Interweaving Dressmaking and Placemaking
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
RE (DIS) COVERING FASHION DESIGNERS Interweaving Dressmaking and Placemaking NAMKYU CHUN RE(DIS)COVERING FASHION DESIGNERS INTERWEAVING DRESSMAKING AND PLACEMAKING SUPERVISING PROFESSOR KIRSI NIINIMÄKI THESIS ADVISORS OLGA GUROVA, KIRSI NIINIMÄKI PRELIMINARY EXAMINERS MARILYN DELONG, PAMMI SINHA RE OPPONENT PAMMI SINHA (DIS) COVERING AALTO UNIVERSITY PUBLICATION SERIES DOCTORAL DISSERTATIONS 180/2018 FASHION AALTO UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF ARTS, DESIGN AND ARCHITECTURE DEPARTMENT OF DESIGN AALTO ARTS BOOKS ESPOO, FINLAND SHOP.AALTO.FI DESIGNERS ©Namkyu Chun, 2018 Interweaving Dressmaking and Placemaking Graphic design: Patrícia Rezende Materials: Scandia Natural 115 g, Invercote Creato 300 g ISBN 978-952-60- 8188-5 (printed) ISBN 978-952-60- 8189-2 (pdf) ISSN 1799-4934 ISSN 1799-4942 (electronic) NAMKYU CHUN Unigrafia Helsinki 2018 4 5 For the people who have been singing ‘Bread and Roses’ 6 7 TABLE OF CONTENTS Acknowledgements 13 3. Weaving Narratives in Helsinki 61 Abstract 16 3.1. Two Inquiries and 62 Methodological Challenges 1. Introduction 18 3.2. The Context of Helsinki 67 2. Call for Rethinking the 25 Role of Fashion Designers 3.3. Substudy 1: Grounded Theory Strategy 75 2.1. The Condition of the Contemporary 28 3.3.1. Types of Grounded Theory 75 Fashion System 3.3.2. Implications of Grounded Theory 79 2.1.1. Contextualizing Fashion Design 29 3.3.3. Theoretical Sampling and Data Collection 80 2.1.2. Conceptualizing Fashion Designers 33 3.3.4. Coding Phases 85 2.2. Recovering the Meaning of 35 Fashion Design Profession 3.4. Substudy 2: Case Study Strategy 92 2.2.1. The Rise of the Design Profession 35 3.4.1. Research Questions and Proposition 92 2.2.2. Identifying the Gap Between 40 3.4.2. Designing a Single Case Study 94 Design and Fashion 3.4.3. Collecting Multiple Sources of Evidence 96 2.3. Rediscobery of Fashion Design Practice 45 3.3.4. Thematic Analysis 100 2.3.1. Dressmaking in the Empire of Fashion 47 3.5. Addressing Ethical Issues 103 2.3.2. Placemaking in the (Im)material 54 3.6. The Weaving Metaphor 105 World of Fashion 2.4. Conclusion to the Chapter 58 8 9 4. The Warp: Fashion Design Thinking 113 5. The Weft: Expanded Role 183 of Fashion Designers 4.1. Theoretical Scope for Substudy 1 116 5.1. Theoretical Foundations: 185 4.1.1. Design Practice in Design Thinking 116 Placemaking of Fashion Design 4.1.2. Fashion Design 122 5.2. The Past and Present 190 of Pre Helsinki 4.1.3. Fashion Thinking 123 5.2.1. Background: Two Disconnects 191 4.1.4. The Cultural Turn in 127 in Finnish Fashion Design Thinking 5.2.2. Origin: Two Solutions for Reconnecting 194 4.1.5. The Culture of Fashion Design 128 5.2.3. Activities: How It Works 197 4.2. Theoretical Scheme for 132 Fashion Design Thinking 5.2.4. Main Actors: Organizers, Designers 201 and External Partners 4.2.1. Three Dimensions for Fashion 133 Design Practice 5.3. Fashion Designers as Placemakers 209 4.2.2. Two Dimensions for Fashion 143 5.3.1. Characteristics of Pre Helsinki 210 Design Culture 5.3.2. Involvements of Fashion 214 4.3. Fashion Design Thinking from the Data 156 Designers in the Pre Helsinki Case 4.3.1. Dressmaking Practice of Individual 156 5.4. Discussion of the Chapter 219 Fashion Designers 5.4.1. Challenges: Internal 219 4.3.2. Shared Culture of Fashion Designers 171 and External Tensions 4.4. Conclusion to the Chapter 179 5.4.2. Implications of the Case: 221 Alternative Scenario 10 11 6. Two Studies Woven Together 225 8. References 267 6.1. Application of Fashion 226 9. Appendices 287 Design Thinking in Placemaking Appendix 1. An Informed Consent Form 288 7. Discussion and Conclusion 239 Appendix 2. Interview Guide 289 7.1. Fashion Designers Re(dis)covered 240 for Substudy 1 and 2 7.2. Reflections on Design 242 Appendix 3. A List of Interview 294 and Fashion Research Respondents for Substudy 1 7.2.1. On Research Domains 242 Appendix 4. A List of Activities 295 during the Doctoral Studies 7.2.2. On Fashion Design Thinking 244 7.2.3. On Fashion Designer’s Expanded 247 Role as Placemakers 7.3. Contributions of the Dissertation 248 7.4. Something Left Between 250 Rediscovery and Recovery 7.5. Assessment of the Research Quality 254 7.6. Future Implications 257 7.6.1. Academic Implications 258 7.6.2. Practical Implications 261 7.7. Concluding Remarks 263 12 13 Acknowledgements This dissertation is written as an academic publication with the full in- tention of respecting previous studies from relevant research domains. However, its contents are the result of my personal journey as a “recov- ering fashion designer.” I first heard an architect using the term “recovering” to describe his recent decision to focus on a social orientation in practice and take the role of facilitator, rather than becoming a renowned architect. As a former fashion student from South Korea who used to dream of making a name for myself for my family’s sake, the description truly rang a bell. This inspired my journey to begin to rediscover what I can potentially do for society. Similar to the weaving metaphor that I used in this dissertation, I wove numerous threads of the warp and the weft together to help me recover myself by reflecting on the profession of fashion design. This dis- sertation as a woven fabric is made of experiences from constant encoun- ters in my academic and professional backgrounds. With this opportuni- ty, I would love to trace back (or rediscover) some noticeable threads of encounters that appear in this dissertation as evident patterns. The first and freshest pattern is made of encounters at Aalto University in Finland, starting from my two advisors, Kirsi Niinimäki and Olga Gurova, to colleagues at the Fashion/Textile Futures research group and the Department of Design. This environment, where studios and lecture rooms coexist side by side, hugely influenced my studies. Participants in my research, especially fashion designers who fully em- body the coexistence, need to be noted. Without their insights and on- going practice, my research could have been simply an ambitious idea. 14 15 Before joining this one of newer schools, I was at the New School. and sister. It was possible for me to “float” for a decade, as I know that The second pattern consisting of two motifs of design and fashion was I have a place that I can always call “home.” More recently, as I have created there. With the excuse of being “undefined” in the early stage made a home for myself in a foreign place, the meaning of Julia Valle of the Transdisciplinary Design program, my peers and I truly enjoyed Noronha is hard to define, as she has played so many roles throughout collaborating on how to “act in the face of uncertainty” under the influ- my doctoral studies. ence of Jamer Hunt and other passionate faculty members who encour- Beside these encounters, so many threads have remained un- aged us to challenge the boundaries of design. Additionally, the activi- discovered, such as Marlyn DeLong and Pammi Sinha who shared con- ties of Fashion Praxis Lab and its members, including Hazel Clark, Otto structive thoughts on how to improve the quality of this dissertation, von Busch, Pascale Gatzen, Christina Moon and Timo Rissanen, demon- and Peter McNeil, Jack Whalen, Alastair Fuad-Luke, Lauren Down- strated how to connect alternative ways of doing fashion through crit- ing Peters, Kim Jenkins and Andrea Aranow, who provided emotional ical thinking. This inspired me to invite a dialogue between design and support to keep me sane. I will have to keep weaving the threads while fashion, as well as the theory and practice of fashion. stepping ahead. Thank you for all the bread and roses throughout my The oldest pattern on my woven fabric was made of encounters journey. I hope that, between rediscovery and recovery, there are no in my home country. Studying at Sungkyunkwan University and work- more places for “dis”-ing in the world of fashion. ing at the Beautiful Store (a nonprofit organization) helped me realize why I should care about others and embrace differences even in one of the most ethnographically homogenous societies. Alongside these more obvious patterns, less visible threads also coexist. To name a few, the research grant from the City of Helsinki and occasional food drops from the Hursti Foundation cannot be overlooked, as their support was like a shower during a drought season. Speaking of timing, I am also thankful to Trine Brun Petersen, Ulla Ræbild and Anne Louise Bang for welcoming me with thoughtful comments in Kolding. At the other end of the world, I appreciate Regina Alvares and Angelica Oliveira Adverse for hosting me in Belo Horizonte, which is a town that Aseem Inam had introduced me to as a theory and which then became an inseparable part of me. Additionally, I am grateful to Carlos Noronha and Valquiria Valle, who embraced me with the warmest hearts. Lastly, throughout this journey, irreplaceable threads in the woven fabric have held the structure together, enabling me to add colorful threads. These threads are my family, especially my parents 16 17 Abstract The starting point for this doctoral dissertation was the identification of substudies but also to be used as a piece of fabric patchworking the gap the unclear social contribution of the fashion design profession in the between design and fashion. The two substudies were constructed be- contemporary fashion system. Concurrently, possibilities to expand cause the rediscovery of the dressmaking practice of fashion designers the role of fashion designers were identified.