Abstract
In the current state of fashion, industry and educational institutions are challenged by digital technologies and the ways that they disrupt traditional practical and designerly skills. New design tools including 3D modeling, coding and electronics are not currently covered in the context of a formalized fashion design education. However, maker communities and maker spaces that are dedicated to fashion and textile production and innovation, provide alternative-learning environments for self made designers with skills beyond traditional clothing development. The aim of this research is to explore current maker spaces and maker communities related to fashion and textiles outside the formal education institutions including the skills acquired, methods and tools used, the training programs offered and the dynamics of knowledge transfer within these communities by a critical analysis of the literature. The study reflects on the processes of learning in maker communities and maker spaces in comparison to formal fashion design education offered in higher educational institutions, exploring the potential implications for future of fashion design education.
Keywords
fashion, maker movement, learning, digital fabrication, makerspaces
DOI
https://doi.org/10.21606/learnxdesign.2019.08069
Citation
Berk, G.G.,and Wallinger, A.R.(2019) Learning Fashion Outside Academia: From Sewing Circles to Maker Spaces, in Börekçi, N., Koçyıldırım, D., Korkut, F. and Jones, D. (eds.), Insider Knowledge, DRS Learn X Design Conference 2019, 9-12 July, Ankara, Turkey. https://doi.org/10.21606/learnxdesign.2019.08069
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-Share Alike 4.0 International License.
Learning Fashion Outside Academia: From Sewing Circles to Maker Spaces
In the current state of fashion, industry and educational institutions are challenged by digital technologies and the ways that they disrupt traditional practical and designerly skills. New design tools including 3D modeling, coding and electronics are not currently covered in the context of a formalized fashion design education. However, maker communities and maker spaces that are dedicated to fashion and textile production and innovation, provide alternative-learning environments for self made designers with skills beyond traditional clothing development. The aim of this research is to explore current maker spaces and maker communities related to fashion and textiles outside the formal education institutions including the skills acquired, methods and tools used, the training programs offered and the dynamics of knowledge transfer within these communities by a critical analysis of the literature. The study reflects on the processes of learning in maker communities and maker spaces in comparison to formal fashion design education offered in higher educational institutions, exploring the potential implications for future of fashion design education.