Design History Essay

Choose three objects from any of the periods covered by the lecture series. You may choose objects that relate to any of the disciplines of fashion, textiles, graphic design, architecture, product design or fine art.

Discuss the historical and cultural context in which you find the object and then analyse and interpret the dominant social, cultural, stylistic or political issues affecting the production of the designed objects or artworks of your choice.

Student Name: Emily Rathbone Student Number: 201219903 Course: Fashion Marketing Year: 2018 Module: DESN1820 Design History: From 1900 to the Present day Word Count: 2445

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Introduction Throughout the 20th Century, the transient and growing demands of society stimulated constant development and innovation in the fields of design and architecture. With an increasing appreciation of functionality and practicality in design as the millennium drew nearer, and the rejection of conventional solutions to cultural and social issues, pioneering influencers devised avant-garde objects that serve as a representation of the culture in which they were present. The discourse presents the changing design philosophies and principles reflected in the production of the objects, exploring their changes as the historical art movements transition from Modernist, to Post-Modernism and into the New Century. Intended to influence and befit the human behaviour, the objects are design with the intention of meeting society’s demands through facilitating lifestyles and alleviating external pressures. This essay focuses upon the purposes and compulsion surrounding the objects conception in relation to cultural and social events, and the subsequent stylistic factors that affected their production throughout the movements in which they are found, through to the present day.

Noriaki Kurokawa, Nakagin Capsule Building, 1971 The 1970s were a period of significant social and cultural change, where society's values were moving away from the functionality and standardism inherent in the Modernist era. The post-war optimism inherent in the decade, contributed to much of society adopting irrational consumerist behaviours (Atha, C. 2018). Technology development mobilised manufacturing processes and thus facilitated access to materials, such as modern plastics, as well as enabling the emergence of new materials including synthetic fibres (V&A 2018). Alongside this, technological advancements were rapidly made to improve standpoints in the ‘Space Race’ and Cold War, a point of fascination for much of society, with its influence implicit in many works and ideas constructed during this time.

Post World War II, Japan underwent an ‘economic miracle’ (Murray, T. 2017) resulting from the government coordinated effort to recover the economy to a comparable state to the U.S. and European industrial economies (Otsubo et al. 2007), that lasted through for many decades, including the seventies. Consequently, Japanese society shifted to become a consumer society, and, in the early 1970s, developed in the second-largest economy in the world, with the population increasing 45.7% from the end of WWII to 1971. Consequently, population density per km grew from 195 to 284.1(National Institute of Population and Social Security Research. 2008), creating a demand for housing that can adapt to accommodate the transient population was required.

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Acknowledging society’s shifted values at the World Design Conference in Tokyo in 1960, Japanese architects and designers explored how urban design could meet the population’s needs, and mobility could be brought to cities and buildings. Inspired by the ability of living organisms to grow, reproduce and adapt to the surroundings, the Metabolist movement was developed with this notion at the core of the design philosophy (Mori Art Museum. N.d). Early principals of the era were drawn from ‘From Space to Environment’ exhibition in Ginza (1966), and later at the Osaka Expo ‘70, with participants conflating principles of environment, art and technology, and architectural styles transitioning away from ‘Japanese nationalist architecture’, towards postmodernism (Yoshimoto, M. 2004).

A leading member of the movement, Japanese architect Kurokawa Noriaki was instrumental in designing post-war structures to accommodate population growth, that could expand and subtract to comprise the ‘city of the future’ (Atha, C. 2018). Epitomizing Metabolist architecture, Kurokawa devised the ‘Nakagin Capsule Building’ in 1971, a tower consisting of a concrete central shaft, upon which capsules may be attached or detached by means of four-high tension bolts (Sveiven, M. 2011), proposing an avant-garde concept for the future of urbanism. The location of the building is significant to its context, as the Ginza district of Tokyo is renowned for its consumerism, a reflection of the changing times and consumer culture.

Stylistically, the building’s materials and raw aesthetic serve as a reflection on the Space Race, with themes of technology, experimentation and the future pervading the structure.

Prefabricated in a factory off-site, small, self-contained apartments accommodated built-in features

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which contributed to the anti-clutter, clean lines characteristic of the space-age aesthetic. Unlike design in the Modernist era, the tower was asymmetrical, giving the building an intriguing yet inharmonious appeal. In spite of this, the building addresses many of Dieter Rams’ ‘Ten Principles of Good Design’, published in the seventies. The concept was avant-garde for Japan, as traditionally, buildings were constructed from natural materials, meaning their durability and lifespan was limited.

Alternatively, the design concept for the Nakagin Capsule Building was to be capable of being updated in accordance with architectural fashions of the future, through redesigning and replacing existing capsules.

Throughout modern history, Japan is the world leader for the number of hours spent working (Kumashiro, M. 1993). This is reflected in the design of the self-contained apartments, as, according to Sveiven (2011), each capsule was designed to accommodate one person, and targeted at single ‘salary men’.

Issey Miyake, ‘Pleats Please’ Collection 1993 With regard to historical context, the 1980s was a period of economic instability, arguably influencing the rejection of conventions by key influencers, and the development of the Postmodernist movement. The controversial, turbulent movement provided a “visually thrilling multifaceted style” that embraced all forms of design and colour (V&A. 2011), with eclecticism and experimentation at its core. A reflection of the turbulent economy, designers altered between fixations on utopia and dystopia, resulting in diverse displays of pattern, form and function.

Globalisation facilitated the emergence of many Asian designers into the European and U.S. fashion markets, with their avant-garde architectural forms, and manipulation of textiles proving popular amongst the experimentalist consumers of the eighties and nineties.

The emergence of corporate culture in the eighties created a new demand for contemporary clothing appropriate for office wear and travel, whilst still conforming to the theatrical Postmodernist design ideals. Issey Miyake was a Japanese fashion designer, who grew to significance during the Postmodernist era, with his technology-driven garments revolutionising the industry. Miyake experimented with space, designing garments that were structurally unconventional, tactile and agile, essentially creating ‘wearable art’ (Ventus, G. 2015). According to the Miyake Design Studio (N.d.), Miyake’s creative process and designs are ‘based upon the concept of “a Piece of Cloth”’, a philosophy that explores the relationship between the body of the wearer and the garment. This avantgarde design philosophy gave him a unique standpoint in the market, with his clothes providing a stark contrast to the hyper sexualised Western fashions, where designers such as Azzedine Alaïa producing women’s wear that exaggerated the silhouette of the female form, notably through power dressing and body-con garments (Ventus, G. 2015).

One of Miyake’s most notable contributions to the fashion industry was the 1993 collection, ‘Pleats Please’, consisting of contemporary garments constructed using Miyake’s new ‘garment pleating’ technique (The Issey Miyake Foundation. N.d.). A natural reaction to the excessiveness of the eighties, and perhaps influenced by the inherent austerity of Japanese functional design, utility is an essential aspect to the garment concept, with the lightweight knitted polyester catering towards the evolving and diverse needs of modern women. Combining Japanese traditional construction techniques and technology, Miyake created texture and form through preparing and sewing an oversized piece of fabric into the desired shape, after which the material is interweaved between layers of Washi paper, and placed in a heat-press (Miyake Design Studio. N.d.). Pleats Please cultivated the notion of garment commodification (Miyake Design studio. N.d.), holding practicality and functionality at the core of the design concept, with the ensured maintenance of the pleated form making the clothing easy to care for, travel with and store. Through the simplicity of the shapes and a variety of colours and prints available in each collection of Pleats Please garments, Miyake’s works targeted a wide audience of women, catering to individual tastes whilst maintaining a minimal, romanticised characteristic.

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Architecturally, the Pleats Please collection reflected the ‘culture of the individual’ developing at the time, with the use of diverse angled pleating to create garments of varying shapes, adapting to the body of the wearer (V&A, 2001). Arguably, the minaret silhouette appearing in Miyake’s early pleated collections was inspired by the volume the fabric creates in kimonos seen in Japanese Noh theatre, and the conical shape of Poiret’s ‘Lampshade Dress’ (Borelli-Persson, L 1994).

Furthermore, the shapes have an inherently cubist quality, geometric in form, with exaggerated components.

Through coalescing Eastern and Western aesthetics, Miyake re-aestheticized conventional texture and form of women’s ready-to-wear garments, diverging from the restrictive cuts and materials and propagating a garment style that alters and adapts to the changing body inside the garment.

CuteCircuit (Smart Textiles) Since the invention of the World Wide Web in 1991, rapid technological and scientific research and breakthroughs have occurred, contributing to the omnipresence of technology in modern society. By consequence, it may seem natural that digital technology has been applied and incorporated into various industries, including the textile industry, to meet our burgeoning demands.

Catalysed by society’s adoption an individualist culture, engineers and designers are coming to invent and manipulate technology to create unique or ‘smart’ garments that adapt to the wearer or collate statistics. Despite experimentation with smart textiles throughout the 20th century, e-textiles did not enter mainstream fashion until the 2000s, and is still considered by some sources to be a ‘niche’ market (Brown, A. 2016).

With regards to the historical context of electronic textiles, it has been argued that key inventions in the garment industry throughout history have contributed to their existence, particularly that of the Knitting Frame in 1589, the Flying Shuttle in 1733, and the Spinning Jenny in 1765 (Hughes-Riley et al. 2018). One of the earliest known uses of electronics in clothing is the incorporation of illuminated headbands in the ballet, La Farandole in 1883, where dancers wore battery powered lights across their forehead (Deren Guler et al. 2016). Development in the fields of material science and electronic technology accelerated in the 20th Century, resulting in the manufacturing of transistor technology in 1960, conductive polymers in 1977, and in more recent years, semiconductor devices within yarn fibre (Hughes-Riley et al. 2018), paving the way for etextiles to enter mainstream fashions.

Founded in 2004 by designers Francesca Rosella and Ryan Genz, Cutecircuit is an industry leader in regards to smart-textiles in ready-to-wear fashion, creating garments with interactive capabilities and presenting new structural, functional and decorative solutions to fashion design (Cutecircuit.com.a. 2018).

Responsible for bringing fashion technology into the mainstream fashion market, Cutecircuit was first wearable technology fashion brand to launch a technology-driven ready-to-wear line in 2010, and to sell smart textiles in a department store (Cutecircuit.com.a. 2018).

Coherent with its brand vision (to create clothing that enables ‘wearers to connect with each other in a more intuitive and intimate manner’ (Cutecircuit.com.a. 2018), the brand manufactures clothing catering to the new interests and demands of humankind. One of the brands most successful creations was the ‘Hugshirt’, the world’s first ‘wearable haptic telecommunication garment’ that imitates a human hug through sensors around the clothing created in 2002 (Cutecircuit.com.b. 2018). This object has significant relevance to the state of affairs in the 21st Century, reflecting the growing absence of physical human connection and intimacy that is becoming increasingly prevalent as longer hours are worked and travel becomes the norm.

Throughout history, it has been observed that people intend to convey a message about themselves through their clothing (Hughes-Riley et al. 2018), perhaps wishing to express a uniqueness or promote diversity. With the emergence of modern society’s individualistic culture in recent history, one may infer that smart textiles aids individualism through the varied programming

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possibilities leading to differentiation, whilst enabling wearers to dress according to their interests or activity. Inferably influenced by this cultural and societal shift, Cutecircuit also developed ‘The TshirtOS’ (now ‘INFINI-TSHIRT’) in 2012, as part of the T-shirt line of smart textiles. The programmable t-shirt facilitates the wearers self-expression, with the grid of pixels capable of sharing ‘tweets’, songs and images, controlled by a mobile app (Cutecircuit.com.c. 2018).

Another piece of design created by Cutecircuit that epitomizes design’s response to people’s desire to be connected is the ‘Twitter Dress’, a garment which allows members of society to share their opinions on social media, which were then displayed on a dress. This ingenious form of interactive technology serves as a reflection of the need of many individuals to appear constantly engaged or ‘plugged in’ to the world, through its ability to provide constant stimulation.

Stylistically, a major factor influencing the manufacturing of wearable technology is that of the concern for its potential risks or hazardous effects on wellbeing. Alongside this, the design of the object may also be influenced by the concept of sustainability and ethical practice, viewed with importance at the turn of the new century. Saad (n.d.) states the garments are compliant with the Restriction of Hazardous Substances Directive, meaning the garments do not contain harmful substances, including lead and mercury (as common in wearable technology of the early 20th century), an example of how scientific pressures affect the quality of the objects. The sustainable aspect of Cutecircuit stems from the potential longevity of the garments, with the electronic technology capable of being charged and the garment re-worn. This serves as a reflection of changing consumer demands at the turn of the new century, catalysed by political motivation in the form of the ‘17 sustainable development goals’ and one-hundred and sixty-nine targets set by the United Nations in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Additionally, the ability of the technology to change its appearance satisfies the transient nature of ‘fast-fashion’ trends in the modern day, whilst catering to increasingly socially aware consumers who demonstrate a growing demand for sustainable apparel (Pinnock, O. 2018).

Intending to alleviate pressures of connectivity between the metropolitan society of the New Century, and the desire to promote one’s identity and personality, the brand’s creation of socially engaging clothing is an example of how the fashion industry has responded to cultural pressures through design.

Conclusion: In conclusion, each object explored responds to the inherent social, cultural and stylistic pressures presented in their respective movements. Through the development of new manufacturing techniques, and the growing ubiquitous nature of technology in the late 20th Century and early 21st Century, the designs explored are manifestations of the society and culture in which they befall.

With regards to the future of innovative design, one may infer that the omnipresence of technology will affect the manufacturing techniques and the stylistic elements. With consideration of the significant growth in demand for supplements and personalised approaches to wellness (in the United Kingdom) (Ici Admin UK. 2017) it is possible to suggest that this burgeoning societal shift towards a more health and wellbeing orientated demographic will affect the design of the future, playing a role in the political, social, stylistic and cultural aspects of their conception.

(2445 words)

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References: • Atha, C. 2018. The 1960s and 1970s. DESN1820 Design History: 1900 to the Present Day. 14 November 2018, University of Leeds.

• Borelli-Persson, L. 1994. Issey Miyake. [Accessed:6 Dec 2018]. Available from:https://www.vogue.com/fashion-shows/spring-1995-ready-to-wear/issey-miyake •

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Brown, A. 2016. The Past Ten Years in Smart Textiles–The Pros and Cons. [Online].

[Accessed: 26 November 2018]. Available from: https://www.wearabletechnologies.com/2015/12/the-past-ten-years-in-smart-textiles-the-pros-and-cons/ Cutecircuit.com. a. 2018. Biography. [Online]. [Accessed:9 December 2018]. Available from: http://cutecircuit.com/biography/ Cutecircuit.com. b. 2018. The Hugshirt. [Online]. [Accessed:9 December 2018]. Available from: http://cutecircuit.com/the-hug-shirt/ Cutecircuit.com. c. 2018. The T-shirtOS. [Online]. [Accessed:9 December 2018]. Available from: http://cutecircuit.com/tshirtos/ Deren Guler et al. 2016. Crafting Wearables: Blending Technology with Fashion. [Online].

New York: APress. [Accessed: 9 December 2018]. Available from: https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=_wLWDAAAQBAJ&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_ ge_summary_r&cad=0#v=onepage&q&f=false Hughes-Riley et al. 2018. A Historical Review of the Development of Electronic Textiles.

[Online]. Nottingham Trent University: MDPI. [Accessed: 9 December 2018]. Available from:https://www.mdpi.com/2079-6439/6/2/34/pdf Ici Admin UK. 2017. Exploring the Rapid Expansion of the UK’s Sports and Nutrition Industries. International Career Institute.

Kumashiro, M. 1993. One view of the Japanese work ethic. Occupational Medicine. Volume 43, page9-12.

National Institute of Population and Social Security Research. 2008. Population Statistics of Japan 2008. [Online]. Tokyo: National Institute of Population and Social Security Research.

[Accessed: 19 November 2018]. Available from: http://www.ipss.go.jp/pinfo/e/psj2008/PSJ2008.pdf Otsubo, ST. 2007. Postwar Development of the Japanese Economy. April, GSID, Nagoya University. [Accessed: 20 November 2018]. Available from:https://www.gsid.nagoyau.ac.jp/sotsubo/Postwar_Development_of_the_Japanese%20Economy(Otsubo_NagoyaU).pdf Pinnock, O. 2018. Sustainable Fashion Searches Surged in 2018. [Online]. [Accessed:20 December 2018]. Available from:https://www.forbes.com/sites/oliviapinnock/2018/11/20/sustainable-fashion-searchessurged-in-2018/#50f4fbab5fe7 Saad, A. n.d. 5 Designers Using Smart Textiles in Intelligent Ways. [Online]. [Accessed: 9 December 2018]. Available from:https://www.lesouk.co/articles/material-inspiration/5designers-using-smart-textiles-in-intelligent-ways Svieven, M. 2011. AD Classics: Nakagin Capsule Tower / Kisho Kurokawa. [Online].

[Accessed: 20 November 2018]. Available from:https://www.archdaily.com/110745/adclassics-nakagin-capsule-tower-kisho-kurokawa V&A Museum. n.d. An Introduction to 1960s Fashion. [Online]. [Accessed: 20 November 2018]. Available from: https://www.vam.ac.uk/articles/an-introduction-to-1960s-fashion V&A. 2001. Fashion in Motion: Pleats Please by Issey Miyake. [Online]. [Accessed:4 Dec 2018]. Available from: http://www.vam.ac.uk/content/articles/f/fashion-in-motion-isseymiyake/ Ventus, G. 2012. The Brilliance of Issey Miyake: A Retrospective. [Online]. [Accessed:24 Nov 2018]. Available from: http://the-rosenrot.com/2012/08/the-brilliance-of-issey-miyake-aretrospective.html Yoshimoto, M. 2014. From Space to Environment: The Origins of Kankyō and the Emergence of Intermedia Art in Japan. Art Journal. Volume 67, page 24-45.

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Bibliography: • Atha, C. 2018. Postmodernism and the 1980s. DESN1820 Design History: 1900 to the Present Day. 21 November 2018, University of Leeds.

• Atha, C. 2018. The 1960s and 1970s. DESN1820 Design History: 1900 to the Present Day. 14 November 2018, University of Leeds.

• Atha, C. 2018. The New Century Turns: 1990 – 2018. DESN1820 Design History: 1900 to the Present Day. 28 November 2018, University of Leeds.

• Atlas Obscura. n.d. Nakagin Capsule Tower. [Online]. [Accessed: 18 November 2018].

Available from:https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/nakagin-capsule-tower • Bora, DB. 2011. kisho kurokawa: nakagin capsule tower building. [Online]. [Accessed: 18 November 2018]. Available from:https://www.designboom.com/architecture/kishokurokawa-nakagin-capsule-tower-building/ • Borelli-Persson, L. 1994. Issey Miyake. [Accessed:6 Dec 2018]. Available from:https://www.vogue.com/fashion-shows/spring-1995-ready-to-wear/issey-miyake •

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Brown, A. 2016. The Past Ten Years in Smart Textiles–The Pros and Cons. [Online].

[Accessed: 26 November 2018]. Available from: https://www.wearabletechnologies.com/2015/12/the-past-ten-years-in-smart-textiles-the-pros-and-cons/ Craven, J. 2017. What is Metabolism in Architecture. [Online]. [Accessed:19 November 2018]. Available from:https://www.thoughtco.com/what-is-metabolism-in-architecture177292 Cutecircuit.com. b. 2018. The Hugshirt. [Online]. [Accessed:9 December 2018]. Available from: http://cutecircuit.com/the-hug-shirt/ Cutecircuit.com. c. 2018. The T-shirtOS. [Online]. [Accessed:9 December 2018]. Available from: http://cutecircuit.com/tshirtos/ Cutecircuit.com.a. 2018. Biography. [Online]. [Accessed:9 December 2018]. Available from: http://cutecircuit.com/biography/ Deren Guler et al. 2016. Crafting Wearables: Blending Technology with Fashion. [Online].

New York: APress. [Accessed: 9 December 2018]. Available from: https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=_wLWDAAAQBAJ&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_ ge_summary_r&cad=0#v=onepage&q&f=false Hamburgh, R. 2015. How the Space Race Influenced Design. [Online]. [Accessed: 18 November 2018]. Available from:https://www.thenational.ae/arts-culture/how-the-space-raceinfluenced-design-1.55612 Hughes-Riley et al. 2018. A Historical Review of the Development of Electronic Textiles.

[Online]. Nottingham Trent University: MDPI. [Accessed: 9 December 2018]. Available from:https://www.mdpi.com/2079-6439/6/2/34/pdf Ici Admin UK. 2017. Exploring the Rapid Expansion of the UK’s Sports and Nutrition Industries. International Career Institute.

Ici Admin UK. 2017. Exploring the Rapid Expansion of the UK’s Sports and Nutrition Industries. International Career Institute.

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[Accessed: 19 November 2018]. Available from: http://www.ipss.go.jp/pinfo/e/psj2008/PSJ2008.pdf Otsubo, ST. 2007. Postwar Development of the Japanese Economy. April, GSID, Nagoya University. [Accessed: 20 November 2018]. Available from:https://www.gsid.nagoyau.ac.jp/sotsubo/Postwar_Development_of_the_Japanese%20Economy(Otsubo_NagoyaU).pdf Pinnock, O. 2018. Sustainable Fashion Searches Surged in 2018. [Online]. [Accessed:20 December 2018]. Available from:https://www.forbes.com/sites/oliviapinnock/2018/11/20/sustainable-fashion-searchessurged-in-2018/#50f4fbab5fe7 Reynolds, R. 1966. Letter to Mr R.H.Nolte, 24 December 1966.

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[Accessed: 20 November 2018]. Available from:https://www.archdaily.com/110745/adclassics-nakagin-capsule-tower-kisho-kurokawa Syduzzaman, et al. 2015. Smart Textiles and Nano-Technology: A General Overview.

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V&A Museum. n.d. An Introduction to 1960s Fashion. [Online]. [Accessed: 20 November 2018]. Available from: https://www.vam.ac.uk/articles/an-introduction-to-1960s-fashion V&A. 2001. Fashion in Motion: Pleats Please by Issey Miyake. [Online]. [Accessed:4 Dec 2018]. Available from: http://www.vam.ac.uk/content/articles/f/fashion-in-motion-isseymiyake/ Ventus, G. 2012. The Brilliance of Issey Miyake: A Retrospective. [Online]. [Accessed:24 Nov 2018]. Available from: http://the-rosenrot.com/2012/08/the-brilliance-of-issey-miyake-aretrospective.html Yoshimoto, M. 2014. From Space to Environment: The Origins of Kankyō and the Emergence of Intermedia Art in Japan. Art Journal. Volume 67, page 24-45.

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