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A JOURNEY TO BORN TO BE BRAVE2000 WORD RESEARCH REPORT
AD5605
FASHION FORECASTING AND NARRATIVE
ELEANOR HENDRY
As we gradually approach a light at the end of the tunnel following an era of unprecedented and tumultuous times, a new revival of life awaits- but not just on Earth… The Covid-19 pandemic has undeniably transformed every single being by some means and we have had no other option but to adapt; and adapt quickly. Reflecting on these previous years, as a nation we are now indolently proceeding to replenish where we had left off, yet modifying it to accommodate a new, contemporary way of living. The impact of Covid-19 (as well as factors including Brexit and global climate change) has significantly altered the former forecasted trends for the commencing years and induced the arts and fashion industries to rethink future perspectives and consider applicably of how humans will consume, style, react and respond to the recent circumstances. We are now encountering a restoration from an immense identity crisis and ultimately delineating an
advanced 2030 through bringing life back to existence; an existence which can also be reinforced and established on our neighbouring universe- the ‘Red Planet’. But what exactly will we be acclimating too now?Throughout the summer of 2021, I engaged in many hours of research, closely analysing how this almost irrational concept of colonising Mars can in hindsight be the impending tomorrow. I approached the provided brief with an open mindset, delving into each and every possibility and considering how I could manipulate these ideas within my own well-conceived, feasible trend. In doing so, I empowered myself to step out of my comfort zone and explore areas of research I would not usually be keen to study further. Positively, this has proven to be highly effectual and in turn allowed me to develop a trend completely diverse to my usual norm!
I initiated my research journey by exploring into the background of Mars and the operations which have been ventured to discovering life and preceding presence on the planet. When formulating my studies, I established a preference for looking into a range of sources as assistance in obtaining a thorough understanding and connection to the brief. I therefore watched numerous films, documentaries and series related to the topic with an intention to gain a preliminary impression of what survival could resemble and the probabilities of it occurring. I discovered great insight through watching “Roving Mars”, an IMAX documental about the fabrication, procedure and launch of the two intricately assembled rovers- Spirit and Opportunity. Following the study of this film I was astonished by the perplexity of the entire operation. From the concept, thought and manipulation behind the scenes, to the departure and navigation of the rocket; it really made me realise how the slightest element mistakenly executed could sabotage the mission completely, thus presenting me with the perception that maybe not all beings will be as zealous of this awaiting venture if it is by no means 100% dependable. Since it was evident to be extremely costly, I pondered if only the luxury would potentially possess the opportunity to inhabit on this planet too, concluding to the founding of my trend- not everyone will be living on Mars, yet...
For my trend to be somewhat pragmatic, I wanted to ensure it had the essential properties necessary for a life on the Red Planet too; hence why I paid great attention to the apparel of the space travellers in the movies/documentaries as well as performing an in-depth analysis through online research too. So, what did I find? The standardised, current spacesuit incorporates a reliance of pressurised gases which elucidates as to why they have such a bulky appearance. Nonetheless, a modernised version of the spacesuit by former deputy administrator of NASA, Dava Newman, was constructed using a mix of polymers, enabling the appliance of required pressure to be condensed into a conscientiously tailored design which securely fits to the body in a stretchable material. With a purpose to maintain the location of blood cells and prevent tissues from expanding within, it is very much alike to the Apollo spacesuits. Despite not yet being suitable for a life on Mars, this notion gave me a sense of possible futuristic implementations, great design suggestions and was an excellent source of inspiration for my trend apparel alongside the work of Estonian designer Anna Talvi.
As a graduate from the VIA University College, the Royal College of Art and presently completing a M. Phil/Ph. D degree at UCL, Anna Talvi was joined alongside Christopher Raeburn (another source of inspiration) at the Design Museum for the “Moving to Mars” exhibition- a multi-sensory adventure featuring immersive environments (“Anna Talvi, Moving to Mars- London”, 2021). Her work is a symbiosis of biomedical engineering and material science, combined to cultivate spacesuits and microgravity wear which preserve astronauts’ safety for survival on Mars. Talvi operated alongside scientists, doctors, researchers, and private companies upon devising her own antagonist, exomuscle bodysuit, indicating an approval and high suitability for a journey to the Red Planet. Her apparel has affixed antibacterial base layer membranes to prolong the lifespan of the garments and an objective to position the muscles and bones so humans can continue to stay fit and healthy in a zero-gravity atmosphere. The support of the human physiology is proven to be imperative on Mars since it has 38% of the surface gravity on Earth (“Ask an Astronomer”, 2021), and I wanted to ensure I reinforced focus on this within my trend.
Talvi had a preliminary concentration on human psychology as well. When embarking on such a mission (despite how rewarding and experiential it is) you are potentially chancing the longevity of your life and advancing into an unknown where your everyday senses are altered to conform to a new environment. Ultimately, this can have a human feeling lost and desiring the need for home comforts. As primary research I verbalised my trend to Fashion Snoops forecaster Robbie Sinclair, inviting him to contribute any ideas he had which could be of assistance to ameliorating my concept; in doing so we discussed the idea of microdosing and how it has been prevalent in studies formerly. Research has confirmed that the consumption of extremely small concentrations of the psychoactive substances do not result in the typical experience of hallucinations and feelings of euphoria commonly assimilated with taking such drugs. Instead reports detailed improvements in creativity, focus and mental health which I believed could be really effective for the virtual reality aspect I will be including!
Amidst an era where technology is becoming the predominant expectation for the vanguard of contemporary consumers, I can only presume that 2030 will entail a society solely comprised of the latest innovations and unconventional mechanisms too. As part of my research, I investigated the rise of digital fashion and how existing companies are adjusting their production strategies to market for their new audiences. Dress X provides an online platform for fashion corporations and 3D designers to retail their collections whilst fulfilling humanity’s needs for constant newness. The world of social media has stimulated a culture of consumerism where fast fashion retailers have become the epitome for producing the latest trends at an expeditious pace. Due to this swift response, the industry is rapidly becoming the biggest harm to the environment around us, and immediate action is demanded to cease the continuation of killing to the planet. Such platforms, enable customers to remain as part of the zeitgeist by receiving the latest trends directly from the runway, yet in an approach which is sustainably enhanced and less damaging to the global supply chain instead. Exploring into the expansion of fashion forward thinking made me intrigued to amplify my studies through looking into Virtual Reality- an area of which module leader Tracey Hall inspired me to look towards!
As digital storytellers and forecasters of the new generation, it is our responsibility to seek marketing strategies which will cater, strike, and expand our audiences. When probing into the next decade, it is already claimed that the market for virtual, augmented, and mixed reality technologies will reach over $30 billion by 2030 (Schultz, 2020); therefore, I have come to the conclusion that advanced technology will somehow be affiliated with the revolutionary progressions for a life on Mars too. Virtual Reality is defined as “an artificial environment that is created by software and presented to the user in such a way that the user suspends belief and accepts it as a real environment” (What is virtual reality? - Definition from WhatIs.com, 2021). Since I have predicted that only a small measure of luxury consumers will colonise our neighbouring planet, the ongoing evolutions of VR will allow the remaining to experience the same adventures but through digital eyes. Virtual Reality technology first made an appearance in 1957 by Morton Heilig who utilised his cinematographer knowledge to develop a multimedia device named the Sensorama. The Sensorama stimulated the users’ senses, incorporating a viewing screen for sight, oscillating fans for touch, audio speakers for sound and contrivances that emitted
smells for scent. VR has now evolved and is being employed in a range of industries as a resource for development and I am more than confident it will shape the future of 2030 in many more means than just gaming. As a result of the global pandemic, mental health concerns have significantly increased, with data from the US Census Bureau revealing 42% of its surveyed individuals reporting symptoms of anxiety or depression; a staggering rise of 11% to its previous year (Nature Editorial & Abbott, 2021). The prospect of surviving on another planet can be somewhat daunting and may intensify those with anxiety provoking thoughts. But with the continual flexibility of VR technology (which has been proven advantageous for treating a range of mental health conditions) I believe it will be a firm constituent for entitling every being the opportunity to unmask their potential future. The Born to be Brave trend is purposed to alleviate these fears and release oneself to be free in their mind, body, and soul; the incorporation of Virtual Reality will allow an individual to do so by entering their own challenges and psychologically overcoming these perturbations through digitised eyes, hence a reasoning behind its title.
As a result of the global pandemic, mental health concerns have significantly increased, with data from the US Census Bureau revealing 42% of its surveyed individuals reporting symptoms of anxiety or depression; a staggering rise of 11% to its previous year (Nature Editorial & Abbott, 2021). The prospect of surviving on another planet can be somewhat daunting and may intensify those with anxiety provoking thoughts. But with the continual flexibility of VR technology (which has been proven advantageous for treating a range of mental health conditions) I believe it will be a firm constituent for entitling every being the opportunity to unmask their potential future. The Born to be Brave trend is purposed to alleviate these fears and release oneself to be free in their mind, body, and soul; the incorporation of Virtual Reality will allow an individual to do so by entering their own challenges and psychologically overcoming these perturbations through digitised eyes, hence a reasoning behind its title.
When scoping into digital futures I recognised many designers, from historic to contemporary, who signified predictions for a prospective future whilst encouraging empowerment, self-expression, and freedom within their garment choices. Today, the use of technology has derived to be amalgamated throughout clothing pieces and their manufacturing process; evidently becoming a staple necessity to connect brand with consumer and assisting the fashion industry to reach its maximum potentiality. This area of research commenced with a study towards historic originators Pierre Cardin, Paco Rabanne and Andre Courregesthree of the most iconic space-age fashion couturiers. Each designer bestowed features I was intrigued to additionally feature within my trend, however, I was ambitious to unearth unfamiliar designers of which would enthral both myself and its readers. French futurist Manfred Thierry Mugler fit this motif wholly. Beguiled by his hyper-feminised and multifaceted vision, I accustomed Muglers ideology as inspiration
for Born to be Brave. As a brand with a manifestation to ‘empower women’, his designs redefine elegance through an avant-garde fashion of architectural spirit and subvert the laws of space, time, and tradition. The utilisation of solid construction, oversized shoulders, and anatomical cuts in vivid, saturated shades, demonstrate his focus of presenting women with attitude, power, and audaciousness- coinciding with my concept of self-expression and freedom. His mirage has propelled me to drive my hypothesis of escapism from one-self and the environment and elope to a digitised 2030, a realm of transformation, sensuality, and personal fulfilment through translucency. Born to be Brave forecasts the perception that through the eyes of technology, there is no one-size-fits-all. The fashioning of translucency in sheer fabrics invites beings to reveal their true, unguarded selves without fear or sheets of protection. To remove the mask.
Beguiled by his hyper-feminised and multifaceted vision, I accustomed Muglers ideology as inspiration for Born to be Brave. As a brand with a manifestation to ‘empower women’, his designs redefine elegance through an avant-garde fashion of architectural spirit and subvert the laws of space, time, and tradition. The utilisation of solid construction, oversized shoulders, and anatomical cuts in vivid, saturated shades, demonstrate his focus of presenting women with attitude, power, and audaciousness- coinciding with my concept of self-expression and freedom. His mirage has propelled me to drive my hypothesis of escapism from one-self and the environment and elope to a digitised 2030, a realm of transformation, sensuality, and personal fulfilment through translucency. Born to be Brave forecasts the perception that through the eyes of technology, there is no one-sizefits-all. The fashioning of translucency in sheer fabrics invites beings to reveal their true, unguarded selves without fear or sheets of protection. To remove the mask.
As I progress with my trend philosophy, I am beginning to seek more obscure, ambiguous brands and media types to accelerate my findings. Throughout my research I have distinguished the employment of less fabrics in designer compilations and the specialty of physicality in its organic given form. Forbidden Kn0wledge (cultivated by Pierre Louis Auvray) has an analogous aesthetic to Thierry Mugler yet with a superior, cutting edge to futuristic design. The Central Saint Martin’s graduate has a plethora of otherworldly and fantastical designs which extrapolate the human body and exaggerate surrealism. Some of his recent collections have exploited the norms of society and flaunted expression through optical illusion and transparency. He has also introduced repurposing within his work highlighting an increase of attempt to tackle the sustainability crisis. With a primary fascination for the human physiology, alike previously mentioned designer Anna Talvi, I believe the the fusion of practicality with phantasm will be the visionary for a forthcoming preternatural, liberated world. A planet where freedom isn’t a choice, protection isn’t a requisite and fear isn’t an option because you are Born to be Brave.
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M.Norman, J. (2004). The Sensorama: One of the First Functioning Efforts in Virtual Reality : History of Information. https://www.historyofinformation.com/detail.php?id=2785 Moving to Mars. (2020). Design Museum. https://designmuseum.org/exhibitions/moving-to-mars M.Y.M.N. (2018, August 8). Pierre-Louis Auvray is the Central Saint Martins grad to watch. Maybeyesmaybenomag. https://www.maybeyesmaybenomag.com/stories/pierre-louis-auvray-is-the-central-saint-martinsgrad-to-watch Nature Editorial. (2021, February 3). COVID’s mental-health toll: how scientists are tracking a surge in depression. Nature. https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-021-00175-z?error=cookies_not_supported&code=dadcd8cc-5ddf-4cf1-990a-f3f8e0da8ba8 Roberts-Islam, B. (2020, August 21). How Digital Fashion Could Replace Fast Fashion, And The Startup Paving The Way. Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/sites/brookerobertsislam/2020/08/21/how-digital-fashion-could-replace-fast-fashion-and-the-startup-paving-the-way/ Schultz, B. (2020, December 7). StackPath. Forconstructionpros. https://www.forconstructionpros.com/construction-technology/news/21205827/idtechex-vr-ar-and-mr-will-be-the-most-disruptive-technologies-of-the-nextdecade TED Archive. (2017, August 29). How to create a space suit | Dava Newman [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lZvP_URAjmM Xu, L. (2021, February 15). History of Mugler: Futuristic and Hyper-Feminised Design. Zeitgeist. https://zeitgeistofficial.com/fashion-archives/history-of-mugler-futuristic-and-hyper-feminised-design/