DECODING FASHION TECH MFA THESIS PROPOSAL PROCESS BOOK JING (ELISE) FANG | 04352927
Academy of Art University
Graduate School of Graphic Design
GR.600 Visual Communications Lab
Fall 2016
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D E C O D I N G FA S H I O N T E C H
04 INTRODUCTION
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22
LAB 01
LAB 02
TOPIC SEARCH
WORDS + PICTURES = MEANING
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56
LAB 05
LAB 06
HOW ARE
YOU TALKIN’ TO ME
THINGS CONNECTED
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PROCESS BOOK
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40
LAB 03
LAB 04
WHAT DO I THINK
WHAT ARE THE IMPORTANT QUESTIONS
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72
LAB 07
LAB 08
PERSON TO PERSON
THESIS PROPOSAL VIDEO
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CONTENTS
D E C O D I N G FA S H I O N T E C H
Visual Communications Lab This is a cumulative process book for the class GR600 Visual Communications Lab for Fall 2016. In this class, I selected a topic and continued to explore throughout the course and will keep developing it through the rest of the MFA Graphic Design program at Academy of Art University. This chosen topic had to be meaningful to me and to a large group of people to some extent. It also needed to inspire passion and dedication, with enough depth and breadth to be a sustained project for multiple semesters. Since this topic came from my personal experience, research, and interests, the content had to develop unique, fresh design perspectives. At the end of the course, the chosen topic was developed and focused into the Thesis Proposal. The outcome had to be a compelling and engaging final narrative on my topic, with appropriate design solutions.
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INTRO-
PROCESS BOOK
Process Book This process book has eight parts. Each part covers a lab. Materials that show the process from concept research to final deliverables are included. Process notes and final deliverables are photographed. Lessons learned through the process are also marked and explained. My research and insights are from a variety of sources, such as peer-reviewed academic papers, white papers, authoritative online data platforms, newspapers, magazines, interviews, etc.
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D E C O D I N G FA S H I O N T E C H
TOPIC RESEARCH
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PROCESS BOOK
SEARCH
FOR
TOPICS
THAT
ARE IMPORTANT TO ME AND OTHERS,
AND
A
ABOUT
WHICH
PASSIONATE
ABOUT.
I
RANGE AM
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SELECT
LAB 01
D E C O D I N G FA S H I O N T E C H
SELF REFLECTION THE FIRST STEP TO FINDING GOOD TOPICS IS TO UNDERSTAND MY INTERESTS AND PASSIONS. THE FOLLOWING IS MY SELF REFLECTIONS ON THINGS THAT ARE IMPORTANT TO ME.
At this early stage of research, I tried to open my mind to different possible areas. I reflected on my personal experience in the past, and try to find out what I was interested in. I did not have any clues for choosing a topic that interests me and worth to explore at that time. This exercise helped me find inspirations from my personal experience and passions.
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PROCESS BOOK
Se lf- re f le ct ion note #1
Se lf- re f le ct ion note #2
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D E C O D I N G FA S H I O N T E C H
AUTOMATIC WRITING WROTE THREE PAGES OF INTERNAL DIALOGUE EACH DAY FOR ONE WEEK. THE GOAL IS TO CREATE A SPECIFIC TIME AND PLACE FOR MY CREATIVE VOICE TO SHOW UP.
At first, I did not find direct connections between this writing exercise and my topic, but after a few days’ practices, I found this practice help me open to different possibilities.
Auto w rit ing #1
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The following images show a part of the writing practices I did, especially the process from writing random topics to explore more focused ones. The highlighted part is the first attempt that directly links to my thesis topic.
PROCESS BOOK
Auto wri ti ng #2
Auto wri ti ng #3
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D E C O D I N G FA S H I O N T E C H
NEWS SCAN SCAN LOCAL, NATIONAL, AND INTERNATIONAL NEWSPAPERS AND MAGAZINES. CLIP HEADLINES AND ARTICLES ON TOPICS AND ISSUES ABOUT WHICH I AM MOST PASSIONATE, THREATENED, INSPIRED, OR CURIOUS.
This exercise was to identify any common themes throughout the editorials items I selected, and define what meaning they hold for me, and why.
New s scan #1
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The following images show different areas of topics I am interested in and the analysis of those news. I found I am most interested in areas such as technology, gender equality, food, animal protection, etc.
PROCESS BOOK
N ews sca n #2
N ews sca n #3
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D E C O D I N G FA S H I O N T E C H
WHAT’S WRONG CREATE THREE LISTS OF PROBLEMS—GLOBAL, LOCAL, AND PERSONAL. THEN LIST TEN THINGS THAT ARE CURRENTLY “WRONG” WITH THE WORLD, WITHIN 50 MILES OF WHERE I LIVE, AND IN MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE.
Probl em s l is t s
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PROCESS BOOK
By searching for problems from a wide range of areas, I have more options to choose from. Looking back at the problems I wrote in the first week, I can trace back where my thesis proposal topic is from.
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D E C O D I N G FA S H I O N T E C H
PERSONAL PASSIONS LIST 25 THINGS I AM MOST PASSIONATE ABOUT. THIS LIST CAN CONTAIN ANYTHING, AND DOES NOT HAVE TO BE SOCIALLY OR MORTALLY REDEEMING.
Examining my personal passion list, I found that the future things attract me the most. I wrote down a long list of future related topics. It is interesting to see the process of finding my final thesis topic. It evolved from step-by-step explorations on things I am interested in and my personal experience.
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PROCESS BOOK
Pe rsonal passion notes
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D E C O D I N G FA S H I O N T E C H
DISTILL DOWN TO FIVE AREAS OF INTEREST AFTER PROCESSING PREVIOUS EXPLORATIONS ON POTENTIAL TOPICS, SELECT FIVE MOST POTENTIAL ONES.
After previous research, I narrowed down to five areas I would like to explore more as showed below.
Five topics #1
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PROCESS BOOK
F i ve top i cs #2
F i ve top i cs #3
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D E C O D I N G FA S H I O N T E C H
CREATE FIVE TOPICS FOR INVESTIGATION BASED ON THE FIVE TOPICS, REVISE AND STATE A WELLRESEARCHED, SUPPORTED FACT. THEN DESCRIBE A PROBLEM THAT I FEEL DIRECTLY RESULT FROM THE FACT. FINALLY, STATE WHAT I WILL TO EXPLORE AS A GRAPHIC DESIGNER.
01 LOCAL STORIES Local products are a part of local life, and they witness the change of local, they may also present the local culture and art. People always travel globally and buy products overseas, while pay little attention to local products. The lack of attentions on local brands may influence public’s awareness on local culture and art. I would like to find better ways to promote local brands thus raise public’s awareness on preserving local culture and art.
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02 FROM INTERNET TO “INNER NET” The pace of technological development has left people feeling overwhelmed. People are trying to find a balance between the Internet and inner mindset— a retreat towards a more lo-fi way of life. I would like to promote the awareness of combine technology, with the brain—and the heart-to bring a more holistic approach to work, life and communication.
PROCESS BOOK
03 KEEP TRACKING OF MEMORIES Memory allows us to recall events from our past and relive them as stories of our lives, it is a significant in shaping who we are. Research found that an estimated 3.4 million Americans have dementia, which they define as a loss of the ability to function independently, an additional 5.4 million people over age 70 have memory loss that “disrupts their regular routine but is not severe enough to affect their ability to complete daily activities. I would like to investigate better ways to help those keep tracking of their memories, building connections and increase independence and security.
04 FASHION TECH Technology is intervening fashion industry. With high speed of consumption, high demand for development, and the awareness of sustainability, the traditional fashion industry no longer fits consumers’ demands. A quest for technology intervention challenges the traditional fashion industry. Fashion tech uses the technology of the future to redefine our relationships with online and offline stores, brands, consumers, publishers, social communities, and ourselves. Technology-based design such as wearable devices, smart clothing bring a new way of how we interact with our belongings. I would like to investigate better ways to convey the message of fashion tech is leading the future.
The instructor helped me chose this topic as my thesis. I would research and explore more on this topic in the following labs.
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05 GIVING PRINT A NEW LIFE Print is an important part in our lives, it makes information available to people. As technology develops, more and more people prefer reading on their devices, such as phones, tablets, desktops, etc. The changing way of reading may result in fragmented information, losing the sense of progress, creating more distractions, or even neglect print etc. I want to find better ways to motivate people to support and embrace prints as they used to.
D E C O D I N G FA S H I O N T E C H
WORDS + PICTURES = MEANING 22
PROCESS BOOK
EXPLORE
THE
POTENTIAL
FOR DIFFERENT TOPICS IN THE FIND
OUTSIDE NEW
WORLD
AND
ASSOCIATIONS.
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LAB 02
D E C O D I N G FA S H I O N T E C H
WORDS GENERATE FIVE WORDS ASSOCIATED WITH FIVE TOPICS I HAVE DISTILLED. PHOTOGRAPHY THE WORDS ON CARDS IN A VARIETY OF SETTINGS, ENVIRONMENTS, AND CIRCUMSTANCES. THE GOAL IS TO LOOK AT EVERYTHING THROUGH THE LENS OF THE WORDS, AND SEEK UNEXPECTED.
In order to show the meanings of those chosen words in a wide range of contexts, the cards with those words were carried outside and put into a variety of places. The following images show different perspectives on exploring the meanings of the words.
Cards
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The back of the five cards set were differentiated with different visuals as shown below. The selected five words were: connected, innovative, personalized, private, and versatile.
PROCESS BOOK
CONNECTED
C o n n ec ted ca rd set
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D E C O D I N G FA S H I O N T E C H
INNOVATIVE
When I took those photos, I found that the displays of those stores show an interesting and innovative way of creating strong visuals. Those inspirations help me to look at different store displays when I did visual research for my topic.
Innovat ive card s et
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PROCESS BOOK
PERSONALIZED
Personalized card s et
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D E C O D I N G FA S H I O N T E C H
PRIVATE
Private card set
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PROCESS BOOK
VERSATILE
Versat ile card set
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D E C O D I N G FA S H I O N T E C H
WHAT DO I THINK? 30
PROCESS BOOK
EXPRESS MY OWN PERSONAL OPINION
ON
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MY
TOPIC.
D E C O D I N G FA S H I O N T E C H
POSTERS CREATE THREE POSTERS TO SHOW THREE DISTINCT PERSONAL VIEWS OR OPINIONS ON THE CHOSEN TOPIC. EACH POSTER SHOULD ALSO INCLUDE A STATEMENT THAT DESCRIBES MY TOPIC IN TEN WORDS OR LESS.
From my opinion, Fashion Tech is data-driven, highly-personalized, and powerful. In those posters, I tried to use different visual elements to express my personal opinions. Typography, photography, and illustrations were used in three posters to convey different opinions and perspectives. Bright colors were also used to give a strong visual contrast. Starting from this lab, I was trying to find the right visual language for my topic—Fashion Tech. From the critique I received from the class, I would combine both interesting way of using typography on poster#1 and fun techniques of handling images from poster#2, and also explore more options.
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PROCESS BOOK
Poste r sketch #1
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D E C O D I N G FA S H I O N T E C H
Pos ter s ketch # 2
Po s ter s ketch #3
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PROCESS BOOK
Poste r # 1
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D E C O D I N G FA S H I O N T E C H
Poste r # 2
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PROCESS BOOK
Poste r # 3
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D E C O D I N G FA S H I O N T E C H
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY DESCRIBE MY TOPIC IN A WELL-DESIGNED AND COMPELLING WAY, AND SHARE IT WITH PEERS IN THIS CLASS.
A question was first asked to open up the reader’s mind. A description of my topic was also presented in 25 words or less. A word that is most closely tied to my topic was selected. One image was also chosen to best illustrate my topic. Finally, a quote was selected to open up audience’s mind. Since my topic is future-driven, I tried to ask questions about how far this topic can take us, and used quote from people from fashion industry. Bright orange was used to create a strong visual effect.
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PROCESS BOOK
Exe cuti ve summar y
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D E C O D I N G FA S H I O N T E C H
WHAT ARE THE IMPORTANT QUESTIONS? 40
PROCESS BOOK
FORMULATE
QUESTIONS
ABOUT
MY
TOPIC,
THEN
FIND
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AND
ANSWERS.
D E C O D I N G FA S H I O N T E C H
BOOKLET ASK QUESTIONS TO GAIN DEEPER INSIGHTS ON MY TOPIC. A BOOKLET WAS CREATED TO REPRESENT THE QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS I HAVE FOUND.
Important questions that are related to my topic were explored in this lab. 50 questions were chosen to represent in this booklet. Among them, 6 most important questions were highlighted and answered later to evoke more ideas and insights.
This lab provides an to explore my topics inquiry. A lot of my ideas were stem from
Quest ion notes
Q ues t io n p a g e l a yo ut s ketch es
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opportunity in a way of insights and this lab.
PROCESS BOOK
Boo klet cover
Boo klet interior
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D E C O D I N G FA S H I O N T E C H
Instructor’s comments.
Book let q ue stions page
Book let a nswers page
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PROCESS BOOK
Book let answers page
Book let answers page
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D E C O D I N G FA S H I O N T E C H
HOW ARE THINGS CONNECTED?
PROCESS BOOK
FIND
INTERESTING
CONNECTIONS
WITHIN
MY
TOPIC.
CHOSEN
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D E C O D I N G FA S H I O N T E C H
CONNECTIONS MAP MAKE A THOROUGH LIST OF THE WAYS MY TOPIC IMPACTS THE WORLD (BOTH POSITIVELY AND NEGATIVELY). DRAW CONNECTIONS BETWEEN THOSE IMPACTS.
This lab intends to open my mind and explore my topic from different perspectives. I tried to find connections based on the categories offered by the instructor, such as environmental impact, economic impact, political impact, cultural impact, personal impact, and additional unique connections. People, places, products, ideas related to fashion tech were explored. I’ve also created color code to differentiate connections within each category. The goal is to investigate my topic in a divergent and well-rounded way.
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PROCESS BOOK
This is where I got my inspiration for using dots and lines as my design elements.
C o n ne cti ons note s
C o n ne cti ons note s
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D E C O D I N G FA S H I O N T E C H
Color code
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PROCESS BOOK
C o n n ec ti ons m a p
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D E C O D I N G FA S H I O N T E C H
CONNECTIONS CARDS HIGHLIGHT 18 MOST INTRIGUING CONNECTIONS. APPLY ONE WORD TO PRESENT EACH OF THE 18 CONNECTIONS.
C o n n ec ti ons ca rd s
I used the same color code form the map on the 18 connections so that they can be easily connected with the connections on the map. 52
PROCESS BOOK
C ri ti q ues from t he class
+ Things are good - Things are not good Things can be improved 53
D E C O D I N G FA S H I O N T E C H
Lululemon’s New York Lab (Noho) allows designers to test fresh concepts and interact with customers for insights. It is a unique approach to bring fashion tech to people live in a specific city. This is design for local.
Open Style Lab is changing the face of fashion—it designs adaptive clothing for consumers with disabilities, promoting the idea of universal design and creating a product that
Fashion has been used in politics as a way of showing solidarity and respect. Women have a disadvantage in politics because they don’t have a uniform to hide behind, which can
Cyber Security as cyber attacks become more frequent and more severe. How can fashion technology find a way to protect itself and its customers? This is the secure issue.
Workers in fashion industry struggle to survive on extremely low pay, suffering poor working conditions, etc. It is essential to take into account stakeholders’ benefits.
Lady Gaga in the Bubble Emotion Sensing dress created by Studio XOs. It is inspiring to see fashion pioneers like Lady Gaga make a step forward in fashion.
Studio XO is bringing fashion from the stage to the streets, creating wearables that sit at the intersection of fashion, technology, and music for the mass.
Look at the vision —Watson’s “cognitive dress” matches the emotions being expressed by fans at any given moment. For the first time, a dress can understand its audience.
tackles its client’s specific needs.
also turn to power if use wisely.
Don Norman explored the links between design and human psychology, and presented a revealing examination of smart technology, which offers insights on how human interact with future intelligence.
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PROCESS BOOK
Can fashion technology keep a balance
Fast fashion changed how people’s
Biocouture explores smartness of
between profits and environment?
attitudes towards style, clothing,
fibers for future fashion. It
and recycling. How will fashion tech
believes that microbes are “the
make change in a more positive way?
factories of the future”. It is promising to know green alternatives for fashion tech.
Eileen Fisher takes a sustainable approach, using organic cottons and lasting fabrics in her timeless designs, as well as recycling. It is very important to take sustainability into account for future design.
Yeh Group’s zero water in textile dying provides a positive alternative to the traditional dying process.
Sophie Mather works through the lens of sustainable innovation. She thinks failure is no bad thing if it can be embraced to move the industry forwards.
Inclusive design advocates design for people with all abilities. Thinking about more bodies, more ages, and more abilities.
Customized things are leading the way in the field of fashion tech. It is a way not only shows personal identity, but also presents a closer connection between human and technology.
The future sensors are more sensitive, emotional, and can detect people’s feelings.
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D E C O D I N G FA S H I O N T E C H
YOU TALKIN’ TO ME?
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PROCESS BOOK
DESIGNATE
AN
AUDIENCE
FOR MY SELECTED TOPIC.
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LAB 06
D E C O D I N G FA S H I O N T E C H
AUDIENCE ARCHETYPES EXPLORE THE RANGE OF MY POTENTIAL AUDIENCE. IDENTIFY AND CREATE EIGHT ARCHETYPES THAT EXIST ON EACH END OF THE SPECTRUM.
In this lab, I intended to explored a variety of potential audience for my topic. For each of the eight archetypes, at least three specific traits were list. Those traits aim to define the archetype’s life stage rather than just data. A statement that expresses each archetype’s personal opinion on my topic was presented from the perspective of those archetypes. I personified each archetype by their life-stage, such as “social impactor”, “peace-keeper”, etc. B&W images were used for my target audience, and color images for the two outliers. For me, the most challenging part of this lab was finding the outliers. After talking with different people, my peers, and support teacher, I finally figured out.
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PROCESS BOOK
This is my sketch for the eight audience archetypes. I put them in the spectrum based on how close they are related to my topic. The closer to the center, the more possible as target.
Book let i nte ri or
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D E C O D I N G FA S H I O N T E C H
C a rd s et (front)
Audience archetypes, they are peace-keeper, social impactor, stay-at-home mom, tech savvy, revolutionary educator, and design enthusiast (me).
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Personal opinions on my topic from those archetypes.
PROCESS BOOK
C a rd s et (b a ck )
I used a simple graphic to show each archetype’s position on the spectrum. Red was used for potential target audience. Green and blue were used to represent two outliers.
Personal traits.
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D E C O D I N G FA S H I O N T E C H
PERSON TO PERSON
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PROCESS BOOK
DISCUSS WITH
MY
OTHER
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TOPIC PEOPLE.
D E C O D I N G FA S H I O N T E C H
EVENT HOST AN EVENT TO TALK ABOUT MY TOPIC WITH OTHER PEOPLE. DOCUMENT MY FINDINGS, DISTILL MY INSIGHTS, AND THEN EXHIBIT THOSE FINDINGS IN A COMPELLING WAY.
In order to get more insights and inspirations, I’ve invited young people who are my target audience, such as fashion designers and engineers. I’ve also invited people from other industry, such as education, illustration, music, and financial.
Planning notes
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This event was host as an informative meet-up because my topic is providing information on fashion tech. I designed an invitation, an event checklist as the planning guide, and a fashion magazine that reports this event. Other supporting materials such as informative posters, name badge, photo booth frame were also designed.
PROCESS BOOK
Same visual elements were used to create a consistent visual system.
E ven t re p ort , eve nt i nvi ta t ion, planning guide
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D E C O D I N G FA S H I O N T E C H
THE INVITATION
I n v i ta ti on front
I n v ita t io n ba ck
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PROCESS BOOK
THE PLANNING GUIDE
Pl a n n in g g uid e
P l a n n i n g gui d e si d e # 1
I put a timeline at the beginning so that I can have a clear idea about how the event would unfold. I also added a short bio for each of the guests, and differentiated them with colors. Other information such as photography styles, outside resources were also presented. Pl a n n in g g uid e s id e #2
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D E C O D I N G FA S H I O N T E C H
THE REPORT I designed my report in the form of the fashion magazine. Thus I designed the contributor’s page to make it more like the real one. All staff and guests name were shown on this page.
I n ter i o r
Interior
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PROCESS BOOK
Interesting and inspiring quotes from the event participants were also presented in the report.
Inte ri or
Inte ri or
69
D E C O D I N G FA S H I O N T E C H
In order to make this event an fun and memorable experience for my participants, I made a photo booth frame in the form of Instagram. This turned out to be the most popular part in my event. Every one enjoyed it. This also inspired me for the future design—creating fun experience in a compelling way.
I n ter i o r
Interior
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PROCESS BOOK
SUPPORTING MATERIALS
N a me b a d g e , p hoto b ooth fra me
I n for m a tion p oste r # 1
I n fo rm a t io n p o s ter #2
I n fo r ma ti on p oste r # 3
I n fo rm a t io n p o s ter #4
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D E C O D I N G FA S H I O N T E C H
THESIS PROPOSAL VIDEO 72
PROCESS BOOK
DECIDE WHAT IS INTERESTING ABOUT MY TOPIC FROM MY RESEARCH
AND
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INSIGHTS.
LAB 08
D E C O D I N G FA S H I O N T E C H
DESIGN COMPILATION DECK COMPILE A DECK OF CARDS USING THE FINDINGS AND OBSERVATIONS COLLECTED FROM MY RESEARCH. THE FORMAT IS 16:9 RATIO WITH HORIZONTAL ORIENTATION.
This lab helps me analyze all of my previous findings, pull out important ideas and visuals, and figure out the best way to represent each idea. The most challenging part for me was to find the right visual language and work with one visual
Video content s n o tes #1
74
system. The following images show the process of figuring out the most intriguing and interesting contents for my video. Different attempts of visual systems are also presented.
PROCESS BOOK
Vi deo content s notes #2
V id eo fra m e l a yo ut s ketch es
Vi d e o structure notes
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D E C O D I N G FA S H I O N T E C H
Based on the critiques I received in class, using hand gestures is a fun technique for my topic. I would incorporate this technique in my video.
V i d eo v i s ua l syste m # 1
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PROCESS BOOK
3D effect is a fun technique of handling images. This technique was used for my deliverables in my video.
V i d eo vi sua l syste m # 1
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D E C O D I N G FA S H I O N T E C H
I incorporated the hand gestures from the first visual system, and used them as the transitions for each part.
V i d e o vi sua l syste m # 2
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PROCESS BOOK
Vi d e o vi sua l syste m #2
79
D E C O D I N G FA S H I O N T E C H
I modified my color palette and tried out twocolor system because I wanted to develop a more consistent visual system. It turned out to loose the technological feel for my topic. Even though this attempt failed, I learned the importance of keeping a balance between making a system consistent and finding an interesting visual concept.
Vi d e o vi sua l system #3
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PROCESS BOOK
Vi d e o vi sua l sy stem #3
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D E C O D I N G FA S H I O N T E C H
THE VIDEO
What is fashion tech
Fashion tech covers everything from using nanotechnology for improving textiles
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PROCESS BOOK
Tiny biometric sensors that can read your heartbeat and calories burned
To clothing that reacts to biological and chemical stimulus
Even a dress that lights up with social media alerts
D E C O D I N G FA S H I O N T E C H
Fashion and tech are both future-driven
Product focused
And, essentially, a growing passion for many young consumers
Studies show that 14% of consumers are expected to purchase smart clothing by 2018
PROCESS BOOK
40% of U.S. consumers said they were interested in buying a smartwatch
The worldwide market for wearable tech will grow to $7.1 trillion in 2020
Although studies show increased demand for smart technology in the future, widespread and long-term consumer adoption is still low
85
D E C O D I N G FA S H I O N T E C H
Studies show a 30% return rate
And more than half of U.S. consumers who have owned an activity tracker no longer use it after six months
Why
One important barrier is that people lack information on fashion tech
PROCESS BOOK
Studies show that 40% of people do not know what fashion tech products are available in the market
And the majority of people do not fully understand what fashion tech can do
Who is my target audience
I will focus on recently-employed young professionals
D E C O D I N G FA S H I O N T E C H
who want to explore this new technology for their health, productivity and entertainment
This group has great potential to grow the fashion tech market
What can I do as a graphic designer
PROCESS BOOK
Since many barriers associated with widespread fashion tech adoption stem from lack of understanding
Better educated consumers will be an important factor in expanding this market
I propose to design informative and engaging materials
D E C O D I N G FA S H I O N T E C H
To motivate curious new users to become regular customers
A campaign can help raise people’s awareness on fashion tech
An online platform, providing valuable information on fashion tech products, future trends, innovative designers will help educate potential consumers as well as promote those designers
A monthly publication, featuring promising products, designers, and experimental companies is also essential to make this connection
PROCESS BOOK
A kit that allows website subscribers to receive devices and informational brochures regularly from sponsored fashion tech companies can also help connect those developers with potential buyers and product testers
A pop-up store that lets people try those products also contribute to a better understanding about fashion tech
As fashion tech becomes more affordable, reliable, comfortable, and attractive
91
D E C O D I N G FA S H I O N T E C H
Providing engaging information can make it more understandable and accessible to the average person
Once people know more about this exciting world, they will make more informed choices and see how it will impact and improve their lives.
PROCESS BOOK
PROJECT SUMMARY ORIENT AND ENGAGE THE VIEWER WITH BACKGROUND RELATED TO MY TOPIC, IDENTIFY THE PROBLEM, IDENTIFY MY AUDIENCE, AND PROPOSE WHAT GRAPHIC DESIGN CAN DO TO ADDRESS THE SATED GOALS.
What is fashion tech? Fashion tech covers everything from using nanotechnology for improving textiles, tiny biometric sensors that can read your heartbeat and calories burned, to clothing that reacts to biological and chemical stimulus; even a dress that lights up with social media alerts. Fashion and tech are both future-driven, product focused, and, essentially, a growing passion for many young consumers Studies show that 14% of consumers are expected to purchase smart clothing by 2018. 40% of U.S. consumers said they were interested in buying a smartwatch. The worldwide market for wearable tech will grow to $7.1 trillion in 2020. Although studies show increased demand for smart technology in the future, widespread and longterm consumer adoption is still low. Studies show a 30% return rate and more than half of U.S. consumers who have owned an activity tracker no longer use it after six months.
Why? One important barrier is that people lack information on fashion tech. Studies show that 40% of people do not know what fashion tech products are available in the market. And the majority of people do not fully understand what fashion tech can do. Who is my target audience? I will focus on recently-employed young professionals who want to explore this new technology for their health, productivity and entertainment. This group has great potential to grow the fashion tech market. What can I do as a graphic designer? Since many barriers associated with widespread fashion tech adoption stem from lack of understanding, better educated consumers will be an important factor in expanding this market. I propose to design informative and engaging materials to motivate curious new users to become regular customers. A campaign can help raise people’s awareness on fashion tech. An online platform, 93
providing valuable information on fashion tech products, future trends, innovative designers will help educate potential consumers as well as promote those designers. A monthly publication, featuring promising products, designers, and experimental companies is also essential to make this connection. A kit that allows website subscribers to receive devices and informational brochures regularly from sponsored fashion tech companies can also help connect those developers with potential buyers and product testers. A pop-up store that lets people try those products also contribute to a better understanding about fashion tech. As fashion tech becomes more affordable, reliable, comfortable, and attractive, providing engaging information can make it more understandable and accessible to the average person. Once people know more about this exciting world, they will make more informed choices and see how it will impact and improve their lives.
D E C O D I N G FA S H I O N T E C H
TOPIC AREA IDENTIFY AND DESCRIBE ONE SOURCE IN EACH ONE OF THE CATEGORIES: A BLOG, A MOVIE, A BOOK, AN EXPERT, A STAKEHOLDER, AND A WILDCARD.
A Blog_Wt Vox It was founded in 2014. It is one of the mos popular, trustworthy and authoritative resources in the world of IoT (Internet of Things). Its main specialties are IoT, Fashion Tech, Robotics, Wearables, 3D Printing and artificial intelligence. This blog offers comprehensive resources on my chosen topic— Fashion Tech, from general latest articles and news on fashion tech, to specific categorized information on wearable tech, big data, 3D printing, smart clothing, visual reality, etc. It keeps me up-to-date to news in Fashion Tech. The Review section also provides me insights on the most popular topics people are interested in talking about.
A Movie_The Next Black-The Future Of Clothing It is a documentary film exploring the future of clothing. The producers meet some of the most innovative companies on the planet to get their opinions on clothing and its future, such as hero of Sustainability, Patagonia; tech-clothing giants, Studio XO; sportswear icon, Adidas; and Biocouture, a consulting firm exploring living organisms to grow clothing and accessories. It provides a worldwide view on how different innovative approaches are happened in different parts of the world. This is also a good example of using typography, graphics, photography, and even sound to create a very compelling and interesting presentation on fashion tech.
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A Book_Fashionable Technology-The Intersection Of Design, Fashion, Science, And Technology by Sabine Seymour In this book, over 50 well-known designers, research institutes, companies, and artists, etc, are introduced by means of their latest, often still unpublished projects. It is a comprehensive reference for all those wishing to know everything about fashionable technology. This book is a valuable reference for me in terms of the wide range and depth of information providing. It works as a guide book for conceptual ideas as well as actual commercial products in the field of Fashion Tech. In my process of narrowing down my topic on Fashion Tech, I found there are too many innovative ideas and projects, but there aren’t many good guidebook or references for researcher who are interested in this topic. I want to collect those information and find better ways to present those innovation.
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An Expert_Donald Arthur (Don Norman) The director of The Design Lab at University of California, San Diego. Norman is best known for his books on design. He is widely regarded for his expertise in the fields of design, usability engineering, and cognitive science. He is also a co-founder and consultant with the Nielsen Norman Group. His books all have the underlying purpose of furthering the field of design, from doors to computers. (Retrieved from wikipedia.com) Norman is not only an expert and researcher in design field, but also a professional focuses on future design, which is closely related to my topic—fashion tech. He talks about not only the benefits of future design, but also the negative sides of it, which inspires me.
A Stakeholder_Open Style Lab Launched in 2014 at MIT as a public service project. It takes an interdisciplinary approach to developing adaptive wear for people with all abilities. Its mission is to make style accessible to people of all abilities. The stakeholders play a valuable role in providing useful information for the research process, helping identify and priorities the issues that are most material or important to the project. They also provide expertise to help me to tackle technological and design challenges. Open Style Lab advocates the concept of inclusive design, which expands fashion technology to people with all abilities, which is the main focus of my project. Direct contact with people from Open Style Lab is essential to my project. Contact information: hello@openstylelab.org
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A Wildcard_Data How will future fashion products keep track of data and present data so that users can have a better sense of the data? Data is an essential part of fashion technology. The way data present will considerably impacts the successful use of products and users’ satisfaction. As a wearable technology user, I often feel frustrated by my fitbit because of the ambiguity of understanding data. For my project, I will explore more about how data will be presented and made sense to users. I will think about how users will use the data to make more informed decisions.
D E C O D I N G FA S H I O N T E C H
COMPETITION IDENTIFY THE COMPETITION IN MY TOPIC AREA AND EVALUATE THEM. PROVIDE A BRIEF DESCRIPTION FOR EACH OF THE COMPETITION.
Apple Inc is an American technology company headquartered in Cupertino, California. It designs, develops, and sells consumer electronics, computer software, and online services. It is also a pioneer that combines technology with a touch of style, which connects to my topic. CuteCircuit is a London-based fashion company with its main focus on wearable technology and interactive fashion. CuteCircuit is found be Ryan Genz and Francesca Rosella. It was the first fashion company offering smart textile-based garments that create an emotional experience for their wearers using smart textiles and micro electronics. It is beneficial to look at what exists in the marketplace and how it worked. Fitbit is an American company known for activity trackers, wireless-enabled wearable technology devices that measure data such as the number of steps walked, heart rate, quality of sleep, steps climbed, and other 96
personal metrics. This company is working on how fashion and technology can create a wearable product that would change the way people move, which directly connect to my project. Lululemon Lab is a store selling clothing designed for professionals but constructed out of the brand’s high-performance materials. Lab also functions as a kind of test run for the company’s experimental designs. This concept is similar with the project I am working on. Team Elite System is one of Adidas’ latest inventions, which demonstrates the system of woven sensors in the shirt that send real-time data of the players’ performance). This is directly connected to my topic. Ministry of Supply is a company that makes high-end menswear out of performance material. It uses
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performance fabrics, innovative construction, and purposeful design to create pieces that are in sync with how people live today. The company utilizes a human-centered design approach, which inspires me. Nancy Tilbury is co-founder and director of Studio XO, a company that specializes in the area where fashion meets technology. It is a resourceful and experienced studio specialized in working on projects about fashion tech, which I am working on. OMsignal is a wearable tech that captures real-time breathing while users run, sleep and precise body movement metrics. It is connected to how technology can help a better performance.
Sophie Mather is the Director of the Yeh Group, who is working through the lens of sustainable innovation. This group dedicated to reduce the impacts of water, waste and carbon across the total textile and apparel. It is promising to see people or companies like this one, which helps make the world a better place through their design decisions. Suzanne Lee is the founder of Biocouture Ltd, which works with materials grown from living organisms. Finding new materials suitable for fashion technology is an essential part.
Rick Ridgeway is an environmentalist, mountaineer and Vice President of Environmental Initiatives at Patagonia, one of the most sustainable companies in the fashion industry. Dealing with sustainability is one of my focus on fashion tech.
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“Technology to of
could
radicalize what
the
enable
us
definition
fashion
means.”
Andrew Bolton Head Curator of The MET
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