledged. Susan Thomas 3 March 2011 ii SUSAN THOMAS — MARCH 2011 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I would like to thank and acknowledge Associate Professor Dr Soumitri Varadarajan for his supervision, Elana Steinberg for her adroit fleet editing, Gwen Scott - RMIT University Library for her skilled research, Lorna Hendry for formatting the tables and diagrams, friends Liliana Pomazan, Jan McIllree, Diana Klein and Dr A. W. Brian De Silva for friendship, encouragement and patience, sanity and laughter when needed. In addition, I would like to thank the Fashion Design students (past and present) for asking hard questions. For support, patience and metta, I would like to thank Bhante (Venerable Tejadhammo Bhikku). In addition would like to extend thanks to my Australian cousins Sue, Curtis and Lisa for watching over me. To dear friends near and far; scattered over England, Aotearoa New Zealand and Australia, thank you for your tolerance, patience and love. To my family I would like to thank them for their love, support and trust: my sisters Sal (Sarah), Jules (Julia), my brother Guy and my mother Elvyn, and those who have passed on during the research; my aunt Nancy Smith, and great uncle Alan Pead, and my father Douglas Thomas. SITUATED EMPATHY iii Table of Contents Declaration ii Acknowledgments iii Summary xiii INTRODUCTION Introduction 2 The Beginning of the Research 3 Research Design and Methodology 3 The Bridging Intention 5 Tipping Point 6 A Paradoxical Industry 7 An Industry Without Responsibility 7 Absence of Fashion Contributing to Design for Sustainability 8 Addressing Sustainability 9 Merit and Importance of the Research 10 Research Aim 10 Scope 11 Literature review 11 Fashion Industry and Sustainability 12 Other Sources 15 Reports 16 Sustainability Texts 17 Empathy Writings 19 Buddhist Ethics and Socially Engaged Buddhism Writings 20 Overview of the Chapters 20 Conclusion 21 THE ROLE OF LANGUAGE IN CONSTRUCTING FASHION DESIGN FOR SUSTAINABILITY Introduction 26 Fashion Journalism is not ‘Realistic’ 27 Language Confusion 29 Owning the Language 30 Historical Overview 31 iv SUSAN THOMAS — MARCH 2011 A Fashioned Lexicon 33 Ecology and Eco-Fashion 34 Fair Trade 34 Ethical 36 Green 37 Greenwash 38 Environmental 39 Organic 39 Provenance 40 Recycled 40 Sustainability 41 Labelling 42 Conclusion 44 SEARCHING FOR ETHICS, EQUALITY AND RESPONSIBILITY Introduction 48 Functions of Fashion 48 Roles and Realms Within the Industry 50 Haute Couture 54 Prêt-à-Porter 54 The High Street, Chain Stores and Multiple Store Retailers 56 Time and Fast Fashion 58 Opportunities for Ethical Behaviour in the Fashion Industry 59 Personal, Professional or Corporate Response 60 Drivers for Responsibility 61 Inequality, Responding with Philanthropy and Altruism 62 Ethical Response 64 Appreciating the Potential for Fashion Industry 65 Conclusion 67 SITUATED EMPATHY v SOURCING ETHICS AND ATTRIBUTING VALUE Introduction 72 Clarifying the Terms 73 Values 74 Morals 74 Ethics 74 Sourcing Ethics for Sustainability 76 Placing Ethics in the Industry 76 Recognition of Life via Empathy: Environment, Humanity, Animals 77 Reverence for Animal Life 79 Sustainability and Buddhist Synergies 80 Origins of Buddhist Philosophy 82 Situating 83 Life, ‘The Other’ and Rights 84 Sourcing Buddhist Ethics 84 The Four Noble Truths 85 Vinaya and la and The Eight Fold Path 86 Precepts 86 Socially Engaged Buddhism 87 Environment 88 Copyright (Intellectual & Cultural) 89 Cultural Property 90 Conclusion 90 NEGOTIATING CONTEMPORARY SUSTAINABILITY THINKING Introduction 96 Contemporary Sustainability Writing and Theories 97 Sustainability and the Environment 97 Social Impact and Sustainability 100 Animal Rights 102 Human Rights 103 Fashion and Sustainability 104 Fashion Design/Production Loop (FD/PL) 106 vi SUSAN THOMAS — MARCH 2011 The Design Phase 107 The Production Phase 109 The Pre-Purchase Phase 111 The Post Production and Consumption Phase 112 Reflections on Making a Sustainable Industry 113 Possible Applications of Ethics Within the FD/PL 114 Contributing to a New Reading of Fashion Design for Sustainability 114 Conclusion 114 SEEKING THE SOCIAL AND SENTIENT IN SUSTAINABILITY AND FASHION PRACTICE Introduction 118 Readings of Sustainability 120 Ethical Issues Relating to Sustainability in the Fashion Design/Production Loop: Version Two 122 Property 123 Property: Intellectual Copyright 123 Cultural: Copyright and Property 124 Exclusivity 125 Sizeism (Sample & Production) 125 Ageism 126 Sexism 126 Racism 127 Labour, Social Justice and Global Equity 127 Child Labour 127 Sweatshops 128 Outworkers 128 Social Justice and Global Equity 129 Animal Rights as a Sustainability Issue 130 Environment and Its Place in the Impact Hierarchy 130 Impact Hierarchy 131 Conclusion 132 SITUATED EMPATHY vii THE ROLE(S) OF EMPATHY Introduction 136 Empathy, Equality and Fairness 137 Empathy 137 Equality 139 Fairness and the Australian Milieu 140 Designer 141 Empathy as a Designer Tool 141 Empathetic Design Methodologies 142 Role of the Consumer/User 144 Other Potentialities of Empathy 145 Corporate 146 Empathy in the Supply Chain 147 The Planet and its Inhabitants 148 Conclusion 149 DESIGN AS PHILOSOPHICAL SOCIAL ENGAGEMENT Introduction 154 Rationality 155 Design Has Been About Rationalism 155 Fashion and Rationality 156 Rationality, Sustainability and Philosophy 157 Engagement, Service and Surrender 158 Designing as Problem Solving - Social Engagement as a Design Rationale 158 Engaged design 160 Service 160 Surrendering or Suspending the Creative Self to Dogma, Branding or Ego 163 viii SUSAN THOMAS — MARCH 2011 Religion to Philosophy 168 Socially Engaged Buddhism: Enacted Philosophy 170 The Socially Engaged Buddhist Intention 171 Principles for the Engaged Buddhist Fashion Designer 172 Conclusion 175 THE CONCLUSION Introduction 182 Connecting and Working in Concert 182 Lack of Fashion Design for Sustainability Texts 183 Revisiting the Research Questions and Aim 183 Confusion and Lack of Depth in Language 184 Lack of Life Cycle Analysis from a Designer’s Perspective 184 Need for ethical behaviour and responsibility 184 Design as Social Engagement 185 Empathy as Integral to the Holistic Sustainability Response 185 Need for Different Hierarchies 186 The Role of Empathy and Equality 186 Untenable Option: Philosophy can Direct Design Intent 187 Fear of Religion 187 Characteristics of a Philosophy-Inspired Response 187 Synthesis of Principles 188 Pursuing Other Philosophies or Religions 188 Design as a New Buddhist Sub-Field 189 Changing Context of Practice 189 Transferable Skills 190 Impact and Contribution of the Research 191 References 192 Trade Shows, Exhibitions and Fashion Events 192 Reports, Conferences and Papers 192 Books, Articles, Publications, Glossaries 194 SITUATED EMPATHY ix TABLE OF CONTENTS FIGURE 1. WELL FASHIONED TOWARDS OUR ECO FASHION FUTURE – 33 EXHIBITION POSTER/FLYER CRAFTS COUNCIL UK 2006.` FIGURE 2. MINNIE DRIVER IN OXFAM FAIR TRADE ORGANIC COTTON ADVERTISEMENT UK 2007. 35 HTTP://THEINSPIRATIONROOM.COM/DAILY/2007/MAKE-TRADE-FAIR/ FIGURE 3. A CONFRONTING IMAGE WITH SHIRLEY MASON FOR PETA 2007. 37 HTTP://IDUNITED.WORDPRESS.COM/2007/03/27/PETA/ FIGURE 4. VANITY FAIR, ‘GREEN ISSUE’, MAY 2006. 38 HTTP://WWW.VOGUE.CO.UK/NEWS/DAILY/2006-04/060406-GREEN-GODDESS-.ASPX FIGURE 5. LAUNDRY PAL - IPHONE WASHING LABELS APPLICATION. 43 HTTP://ITUNES.APPLE.COM/US/APP/LAUNDRY-PAL/ID305814009?MT=8 FIGURE 6. GLOBAL DIMENSIONS OF THE FOREST DRESS AND THE MERINO TEE 53 FROM BROTHERHOOD OF ST LAURENCE, ‘TRAVELLING TEXTILES: A SUSTAINABILITY ROADMAP OF NATURAL FIBRE GARMENTS.’ 2008. HTTP://THEHUB.ETHICS.ORG.AU/SME/SUSTAINABILITY_ROUNDTABLES FIGURE 7. DIOR SPRING/SUMMER 2011 PRÊT-À-PORTER AND HAUTE COUTURE IMAGES. 55 HTTP://WWW.TENDANCES-DE-MODE.COM/EN/2010/07/06/1812-DIOR-HAUTE-COUTURE-FALL-WINTER-2010-2011 HTTP://WWW.FASHIONWINDOWS.NET/2010/10/CHRISTIAN-DIOR-SPRING-2011/ FIGURE 8. JOSH GROOT FOR TARGET 2007. 56 HTTP://WWW.DAILYTELEGRAPH.COM.AU/ENTERTAINMENT/SYDNEY-CONFIDENTIAL/ GOOT-TARGE TS-DESIGNER-MARKE T/STORY/E6FRE WZ0 -1111113549126 HTTP://WWW.SMH.COM.AU/NEWS/HOME-LIFESTYLE/GOOT-TO-GO/2007/05/15/1178995161774.HTML FIGURE 9. INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL DRIVERS FOR D4S (HEADINGS ONLY) DESIGN FOR SUSTAINABILITY 62 – A PRACTICAL APPROACH FOR DEVELOPING ECONOMIES UNEP 2006 P.27 HTTP://WWW.D4S-DE.ORG/MANUAL/D4SCHAPTER02.PDF FIGURE 10. THE FASHION DESIGN/PRODUCTION LOOP VERSION TWO OVERLAPPING THE GLOBE. 64 FIGURE 11. RED™ LABEL LEVIS. 66 HTTP://EVENTBLOG.RO/WP-CONTENT/UPLOADS/2010/11/PRODUCT-RED.JPG FIGURE 12. SOURCES OF ETHICS IN THE SUPPLY-CHAIN/GARMENT LIFE-CYCLE. 76 FIGURE 13. ENACTORS OF ETHICS (IN THE FASHION INFRASTRUCTURE) 76 FIGURE 14. CAGED