Abstract
This paper addresses various research issues regarding the (non-existent) fashion industry and aspects of sustainability in meeting citizens' everyday needs in the Soviet Union. Why was the Soviet fashion industry struggling? How did the Soviet citizens acquire the necessary apparel? What sustainability ideas could be found in the society's interpretation of fashion? What can be learned from the Soviet DIY subculture? The research was done using a combination of qualitative and quantitative methods, including the artistic research method. Researching the relationship between the Soviet worldview and fashion, one can argue that the fashion points out the bipolar disorder of the USSR system, as fashion precisely reflects what is happening in society. The next logical steps forward in the research on the topic would be a more thorough and targeted research of the DIY sustainable practices in Soviet Union.
Keywords
Soviet Union, fashion, sustainability
DOI
https://doi.org/10.21606/drs.2018.309
Citation
Veilande, S. (2018) Sustainable Fashion Practices in the Soviet Union?, in Storni, C., Leahy, K., McMahon, M., Lloyd, P. and Bohemia, E. (eds.), Design as a catalyst for change - DRS International Conference 2018, 25-28 June, Limerick, Ireland. https://doi.org/10.21606/drs.2018.309
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License
Sustainable Fashion Practices in the Soviet Union?
This paper addresses various research issues regarding the (non-existent) fashion industry and aspects of sustainability in meeting citizens' everyday needs in the Soviet Union. Why was the Soviet fashion industry struggling? How did the Soviet citizens acquire the necessary apparel? What sustainability ideas could be found in the society's interpretation of fashion? What can be learned from the Soviet DIY subculture? The research was done using a combination of qualitative and quantitative methods, including the artistic research method. Researching the relationship between the Soviet worldview and fashion, one can argue that the fashion points out the bipolar disorder of the USSR system, as fashion precisely reflects what is happening in society. The next logical steps forward in the research on the topic would be a more thorough and targeted research of the DIY sustainable practices in Soviet Union.