Demanding Clothes - Cultural Values in Fashion Production

DEMANDING CLOTHES

CULTURAL VALUES IN FASHION PRODUCTION NIENKE CREEMERS

MA FASHION FUTURES 2019/2020

Nienke Creemers MA Fashion Futures Statement of Originality 19027869 2019/2020

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Nienke Creemers MA Fashion Futures Statement of Originality 19027869 2019/2020

I, Nienke Creemers, hereby verify that this is an original and individual piece of work, that no part of this dissertation has been written by anyone else and has not been plagiarised.

Wordcount:

10.915

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Nienke Creemers MA Fashion Futures Acknowledgements 19027869 2019/2020

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I would like to thank: Prins Bernhard Cultuur fonds, VSB fonds and Hendrik Muller fonds for granting me financial support which made studying at London College of Fashion in the Masters program MA Fashion Futures possible Alexa Pollmann for being my supervisor and guiding me through this project.

Erwan Sabri for putting enormous amounts of work in the game development.

Prof. Carol Tulloch, Maria Tielbeke, Rahul Patel and Ronald Christiaans for lending their time, answering my questions and giving me their professional insight.

HenriĂŤtte van den Broek, who always helps me get my thoughts and concepts on paper and proofreading my written pieces.

All participants, who were interviewed, and will stay anonymous, for lending their time and rich knowledge and experiences.

Thijs Creemers, who helped get all content published on the website.

Frederik Tings, for producing the game music.

Luis GutiĂŠrrez Rico, for helping me edit the game trailer and answering all my questions about animation.

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Nienke Creemers MA Fashion Futures Abstract 19027869 2019/2020

ABSTRACT We know what is happening in textile and clothing factories, working conditions are deplorable, and workers are often not paid a living wage. Documentaries such as China Blue (2005) and the Machinist (2010) were some of the first sources to show Western societies how our clothes are made. Why it is accepted that exploitation is a vital and even a necessary part of the fashion industry, is one of the main questions that started this inquiry.

This research project explores the relation between the manufacturing methods in the fashion industry and Western European imperialistic heritage. First and foremost, the exploration of whiteness in fashion production is central to this project. Imperialism and colonialism were explored, as well as the relation between capitalism, exploitation and manufacturing methods. The fashion industry, as the ultimate expression of capitalism, is a central concept in this dissertation.

Ethnographic and epistemological methodologies were used to develop an interview format. Interviews with production managers and designers were held to investigate production processes and values held regarding these production processes. Outcomes of the interviews were surprising. It can be said that trading conditions and relations are extremely unfair, and that imperialistic heritage and colonialism must be at the source of existing trade relations. Politics play an enormous part in working conditions within clothing factories when observing economic systems and the profit the fashion industry makes each year. Curious is that professionals in the field of fashion were mostly aware and extremely unhappy with the conditions clothes are manufactured under, however, they feel they do not have any power to change these practices. Most participants noted that the fashion industry is all about money, not ethical practice or sustainability.

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Nienke Creemers MA Fashion Futures Abstract 19027869 2019/2020

Based on this, an illustrated video game was developed, showcasing dilemmas that often occur during the manufacturing process.This video game aims to start a discussion surrounding manufacturing processes among both fashion professionals and fashion design students. Through this research project, courses can be developed in order to educate these groups on manufacturing methods and ways to redesign the production process. Furthermore, aside education as a probable solution, automation and a Universal Basic Income are explored as possible interventions that can be used to transform clothes manufacturing processes on a large scale.

Nienke Creemers MA Fashion Futures Table of Contents 19027869 2019/2020

TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. Introduction 17 1.1 Rationale 17 1.2

Methodology

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2. Contextualisation 20 2.1 Imperialism 20 Political Imperialism

2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6

2.7

Economic Imperialism

Colonialism Capitalism, Manufacturing and Exploitation Manufacturing: Why and How dit it Move?

Exploiting Labour Forces Do Capitalist Economies Need Imperialist Structures to Function?

Fashion as the Ultimate Form of Capitalism

23 24 25 25 26 27

3. Methodology 31 3.1 Methods 32 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5

Interview Format Data Analysis Ethics Limitations

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33 34 34 35

Nienke Creemers MA Fashion Futures Table of Contents 19027869 2019/2020

Chart: Elimination Process Values Participant Portraits

38 40

4. Discussion 46 4.1 Primary Data 46 Production Maps Value cards 4.2 Sustainability 4.3 Quality 4.4 Respect 4.5 Reliability 4.6 Additional Values

5. Project Development

Storyline Diagrams

61 62 63 64 64

66 70

6. Validation 87 6.1 Possible Solutions 88 6.2 6.3

Education 88 Automation and the Universal Basic Income 89

7. References 92

Nienke Creemers MA Fashion Futures Table of Contents 19027869 2019/2020

8. Appendices 100 8.1 8.2 8.3 8.4 8.5 8.6 8.7

Value Charts Visual References Chart: Elimination Storylines Written scenarios Storyboards Information Sheets Participants Consent form templates

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104 127 132 137 148 168 174

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Nienke Creemers MA Fashion Futures 19027869 2019/2020

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Nienke Creemers MA Fashion Futures Introduction 19027869 2019/2020

1. INTRODUCTION China, Bangladesh, Vietnam, Turkey and India are examples of so-called ‘production countries, where mainly clothes are manufactured for Western regions. A quick google search into the meaning of the term ‘production country’ gives an extremely accurate impression of how we perceive these countries. Third in Google’s search results is a Wikipedia page, titled ‘Developing Country’. This quick inquiry reveals how we perceive countries that produce our goods: as a country which is less developed than ours.

1.1 Rationale

This research project concentrates on how Western Europeans working in the fashion industry perceive and value production processes. It is commonly known that the manufacturing of clothes is undertaken in ‘developing countries’, the main reason given for this is that production costs are much cheaper as wages in these areas are lower compared to European wages.

Low costs cannot be the only reason. Looking at Europe’s history regarding Imperialism and colonialism, there must be another motive for producing abroad, which makes us accept the low wages, poignant working conditions and mass pollution the fashion industry creates in these production countries.

Fashion, as an industry, is highly political, it makes about 1,5 trillion US dollars per year worldwide (W. Pantland, 2020) and is inherently sensitive to policy changes and cross border trade (BOF and McKinsey Company, 2019). When seeing how economic power creates political power following a framework of imperialist dominance (Dos Santos, 1970), it can be stated that the fashion industry has enormous political effects. Therefore, who ‘has’ the fashion industry, also gains tremendous amounts of political and economic authority over the areas that do not ‘have’ the fashion industry. Uncovering underlying social structures that influence how we produce

Nienke Creemers MA Fashion Futures Introduction 19027869 2019/2020

our clothing on a large scale is of importance to the field as exposing these social structures will give clarity about: -

How the fashion industry has a part in sustaining poverty in developing areas.

-

Power dynamics between developed and developing countries which influence industrial processes.

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Aspects of fashion’s manufacturing process that need to be redesigned.

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How we can start redesigning manufacturing processes within the fashion industry.

This study examines the Western European fashion industry’s consensus regarding clothes manufacturing, concentrating on the Western European cultural archive and how it influences clothing production. Besides that, the study and its results are used as a base to develop a satirical video game.This video game explores clothes’ manufacturing, from a production manager’s perspective within a fast-fashion brand. Critical situations are displayed within the game, as well as the relation between the clothing brand and suppliers with one having power over the other.

The dissertation will discuss several forms of Imperialism, colonialism, its relation to

capitalism, and the concept of the fashion industry as the ultimate form of capitalism to illustrate fundamental systems affecting industrial processes. Methodologies and methods used for this study are defined.

The primary research conducted during this inquiry is analysed, after which the practical outcome of a video game, illustrating production processes from a Western European standpoint, is expanded on.

1. 2 Methodology

Two qualitative methodologies were used for this study: Ethnography and epistemology.

Ethnography was chosen as this study is about people and the culture and value systems within the western European fashion industry.

The methodology epistemology has been selected to review our understanding of the fashion industry’s production processes. Semistructured interviews were held to investigate perceptions of production processes.

These interviews were conducted with five professionals working within the fashion industry. Three interview sections were developed, getting to know the participant by making a portrait and inquiring about their cultural background, mapping the production process as they experienced it, and a query into their core values regarding the production process. Additionally, interviews have been held with several academics from other fields besides the fashion industry to question them on colonial and imperial structures within

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Nienke Creemers MA Fashion Futures Introduction 19027869 2019/2020

labour processes, inquiring about capitalist systems, class, and the perception of labour forces. Outcomes of the primary research are the basis of this project’s practical outcome in the form of a video game.

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Nienke Creemers MA Fashion Futures Contextualisation 19027869 2019/2020

2. CONTEXTUALISATION For this contextualisation, the choice was made to expand firstly on the general understanding of Imperialism and colonialism after which the relation between imperialist structures and capitalism is laid out. Both these concepts are essential to understand how the fashion industry produces its product. The final chapter of this contextualisation will focus on the narrative of the fashion industry being a prime example of an industry using capitalist and thus imperialist structures.

2.1 Imperialism

Imperialism and colonialism as phenomena seem to be closely related and even interchangeable. However, their definitions are vastly different, it is fundamental to specify both terms.

Colonialism can be defined as the action of overtaking an area, culture and values, while Imperialism is much more covert. Imperialism can be referred to as a mentality which gives the sense of superiority. ‘Imperialism...is...a phenomenon not yet understood, as if a theatrical performance still in motion...If Imperialism has been extensively documented and analysed, its actual character remains opaque; a situation conditioned by... the ongoing realities of neo-imperialism and global hierarchy’.

- Pieterse, 1990, cited in Bush, 2006, p.43 Vital to this thesis is the idea that imperialist mentality can exist without the act of colonialism, while colonialism cannot occur without this imperialist mentality. Within this dissertation, Imperialism is defined as a combination of political and economic domination. Williams in Tomlinson’s Cultural Imperialism (1991) describes the term imperialism as the domination of other areas and cultures affiliated with the notion of creating an empire. Essential to recognise is that domination can be reached through political as well as an

Nienke Creemers MA Fashion Futures Contextualisation 19027869 2019/2020

economic power. Important to note is that political power creates economic power and vice versa.

ment of the periphery; the underdeve- lopment of the periphery is the consequence of the development of the core (Dos Santos, 1970)’.

‘In other words, the global system is such that the development of part of the system occurs at the expense of other parts (Warren, 1980)’.

Political Imperialism Political Imperialism is mainly associated with the colonial rule of Europe in the 19th century.

It is argued that this colonial rule has created a dependence system between developed and developing countries that is still sustained in this modern day. Dos Santos’ Dependency theory (1970, found in Warren, 1980, p. 160) acutely sums up how dependency is created between developed and developing nations

and how it is sustained.

‘Dependency is ‘the conditioning of

poverty (Dos Santos. 1970)’.

‘Poverty is the result of (or is equated

with) underdevelopment

(Warren 1980).’

‘Development and underdevelopment

are partial, interdependent structures

of one global system’.

The development of the core countries

is the consequence of the underdevelop-

‘Underdevelopment is not simply non-development but is a unique type of socio-economic structure brought about by the integration of the society concerned into the sphere of the advanced capitalist countries (Frank, 1991)’.

Within the literature, different forms of Imperialism can be defined, such as political, economic, cultural and social imperialism. This dissertation focuses on Western European Imperialism and will mainly speak on political and economic Imperialism.

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Thus: ‘Dependence is a conditioning situation in which the economies of one group of countries are conditioned by the development and expansion of others.

A relationship of interdependence between two or more economies or between such economies and the world trading system becomes a dependent relationship when some countries can expand through self-impulsion while others, being in a dependent position, can only expand as a reflection of the

expansion of the dominant countries, which may have positive or negative effects on their immediate development

Nienke Creemers MA Fashion Futures Contextualisation 19027869 2019/2020

(Warren, 1980)’.

Dos Santos’ theory explicitly shows how this dependency benefits centric countries politically as well as economically and how western countries gain political power by maintaining dependent relations with developing countries.

Economic Imperialism

Imperialism and capitalism seem to be incredibly intertwined. The literature on economic Imperialism mostly focuses on capitalist structures and how capitalist societies assert dominance. These works are predominantly Marxist, such as Lenin’s pamphlet Imperialism: the highest stage of capitalism (1916) in which is stated: ‘Imperialism is capitalism in that stage of development in which the dominance of monopolies and finance capital has been established itself, in which export of capital has acquired pronounced importance; in which the division of the world among the international trusts has begun; in which the division of all territories of the globe among the great capitalist powers has been completed’.

Whereas Kautsky articulates how economic Imperialism strives to annex large agrarian regions to use for financial and political gains (Robinson, 2006). Within Warren’s Imperialism: Pioneer of Capitalism (1980) the

progress of capitalist systems is expanded on, stating how through innovation, economies could expand vastly. However, growth became more complicated and could only be achieved by immense human suffering.

Warren emphasises the uneven character of the advances of growth while also highlighting how it brought progress such as individualism and creative initiatives that had not been possible in pre-capitalist societies.

2.2 Colonialism

A clear definition of colonialism can be found in New Keywords (Bennets. et al. 2005).

‘Colonialism is a general term signifying domination and hegemony, classically in the form of political rule and economic control on the part of a European state over territories and people outside Europe.’

Within this dissertation, the term colonialism has been used applying this definition.

Additionally, colonialism is always approached as an act and phenomenon still seen nowadays.

Colonialism in the current era can be split into two main phenomena: postcolonialism and neo-colonialism. When speaking of postcolonialism, it discusses the effects of domination on the controlled group, mainly countries in the global south dominated by western countries.The term is used to describe the consequences of political, economic and military control and the exploitation of native

Nienke Creemers MA Fashion Futures Contextualisation 19027869 2019/2020

people and their land. Postcolonialism cannot be categorised by historical periods or dates (B. Bush, 2006).Therefore, postcolonial studies aim to explore the effects colonialism has and has had in the past on colonised areas.

‘We might be in a postcolonial era but not in a postimperial age’. With this, McClintock (1993 cited in Bush, 2006, p. 59) aims at how we have stopped the act of overtly colonising other areas. However, we still project political and economic dominance over peripheral countries, which is inherently an act of Imperialism. Many crimes against humanity have been committed as a concequence of economic dominance of the north over the south, according to Young (2011).

Contrarily, neo-colonialism is used to define the practice of controlling other countries for economic and political gain through economics, globalisation and conditional aid. Neo-colonialism can be viewed ‘as the ideological extension of colonialism in a different historical period and political context, implying some sort of physical and institutional control over a region’ (C. Sagoe, 2012, p. 1). Instead of military control, economic prospects or threats are used to assert dominance over peripheral areas (Bush, 2006).

With these insights, it can be said that the West’s political and economic domination over developing countries was reached

through colonial structures. Another question that comes to mind while gathering information on western dominance is how capitalist economies profit of imperialist and colonial systems that have been ingrained in western, and especially European, culture. We could even question if capitalist economies need Imperialism to function and if it uses imperialist thought as a tool to generate more wealth.

2.3 Capitalism,

Manufacturing and

Exploitation

Capitalism can be perceived as an economic construct in which financial expansion is the primary driver. However, capitalism or the free-market construct can also be perceived as a socio-political structure through which the relation between economic power, domination, subordination and exploitation can be observed (Anievas and Nisancioglu, 2015).

The evolution of our current capitalist system will not be discussed within this dissertation.

When speaking of capitalist systems, an essential element however, is to understand how European industries moved abroad, how our current capitalist system exploits labour forces and who actually benefits.

According to Rodney (1976), there is a

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particular aspect to developing areas, namely, that these developing countries are all exploited by others, through their natural resources or labour force. Rodney states that this contemporary exploitation is grounded in imperialist and colonialist exploitation by the West. Excessive wealth was created within developed countries through exploitation and creating dependent relations with developing countries. ‘Slave trade was the spring and parent whence the others flow’ said Wood in 1718 (found in Williams, 1964) following this quote, Wood and Williams imply that the transatlantic slave trade was the pretext for capitalism as we know it today, Williams continues saying that we need to recognise slave trade as the grounds of contemporary capitalism, otherwise ‘the history of this period is meaningless.’ This dissertation, however, focusses on production within the fashion industry. Capitalist economies can only function through expansion and mass production. Within pre-capitalist societies, humans had never consciously functioned to make as much profit as possible out of production (Rodney, 1976), at whatever cost.

societies into developing countries. Since the 1970s manufacturing in Europe has declined vastly. Britain’s manufacturing sector was once 37 per cent of its GDP in 1950.

In 2010 it accounted only for 13 per cent (Chang, 2010). Most European countries that once functioned within industrial-capitalist economies have now transitioned into knowledge-based economies or serviceeconomies (Chang, 2010), which means manufacturing has moved elsewhere. The moving away of European industry is mainly due to outsourcing production to low wage countries (Chang, 2010), such as China, India, Turkey and Bangladesh.

2.5 Exploiting Labour Forces

As defined previously in this dissertation, developing countries are often exploited by developed countries for their labour force (Rodney, 1976). More profit can be made when manufacturing costs are low, which seems to be valid reasoning for outsourcing manufacturing processes to low-wage, or developing, countries. However, it is curious we value people’s work in low-wage 2.4 Manufacturing, why that countries as less than the work people in

and how did it move? centric countries do, i.e., Western European Manufacturing in the basis is producing countries. It is often thought that we pay goods to sell to consumers and make profit. people according to their productivity, Throughout the last few decades, clothes however, that is entirely unjust (Chang, 2010). It manufacturing has moved from western does not make sense that a European factory

Nienke Creemers MA Fashion Futures Contextualisation 19027869 2019/2020

worker would get paid more than a factory worker in a developing country. Introducing a fair minimum wage would level the playing field. We must dismiss the idea that everyone gets paid according to their worth, accepting this idea would mean that a factory worker in Bangladesh is worth less than a factory worker in Germany, even if they do the exact same job and are as productive. Valuing labour and workers differently shows a racist approach within the industry, which allows for the dehumanisation of the worker (T. Hoskins, 2014). According to Labour Behind the Label (2020), many textile workers make the set minimum wage, however, this wage is by far not enough to support themselves. Knowing how labour is unfairly compensated, we might ask why we do not pay people in developing areas a living wage in the fashion industry.

Rodney (1976) points out how humans have always exploited their natural environment, after a certain point in capitalist growth, when it became difficult to grow any further, people started exploiting others through their labour and grew rich off this exploitation. We can look at cotton production for a clear example of labour exploitation throughout history, where once African slaves in the United States picked cotton. After the abolishment of slavery, the exploitation of people for profit has continued in more covert ways. A case of this can be found in Rodney (1976) where is explained how Liverpool firms, who were well-known for their slave-trading, switched to palm oil in the early 19th century. These

firms were no longer exploiting Africans by removing its labour but exploiting their labour and natural resources on the African continent. This case shows distinctly how making profit through exploitation has shifted from slavery to exploiting labour forces as we know today.

2.6 Do Capitalist

Economies Need

Imperialist Structures

to Function?

It is often presumed that Europeans enslaved Africans due to racist motives, however, the opposite might be true, Europeans have enslaved Africans purely for economic reasons (Rodney, 1976), to benefit European economies and to strengthen their production overseas in the United States. Racist sentiment has been a result of the continuous exploitation of Africans and other colonised areas by Europeans. According to Rodney (1976), a nation cannot enslave another nation without feeling superior to them. Memmi and Sartre (1974) question how colonisers could debase people they enslaved to a degree where they were not human anymore, Sartre explains that colonisers and slave traders had to exonerate themselves to a degree where they could not see indigenous people as people anymore, to keep up the violent forces being used against these indigenous

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communities. This can only be done by classing oneself as being of more value. The oppressor had to dehumanise themselves as much as the oppressed civilisation. ‘a racist approach allows for dehumanisation and therefor guiltless exploitation of the so-called third world (T. Hoskins, 2014).’

wealth for themselves and make the clothing industry flourish. Within approximately 300 years, clothing production has transformed from small scale feudal modes within the home to mass globalised production (Sullivan, 2016), which we can buy in giant retail chains whenever we want.

These principles are at the base of how we produce our goods today. Our financial and material achievements go hand in hand with immense human suffering. It can be said that capitalism needs Imperialism or even racism to function as it does now. Without the enormous amounts of exploitation of both labour forces and natural resources, we cannot sustain the economy as we know it today.

‘Fashion is among the most hyper-capitalist businesses of the lot-one that produces goods for short term use (to be updated, or thrown out every six months), sourced from all over the world and generating substantial profits for those at the top, even while those workers at the bottom face the risk of starvation (…) or death.’

- Adittya Chakraborty, 2014

‘Capitalism has grown into a world system of colonial oppression and of the financial strangulation of the overwhelming majority of the people of the world by a handful of ‘Advanced’ countries.’

- Lenin, 1916, p. 5

2.7 Fashion as the

Ultimate Form of Capitalism

The fashion industry beautifully crafts images of imagination and beauty, which are marketed to consumers in order to make as much profit as possible, as Elisabeth Wilson put it: ‘Fashion speaks capitalism’ (2003, p.14) According to Wilson, capitalism ‘kills, appropriates and lays waste’ accompanying that, capitalism also creates beauty and opportunity just as fashion does. If we follow Marx’s mode of production, goods are produced to be sold to create capital for those who own the means of production (Sullivan, 2016).

To make as much profit as possible within the The mass production of clothing was part of clothing industry, production costs need to the Industrial Revolution’s kick-start (Wilson, be low, and capacity needs to be extremely 2003). Which gave textile traders the option high. To keep costs low, the supply chain has to make massive amounts of profit, create been fragmented, a t-shirt can be sewn in one

Nienke Creemers MA Fashion Futures Contextualisation 19027869 2019/2020

factory while the label is sewn in at another location. Due to the fragmentation of the supply chain, it is nearly impossible to oversee what goes on within it. The manufacturing has now moved almost entirely from developed countries to developing countries (C. Lane, J. Probert, 2009). One of the reasons for producing in developing countries is that labour costs are incredibly low compared to wages in developed countries. Moving labour towards developing countries is not an issue within itself. However, the circumstances at which the work has to be done and the inadequate reward given to the factory workers, which are mostly women, makes the fashion industry have an exploitative relationship with its supply chain.

To conclude, it can be established that the fashion industry is driven by profit which is an important value within our capitalist system.

Within the previous chapter, it is outlined how capitalism needs imperialist structures to sustain itself. With that, comes exploitation of labour forces and natural resources. The fashion industry needs to exploit their labour forces to make financial profit and attain growth, making the fashion industry one of the prime examples of a capitalist industry and thus and imperialist one.

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Nienke Creemers MA Fashion Futures Methodology 19027869 2019/2020

3. METHODOLOGY This study has used two qualitative research methodologies, ethnography and epistemology. A qualitative approach was chosen as this study focuses on Western Europeans’ perception in the fashion industry on their production processes. There was a focus on participants’ values, opinions and feelings regarding production processes. The study included a social and cultural approach, which could not be encapsulated in numerical data.

Ethnography as a research methodology is derived from the discipline anthropology, which focusses on gaining knowledge on culture through sustained contact with people living within a set culture (O’Reilly, 2009). According to Jason and Glenwick (2016), ethnography always starts within community-based research to study a group’s behaviour, patterns and routines.

Ethnography was selected as the fashion industry’s processes, and patterns regarding production were essential to this study.

Finding commonalities within production processes was key for selecting ethnography as a research methodology. As anthropology, as a discipline is riddled with imperialist and colonialist studies and approaches (L. Tuhiwai-Smith, 2008), the use of ethnography had to be carefully considered.

Epistemology is defined as ‘the study of knowledge and justified belief ’ by the Stanford encyclopaedia of philosophy (2005). General understandings of concepts and what makes these beliefs justified are central within epistemology.

Predominantly, epistemology seeks for the justification of the production of knowledge. According to Tuhiwai Smith epistemology is the study of what gives reality to concepts and ideas, ‘systems of knowledge, formations of culture and the relations of power’ (2008, p.48). This methodology was chosen as the beliefs held regarding production within the fashion industry are central within this study. Participants were inquired about how manufacturing processes went and

Nienke Creemers MA Fashion Futures Methodology 19027869 2019/2020

their values, opinions and feelings regarding set manufacturing processes. Questioning the norm and how participants thought about manufacturing made epistemology an excellent methodology to follow.

The vital difference between ethnography and epistemology within this study is the contrast between understanding the participants’ view (epistemology) and inquiring about the norm and routine within manufacturing processes (ethnography).

For the main group of professionals in the fashion industry, an interview format was developed with educational developer Maria Tielbeke using intervision methods.

Intervision is a structured conversation often used to reflect on one’s actions and construct feedback (A. De Groot, G. Nobel, 2005).

Intervision methods are used in education, advocacy, social work, and health care.

Some examples of intervision methods are roleplaying, gossiping, finishing sentences and storytelling. The intervision methods mentioned here were all found in:‘Een Pot met 3.1 Methods Goud - Werkboek Intervisie in het Onderwijs’ The main method used for primary data by A. de Groot and G. Nobel. According to collection was semi-structured interviews. Tielbeke, a significant aspect of gathering the Careful consideration went into determining information was to have a visual component who needed to be interviewed and how the within the interviews.When a complex subject interviews were conducted. Three groups is visualised well, it is easier for a participant were created, of which one large group that to associate with, and speak openly about the lead this study. The main group existed of five set subject. A vital aspect of the interviews professionals working in the fashion industry, was the chosen language, as the subject all worked in Western European countries and matter of this study could be confronting and worked with or within production teams in fast even come across condemning. Neutrality or ready to wear fashion labels. Second, two was fundamental within these interviews academics were interviewed inquiring their as to not influence participants and make perspective on the study, issues surrounding the participant express their thoughts and the study and asking for advice regarding values regarding production processes freely. terminology and how they interpreted results Interest and curiosity must be shown by the gained from the interviews conducted with interviewer, according to Tielbeke, an open the first group. Third, a virtual reality specialist body language can do this, good follow up was interviewed to inquire about the options questions, leaving silences and encouraging and limitations of using virtual reality within the participant to continue talking. gameplay.

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Two intervision methods were selected to develop the eventual interview format namely, ‘the mirroring method’, in which the goal is to describe oneself and let the participant describe themselves using any method preferred, examples could be writing, poetry or music. Secondly, ‘the norms and values method’ was used, which aims to define values concerning behaviour, actions and choices and reflect on these set values. Through adopting these intervision methods, a playful and visual interview format was developed incorporating semi-structured dialogue and illustration to visualise data immediately.

the participants what was important to the study. Participants had the chance to correct misunderstandings as well as decline their portrait being made.

The second part of the interviews was mapping the production process. The participant was asked to describe the production process in as much detail as possible. On several occasions, follow up questions were asked.

During this stage of the interview, there was a specific interest in communication with the supply chain, deadlines and payment, as talking about these aspects gave a clear impression of dynamics between labels and manufacturers. During the interview, detailed 3.2 Interview Format notes were made; these notes were reviewed The final interview format consisted of three together with the participant, after which a sections. Firstly, an introduction to the study, production map was illustrated, reviewed where the interviewer would introduce by the participant and potentially adjusted. themselves using an illustrated portrait This section of the interview drew from displaying information about the interviewer. an ethnographic approach, as it was vital to A request would be made to make a similar uncover routine, actions and behaviour within portrait of the participant while they told the the manufacturing process. interviewer about their cultural background, personal values, how they got to work in the For the final section of the interview, an fashion industry and their views on fashion. epistemological approach was taken to The introduction used the ‘mirroring method’ explore underlying values to the routines out of ‘Een pot Goud – Werkboek Intervisie previously discussed. To develop this section, in het Onderwijs’ (2005). Using this form the ‘norms and values’ game was used as a was essential to collect general data on the base (P.Gerrickens, M. Verstege, Z. van Dun, participants, where they are from, and their 2003). Participants were presented with 20 careers in the fashion industry. It functioned as cards displaying values that could apply to a method to show interest in the participant. the production process. Out of sixty-three The illustration functioned as a tool to show cards, the researcher picked twenty items by

Nienke Creemers MA Fashion Futures Methodology 19027869 2019/2020

reviewing each value for their appropriateness to the subject matter and an elimination process to exclude or bring together specific values (See appendix). The participants were then asked to choose five values most important to them regarding the production process. One of the cards was left blank in case a participant felt they had to add a value.

After core values were chosen, follow up questions were asked to get a well-rounded picture on the participants understanding of the value and how it is applied. Working with a card game guaranteed data that was easily analysable using a thematic analysis method, as all participants were presented with the same value options.

3.3 Data Analysis

To analyse the gained data, a thematic analysis approach was used. According to Kitzinger and Wilmott, a thematic analysis consists of categorising sections of the data into recurrent themes (2002). A critical realist approach was used to analyse the data, according to Smith (2015) a critical realistic approach implicates that reality regarding the subject matter is accessible, however, mediated by socio-cultural circumstances and the researcher’s interpretation. Participants’ statements display their perception of reality, while the researcher gives meaning to multiple participants’ perceptions. Within the following chapter ‘ethics’, I will expand on my own bias within the study and how it could influence

outcomes. This bias was the main driver for using a critical realist approach while analysing data. During the process of data analysis, it was crucial to be aware of this bias. All data from the interviews were coded by reviewing all maps and value charts. Recurring themes were clustered together to review and code them again, as within some themes, several subjects were mentioned. A report was written, including the four most discussed themes and commonly mentioned issues regarding the production process.

3.4 Ethics

As this study was based on ethnographic and epistemological methodologies, ethics have been considered using the UAL code of practice on Research Ethics (2017). Mainly the researchers’ bias within the study, the participants’ anonymity, and information given to participants were taken into account.

As the researcher, I must consider my bias within the study and field of research.

Coming from a Western European country myself (the Netherlands), and being a white woman, I had to be actively aware during the entire research process that I was not able to observe all processes and systems within the context of exploitation within the fashion industry, as well as imperialist and colonial systems. Furthermore, awareness of the colonial context several research methodologies sit in - such as ethnography

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and epistemology - was essential. Having a fashion design background made me a part of the research group, while also sharing a similar cultural archive to all participants.

Researching whiteness and imperial heritage if the fashion industry was vital, as studying any other group or concept would make this research project a part of many colonial studies, which I hope to avoid. To become more aware of my implicit biases, I partook in Harvard University’s Implicit Association Test (2011). Furthermore, two academics whose studies’ overlap this research project were interviewed, Rahul Patel and Prof. Carol Tulloch, with the aim of gaining different perspectives on the study, review terminology used within the study and gather opinions on the outcomes of this research inquiry.

It was vital to guarantee full anonymity to all participants of the main group of professionals in the fashion industry. All participant of this group signed a participant consent form agreeing to their participation in the study, the recording of the interview and full anonymity.

Anonymity was guaranteed by giving these participants a number and only referring to them by that number within this dissertation.

Participants were able to check and adjust anything within the final portraits, maps and value charts made after the interview.

An advantage of granting anonymity to participants was that they could speak more freely about their workplace practices and how they perceived these practices. Brands

the participants spoke about have been anonymised as well to ensure the anonymity of the participants. Experts partaking in this study have signed participant consent forms as well but have not been granted anonymity.

Transparency towards participants has been considered before conducting the interviews as a partly covert explanation of the study’s aims might have given more honest responses from the participants. The research subject can be confronting and is not always wellreceived. However, a complete covert study is seldomly justified (O’Reily, 2009), unethical or ‘professionally unsound’ (Lugosi, 2006, p.2).

Eventually, it was decided to give participants complete transparency about the study, and its aims. Personal views were not shared with the participants as not to influence them before the interview was conducted.

3.5 Limitations

A limitation of this research project has been the sample size, with only five participants in the group of professionals in the fashion industry, the study and its results are limited.

For future study, this sample group would have to be larger to gain a better scope and understanding of manufacturing methods and how cultural heritage influences these manufacturing methods. Furthermore, it would be preferred to research specific sectors of the fashion industry separately as well as separating age groups. During this

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inquiry, participants came from different sectors, such as fast fashion and ready to wear labels. Separating these sectors would give great insight into problems that occur during the manufacturing process for each sector, as they could be different. Naturally, COVID-19 has been a limitation to the study, as several interviews had to be held online using skype.

Even though the interview format was designed around the use of a digital format, it took up extra time and made it more challenging to get to know the participant.

The practical outcome of an illustrated video game might have been different, as this form was chosen because it required little help and resources from within the university and could be done remotely.

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Nienke Creemers MA Fashion Futures Appendix: 19027869 2019/2020 Elimination Values

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Nienke Creemers MA Fashion Futures Participant Portraits 19027869 2019/2020 20-01

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4. DISCUSSION This chapter centres around the results of the primary data collection and the project’s practical development, which is based on the research results. Firstly, primary data will be discussed. Production maps and value charts from all participants have been analysed through a thematic analysis.

All portraits, production maps and value charts made during the interviews can be found in the appendix. Secondly, the development of the video game is expanded on, the reasoning for choosing a video game as a format, the visual language, and the illustration and animation style will be explained. Written scenarios and storyboards created for the game development are documented in the appendix.

4.1 Primary Data

Primary data gained within the interviews with professionals working in the fashion industry have been analysed using a thematic analysis approach. The second and third section of the interviews will be discussed within this chapter, as the first section mainly functioned to gather background information on participants and thus show fewer interesting patterns for this research inquiry, while the second and third sections of the interview gave clear analysable data.

For the second section of the interviews, production maps were made. Participants were asked to describe production processes within the fashion industry as detailed as possible.

Clarification was requested when anything was unclear. Certain parts of the process were asked about when participants did not mention them, such as negotiating production prices. After the participants explained their production processes in detail, a road map was illustrated to visualise all steps of the process.

Reviewing all maps displays how different each production process is set up and how participants all focus on various

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aspects of the process. Some participants went into detail about sampling, while others expanded on quality control. Negotiating prices, communication and relationships with manufacturers. Quality control, communication and payment were specific areas of interest, as these aspects gave a clear impression of dynamics between labels and manufacturers.

auditing process within the brand. Other participants reported that factories look decent, even though they are far from design studios’ standards. Several participants noted the importance of creating long-lasting relations with factories, working with a manufacturer for a minimum of three years ensures security for both brand and factory.

One participant reported that sustaining a good relationship with factories can often be Similar in most processes is how negotiations difficult as they must ask the factory to do jobs start, factories will usually draft an invoice for for little money, scold them when the product the requested order. After that, production comes back faulty or set strict deadlines. The managers or creative directors either begin participant elaborated on the complexity of to negotiate, in order to haggle down as much disagreeing with these practices while being as possible or adjustments can be made in seen as the enemy by manufacturers. Standing designs to cut the production price. Several out from the interview data, was that similar participants reported feeling embarrassed practices could be detected regarding not when having to negotiate production prices; paying for faulty garments and late payments. others called the process brutal and pointed Multiple participants stated that quality control out how no moral values are used during the would be extremely strict, with the purpose negotiation stage. Two participants expanded of finding faults in production and asking on how their brands value fair payment for for discounts. One participant even noted their manufactures. These brands explicitly that late payments and asking for discounts described they did not haggle over the could even be considered as a strategy for production prices; they would rather cut demanding discounts or not paying a factory down the cost by adjusting their garments. at all.

Email and phone calls are the most chosen methods to communicate with manufacturers.

If factories are located near brands’ design studios, factories are often visited to deliver patterns, size charts or materials. Factories overseas are also visited, however, much less.

Only one participant spoke of a regulated

The third section of each interview was an adaptation of the ‘Norms and Values game’ created by P. Gerrickens, M. Verstege, and Z. van Dun. Participants were presented with twenty cards that each listed a value such as efficiency, profit, or recognition (See appendix). Each participant was asked to

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pick five cards representing their core values regarding production processes within their brands. For each value, a set of questions was created to question the participants about; their understanding of the value, if the value is applied within their production chains, or if they aim to apply the value in the future.

By using cards options, a clear data set was created that could be analysed. Furthermore, playing the game and questioning participants’ views on the picked values functioned as a tool to uncover broader value systems within the fashion industry. Highly significant in this section of the interviews was to find out what fashion professionals find most important when producing clothing, what they strive towards and what pain points they see withing the production process.

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Nienke Creemers MA Fashion Futures Appendix: 19027869 2019/2020 Value Cards

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4.2 Sustainability All participants choose ‘sustainability’ as one of their core values. Each participant was asked what sustainability means. Answers varied enormously between participants from brief and concise, to elaborate explanations that covered several areas of sustainable practice.

Most mentioned was sustainable, organic, and recycled material. Long-lasting material and good quality raw material seem to be most important for the interviewees. The material should be ethically sourced, either organic or recycled and dyed naturally to be considered sustainable. Some participants also mention they want to know where the material comes from and precisely which raw materials are used to create the final textile.

‘Often, sustainable material is not considered, and the origin of the material is unknown’ said participant 20-01. Another participant stated that the materials used in packaging should be considered as well. Waste reduction is another often mentioned phrase. According to the participants reducing waste requires limiting excess stock, overproduction, and oversupplying. Two participants mentioned sample making as well. Making samples wearable is an easy adjustment to the production process.

A different category within a sustainable practice, according to some participants, is reducing the carbon footprint. Green energy such as solar power for factories, energyefficient processes, using proper machinery and tools for production and reducing shipping are mentioned as methods to reduce carbon footprints. One participant noted that they do not believe in compromising practices, such as buying forest, to reduce the company’s carbon footprint.

Three participants mentioned longevity as an essential aspect of sustainable practice.

Notable here was that two participants looked at longevity as a viable solution for a more sustainable fashion industry. While the other found it unrealistic to assume that costumers would wear a garment for twenty-five years or more. The participants pointed out how long-lasting garments reduce waste. To create durable clothes, material, construction, and even thread need to be considered.

People and ethics were mentioned by all participants in different ways.Two participants pointed out that having a good relationship with their supply chain was significant.

They want to ensure a long-lasting working relationship with their factories and pay a living wage according to the countries’ standard.

Participant 20-02 described this as using ‘fair purchasing practices’. Most participants described the principle of ‘people and planet’ as ‘knowing who made the clothes’.

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Features vital to describe sustainability less mentioned (only by one participant) were education, limiting seasons, local production, breeding issues for materials such as fur and leather, and supporting social enterprise projects.

Notably, all participants answered the question ‘Is sustainability always achieved within your workplace?’ very differently. One, positive answer was that sustainability is not always viable for a business, but it is definitely in the works. On a more negative note, several participants said that everything within the fashion industry aims to make sales and get a low production price. Participant 20-04 does not believe the fashion industry can be truly sustainable as its model is only to sell and will not allow for sound sustainable practices.

Several participants made statements such as the previous saying that most brands are rooted in consumption instead of creativity or sustainability.

4.3 Quality

but as crucial to individual participants, was: Tools and machinery, education (relating to artisanship and material knowledge), time spent on a garment and a passion for the craft and product. All participants considered creating high-quality clothing to be a part of running a sustainable practice, aiming to extend the garments’ lifetime by producing excellent quality.

Two participants discussed repair services provided by the brand are a prerequisite to guarantee high quality. Participant 20-03 stated that good quality clothing is designed in a way that it can always be repaired, which creates less waste and customers will return their garments less. One participant expanded on the meaning of quality through the feeling of the garment. Saying quality is not a matter of a specific style or look, but rather how the fabric feels, how the garment fits and how much a customer appreciates the garment.

This participant also opted that a brand name attached gives the impression of higher or lower quality clothing.

Participant 20-04 elaborated on the whole supply chain having to work together to achieve excellent quality garments. To achieve Four out of five participants chose ‘quality’ as high quality, the supply chain and design team’s one of their core values. All four participants relationships need to be good, the supply stated that excellent quality material is chain needs to be paid fairly, and conditions essential in achieving high-quality garments. in factories should be sufficient. Stating that Other often mentioned aspects were underpaying people in the supply chain makes artisanship and construction. Less noted, them lose passion for their craft. Two of the

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four participants also noticed that many problems occur between the supply chain and design team over the quality of garments.

Saying that samples often come back being of excellent quality later to receive the final garments of significantly lower quality. Both reflect on this, saying deadlines are often too tight. Not enough time is taken to reflect on problems that occur during the production process. Often this turns into a blame game between the design team and the supply chain.

4.4 Respect Four of the five participants choose ‘respect’ as one of their core values regarding production.

They each explained respect differently, saying the value of respect relates to class and equality, not gambling with people’s lives and paying them a fair wage, being on equal footing with factories and respecting the supply chain through; listening and effective communication, valuing other cultures, respecting employees’ opinions, and creating safe workspaces.

All agreed, however, that respect starts at the top of the industry’s hierarchy but that everyone in the industry is responsible for creating a respectful work environment.

Participant 20-05 stated that everyone in the

supply chain is responsible for respectfully treating others. However, people higher up are often followed in the example they set.

Many participants mentioned that being respectful is hugely beneficial to create a good relationship with the supply chain and that a lack of respect towards the supply chain resulted in a harmful or even toxic working environment. Sadly, most participants stated that respect within the supply chain is often not guaranteed. Participant 20-04 noted that visiting factories is mostly done by (unpaid) interns which, according to them, shows how little respect the fashion industry has for their supply chain. Participant 20-01 declared that the mindset regarding textile workers needs to change drastically.

Several participants have felt disrespected on occasion during their time working in the fashion industry; this occurred while working with factories and within their design team.

Two participants experienced misogyny while interacting with a factory. Participant 20-01 mentioned feeling disrespected and ashamed every time they were asked to haggle for a lower production-price. Another participant stated how impossible tasks are given to the factories and design staff, saying they felt as if it was setting the design team and factory up to fail.

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reported that communication between them and the factories and suppliers was the most significant pain point. That included negotiating prices, setting deadlines, making Three out of the five participants chose changes, and speaking about the quality of the reliability as one of their core values.Two main garments. Another major issue when mistakes reasons were given for picking reliability. First, or problems transpired was the aftermath. mentioned by all three participants, was that Often determining who is at fault turns into a reliability is a two-way street. Suppliers and blame game, several participants noted. factories rely on brands to provide them with jobs and payment while, as a brand, you need Education was another regularly spoken to be able to trust your suppliers to deliver about topic. Several participants discussed your product in time. The second reason had the importance of educating designers to do with deadlines. For two out of the three and consumers on sustainability. One participants, the supplier keeping to deadlines participant mentioned that we get taught is essential to ensure reliability, between both to be extremely competitive within our fashion design education, which is a breeding parties. ground for how we work in the fashion Participant 20-02 stated that a long-term industry, at the same time most fashion working relationship with suppliers helps to graduates have no knowledge on production secure reliability from both factory/supplier processes or sourcing. As a result, we become and brand, this participant stressed that overcompetitive within the industry and have building long term commitment with suppliers no respect or mercy for the people who is one of the most critical aspects of creating produce our goods.

4.5 Reliability

good working relationships.

Class and status were less spoken about; class difference was mainly spoken about within a British context. Discussed were diversity within 4.6 Additional values Furthermore, the values: equality and design teams, which are primarily white, and responsibility were picked twice, and diversity within factories, where employees efficiency, flexibility, innovation, justice, are mostly non-white. Participant 20-04 and profit once. Other subjects came up addressed how they had mainly witnessed repeatedly, such as problems that occurred migrant workers on factory floors within the during the production process. Participants UK—saying that migrant communities should not be labelled as factory workers. Meanwhile, 64

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according to the same participant, initiatives to learn craft are not pushed towards white communities.

Furthermore, people would not have to be involved in the production as much, which could make working conditions better.

Overarching problems within the fashion For more insight, see the value charts within industry, according to the participants, are the appendix. that the industry is designed to make sales and profit, not to treat workers well or practice sustainability. One participant stated that issues within the fashion industry are never adequately addressed, as fashion makes millions for the national economy, it is unlikely legislation will be put in place by governments to regulate fashion practice. Furthermore, participants report that consumer behaviour is leading in what brands design and their ways of producing. Everything is led by sale reports, not by responsibility for garment workers or the environment.

Two participants said that, in the future, we need nice people to transform the fashion industry. The industry has been reluctant to acknowledge its responsibilities, the participants agreed. The industry should be reconstructed to keep existing in the future.

Improvement of existing patterns within the industry could be to develop sustainable materials further, localising the production process, teaching craft more broadly, and automating the production process. The idea of automating most of our clothing production could function in making the process faster and cheaper as well as generating less waste.

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5. PROJECT DEVELOPMENT This project’s practical outcome is an illustrated video game based on the findings of the primary research. One of the main findings was that production managers and designers often were unhappy with the circumstances surrounding the production process but felt powerless in changing it.

Furthermore, one significant remark by all participants was that the reality of working in the fashion industry is very different from their expectations. Many participants perceived the fashion industry as a fun, creative and glamorous field, which appeared to be quite the opposite. - Of course, there needs to be nuance here, all participants reported they enjoy their jobs, however, often their job is not what they expected when they choose to work in fashion. To illustrate frustrations and hard choices these designers and production managers must make, I choose a video game format.

Through this video game, a player can explore common issues in the industry, while experiencing the decision making and consequences to all decisions. Furthermore, a video game was chosen, as I remember fashion games vividly from my childhood, games such as ‘goSupermodel’, ‘Stardoll’ and numerous ‘Barbie PC Games’ portrayed a glamorous picture of the fashion industry (see appendix for references).The final video game guides the player through a production process.

The aim was to discuss several pain points during the process, such as negotiation, price-cutting, deadlines, quality control and payment. By implying satire within the game, I hope to critique the fashion industry in a comprehensible way for a player.

Through using humour, within the illustration and animation style, the issue should become graspable and simpler to talk about. Hence why I choose to illustrate in a colourful comiclike, almost childish manner and kept animations simple. Artist Roegier Roeters, who uses a quick, childish way of illustrating, once remarked that an adult conversation is better portrayed in a childlike way, as it is confronting, and hurts a tiny bit (2019).

Nienke Creemers MA Fashion Futures Project Development 19027869 2019/2020

The audience for the game are mainly people working in the fashion industry, be that within production or not. I want to give an impression of the most prominent issues that must change within production processes and suggest where interventions could be made. The video game could be used for educational purposes, to introduce fashion students and professionals to manufacturing processes and its issues, aiming at opening a conversation regarding the change in our set manufacturing ways.

To develop the game, scenarios (see appendix) were written on several issues: Negotiation, Price Cutting, Working Conditions, Deadlines, Quality Control, Payment and Campaigns.

Eventually, five of these have been used in the game. Negotiations and Campaigns have been removed, not because they were not important but because of time restrictions.

Eventually, I want to add several scenarios giving a more rounded picture. Storyboards (see appendix) were created guided by the five scenarios. The process of storyboarding took several rounds, and multiple scenes were considered. Illustrations were made using procreate and adobe illustrator, keeping the animation process in mind. When illustrations were finished, they were uploaded into adobe animate. Animations were made to give the scenarios life. There must be noted that I had no previous experience in animation, throughout the process, I could experiment more with the movement of characters which

added more dynamics to the game.

Several choices within the development of the game were essential — involving four playable characters, for example. Making a player choose their character, and introducing this character makes a player excited to play and identify with the story more.

Customisation and similarity to the player are huge factors regarding identification with the character in gameplay (A. Souter, M. Hitchens, 2015). Another essential aspect of the game is how no option or choice seems to be the right one. Participants often mentioned how difficult it is to make the ‘right’ decision for the brand and supply chain. Repeatedly, participants noted that sales, not creativity or ethics, drive the fashion industry. I have tried to incorporate the feeling of not being able to make the right decision and feeling powerless regarding the manufacturing process by only including realistic options that all have a negative effect. The growing feeling of finding out how the industry works and having no power to change the industry is reflected in the game music as well, Frederick Tings developed three pieces of music, the first piece is predominantly happy while the third sounds sad and hopeless. The game’s programming was done by Erwan Sabri, animations, storyboards, and individual frames were given to him to compile into the game and make everything clickable and functioning.

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See the following pages for storyline diagrams and the appendices for the storyline development, scenario’s, and storyboards.

Nienke Creemers MA Fashion Futures Appendices 19027869 2019/2020 Storyline Diagram

STORYLINE DIAGRAMS

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Ask About Safety

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6. VALIDATION Over the past nine months, this project has explored the relation between Western European imperialistic heritage and production processes within the fashion industry.

Imperialism, colonialism, labour, dehumanisation, and capitalist systems have been examined. Interviews were conducted to delve into manufacturing processes in the fashion industry, how Western Europeans in the fashion industry see these manufacturing processes, and their role regarding these processes. This project aimed to explore how the Western European imperialistic archive influences decision making in the fashion industry regarding the production of clothes, and to develop a video game in which the production process and decision making can be experienced and viewed through the perspective of a production manager working for a fastfashion brand.

Due to the covertness of the concept imperialism, consideration had to be taken when designing the interview formats.

Participants were questioned about their core values regarding manufacturing processes and explained step by step how clothes were produced at the brands they work for. Based on data gained during interviews, a video game was developed.

This video game takes a player through some critical stages within the manufacturing process. The situations used within the video game were all based on participants’ stories and experiences. These particular scenarios have been deemed critical by me, the researcher, as interventions can be taken in these situations to alter the manufacturing process. The video game tries to express a sense of urgency to change the manner in which we produce our clothing. It does this by: Confronting the player with not having the right option to pick, as every option has a negative consequence, the music development, which transforms from an up-beat cheerful song into a more sober and tense piece of music. Satire and humour have been used in the game development to make

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the subject matter more accessible.The video game can be used for educational purposes within fashion companies and fashion design education.

The outcomes of this study were incredibly fascinating and sometimes even surprising. One notable revelation was that most participants felt powerless in changing production processes for the better. Many expressed how they had to stick to protocol and their creative directors or investors wishes, even though they knew how exploitative some practices were. Often participants expressed they would risk losing their jobs if they spoke up against certain practices. Some participants gave some fascinating insights into vital aspects of the manufacturing process, such as having a long-term contract with suppliers in order to give security to both brand and supplier.

Furthermore, most participants did not know the full scope of their manufacturing process, which is vital when speaking about supply chain circumstances. Something as simple as knowing how you produce your products is impossible in today’s fashion industry. The act of laying out and showing every step of clothes manufacturing seems so simple yet is impossible as the supply chain is so fragmented.

6.1 Possible solutions

To conclude, I will expand on several recommendations to the fashion industry and

fashion design education regarding clothing production and elaborate on this study’s possible future. Firstly, the possibilities of short courses about production methods within fashion design courses and clothing brands will be considered, after which automation within manufacturing will be discuss supported by the concept of a universal basic income. Investing in education is a probable solution that could be introduced quickly and have a significant impact when introduced on a large scale.

Automation supported by a basic income or compensation income, however, will be difficult to introduce as labour forces are still cheaper, time and money need to be invested, and not only companies but also politics need to be involved in order to transition to an automated manufacturing process.

6.2 Education

Participants of the study reported they were not educated on manufacturing processes within their fashion design education.

Technical drawings were mostly part of their university courses, but no more than that.

Fashion design education must concentrate on manufacturing processes within their courses. Fashion design universities need to be aware of the professional identity they grant their students, right now, fashion design students mostly have no knowledge on production processes at all, while many of them will manage production or at least encounter it at one point of their career.

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Active consideration will have to be given to the development of production courses within design universities. A focus needs to be placed on fair production strategies, fair purchasing practices, communication and cultural differences. A sense of morality must be developed in students so that they will design their production processes differently from the way they are now and so that they will not accept the circumstances of production today. We need to give students a scope of how a manufacturing process can be ethically undertaken, or how existing processes can be improved.

Another area where education is necessary is within fashion brands themselves. As mentioned before, none of the participants knew the full scope of their manufacturing process. Knowing the full supply chain is vital, without this knowledge, a manufacturing process cannot be seen as ethical or sustainable. Fragmentation of the supply chain has made it impossible to oversee and thus control and audit supply chains. Redesigning manufacturing processes needs to be central when educating fashion brands on production.

Examples of possible interventions need to be given, while supply chains need to be unravelled.

For the near future, I will focus on developing short courses surrounding production methods. Further study of existing manufacturing processes is necessary to

develop these courses. Eventually, courses for the industry and universities will be developed, the video game created in this masters’ project could function as a tool to start the conversation around production.

6.3 Automation and the

Universal Basic Income

As one participant stated, automating the production process would make working conditions in factories better, fewer workers would be necessary, and will make the process faster and cheaper. ‘Labor is becoming less and less scarce.

Technological advances are putting the inhabitants of the Land of Plenty in direct competition with billions of working people across the world, and in competition with machines themselves.’ - R. Bregman, 2017, p.178 Automation of production processes has been a primary reason for enormous progress and development over the past 200 years.

Nevertheless, the apparel industry has never automated its manufacturing process fully.

This is due to low labour cost and technical challenges (Anderson, Berg, Hedrich, Magnus, 2019). The automation of clothes production could ensure that workers are no longer exploited in factories, textile production and every other part of the supply chain. Lund,

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Muir and Britton (2019) see a rise regarding automation within the fashion industry, such as Nike’s ‘Fly-knits’ that can be manufactured exclusively by machines, and Amazon’s plan to automate textile cutting. They emphasise how these processes can shift manufacturing conditions and locations. Anderson, Berg, Hedrich and Magnus, (2019) even predict a reduction in needed labour of eighty per cent by 2025 regarding uncomplicated garments.

However, over twenty-five-million people work in the textile industry across the globe (A. Menke, 2017), a large percentage would lose their livelihood to the automation of the supply chain. According to Bregman, it is now still more efficient to outsource work cheaply to production countries with low wages, yet automation will catch up and become cheaper and more efficient. ‘Eventually, even the sweatshops in Vietnam and Bangladesh will be automated (2017).’ Introducing a universal basic income for all could ensure these workers have an income and can support themselves while machines take over their jobs.

of livelihood in circumstances beyond his control.’ Bregman (2017) notes that article 25 indicates the introduction of the universal basic income for all. The idea of a universal basic income is quite simple, grant all citizens a modest regular income with no strings attached (Bregman, 2017 and Haagh, 2019).

Multiple UBI experiments have proved to be successful, such as the Mincome project in Canada (1974-1979) (E.L. Forget, 2011) and the Finnish experiment that ran from 2017 to 2018. Recipients of the basic income were reported ‘more satisfied with their lives’ and experienced less stress and mental strain (J. Henley, 2020).

Introducing a basic income for textile workers could be an answer to transitioning from clothes manufacturing done by labourers to a fully automated manufacturing process that can be localised and thus, could be less impactful to the environment.The big question is, is it politically attainable to support a basic income for all, or even to introduce a basic transitioning income for the textile industry?

According to history, it is politics that is still the Article 25 of the Universal Declaration of main roadblock to the universal basic income.

Human Rights (1948) states that: ‘Everyone Legislating a basic transitioning income for has the right to a standard of living adequate textile workers will take time. I would like to for the health and well-being of himself propose the idea of large clothing companies, and of his family, including food, clothing, that want to automate their production housing and medical care and necessary process, to compensate their supply chain by social services, and the right to security granting them a basic income - based on the in the event of unemployment, sickness, liveable wage standard of the location - for a disability, widowhood, old age or other lack period of time in order for textile workers to 90

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retrain and educate themselves. Investing in these communities would have tremendous effects, as is visible in an example found in Bregman (2017) from the foundation ‘Give Directly’. One gift of $500 to a man in Kenya made the whole village blossom, ‘no one was drinking their money away. Instead, homes had been repaired, and small businesses were founded’ (p. 28). Cases such as these, show how effective a basic income can be, recipients get the opportunity to invest in themselves, to make their lives better in the long run.

More research would have to be conducted into the attainability of compensating the supply chain and automating clothes manufacturing. Calculations will have to be made, and the textile workers need to be heard. However, in my opinion, compensation or a transitioning income for textile workers could be one answer to a fairer fashion industry.

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7. REFERENCES Andersson, J. Berg, A. Hedrich, S. Magnus, K.H. (2019) Is Apparel Manufacturing Coming Home? BOF and McKinsey: The State of Fashion 2019, P. 86-91.

Anievas, A. and Nisancioglu, K. (2015) How the West Came to Rule. London: Pluto Press Bennet, T. et al. (2005) New Keywords: a revised vocabulary of culture and society. Malden, MA: Blackwell Pub. Brainwash (2019) Speels en Kwetsbaar: de Ontregelende Kunst van Rogier Roeters.

16/07/2019 Available at: https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=MZuOLOuVtoE&feature=emb_logo (Accessed: 04/08/2020) Bregman, R. (2017) Utopia for Realist – And How We Can Get There. London: Bloomsbury Publishing Plc Britton, C. Lund, S. Muir, M. (2019) ‘Global Value Chains in Apparel: The New China Effect’ BOF and McKinsey: The State of Fashion 2019, P. 34-38.

BOF and McKinsey Company (2019) ‘Trade 2.0’, State of Fashion, 2019, p.31-33 Bush, B. (2006) Imperialism and Postcolonialism. Harlow, England: Pearson Longman.

Chakraborty, A. (2014) Fashion Likes to Dress Itself Up As Something More, But is One of the Most Hyper-Capitalist Businesses. Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/ commentisfree/2014/feb/17/fashion-most-hypercapitalistbusinesses (Accessed: 15/11/2020) Chang, H. (2010) 23 Things They Don’t Tell You About Capitalism. London: Penguin Group

Nienke Creemers MA Fashion Futures References 19027869 2019/2020

China Blue (2005) Directed by M. X. Peled, San Francisco, CA, Teddy Bear Films De Groot, A. Nobel, G. (2005) Een Pot Met Goud – Werkboek Intervisie in het Onderwijs. Den Haag: Sdu Uitgevers Developer unknown (2006-2016) Gosupermodel, URL not available anymore Dos Santos, T. (1970) ‘The structure of Dependence’, The American Economic Review, Papers and proceedings of the Eighty-second Annual Meeting of the American Econo-mic Association, Vol 60, No 2, pp. 231 - 236 Forget, E.L. (2011) ‘The Town with No Poverty: The Health Effects of a Canadian Guaranteed Annual Income Field Experiment’, Analyse de politiques, Vol. 37, No. 3, Page 283 – 305.

Frank, A.G. (1991) The Underdevelopment of Development.

Minnesota: Bethany House Gerrickens, P. Verstege, M. van Dun, Z. (2003) Waarden- en Normen Spel. Gerrickens Uitgeverij Glenwick, S.S. (ed.) Jason, L.A. (ed.) (2016) Handbook of Methodological Approaches To Community-Based Research.

Oxford: Oxford University Press Glorious Games (2004) Stardoll. Stardoll AB. Haagh, L. (2019) The Case for Universal Basic Income.

Cambridge: Polity Press.

Harvard University (2011) Implicit Association Test. Available at: https://implicit.harvard.edu/implicit/takeatest.html 94

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(Accessed: 17/07/2020) Henley, J. (2020) Finnish Basic Income Pilot Improved Wellbeing, Study Finds. Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/ society/2020/may/07/finnish-basic-income-pilot-improvedwellbeing-study-finds-coronavirus (Accessed: 04/12/20) Hitchens, M. Soutter, A.R.B. (2015) ‘The relationship between character identification and flow state within video games’, Computers in Human Behaviour, Volume 55, Part B, Page 1030-1038 Hoskins, T.E. (2014) Stitched Up: The Anti-Capitalist Book of Fashion. London: Pluto Press.

Kitzinger, C.,Willmott, J. (2002). ‘The thief of womanhood’: Women’s experience of Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome. Social Science & Medicine, Volume 54 P. 349-361.

Labour Behind the Label (2020) ‘Wages’, Available at: https:// labourbehindthelabel.org/our-work/wages/ (Accessed: 27/11/2020) Lane, C. Probert, J. (2009) National Capitalisms, Global Production Networks – Fashioning the Value Chain in the UK, USA and Germany. Oxford: Oxford University Press Lenin, V.I. (2010) Imperialism: the highest stage of capitalism: a popular outline. London: Penguin Lugosi, P. (2006) ‘Between Overt and Covert Research: ‘Concealment and Disclosure in an Ethnographic Study of Commercial Hospitality’, SAGE Journals, available at: http:// eprints.bournemouth.ac.uk/12326/2/Lugosi_Between_ Overt_and_Covert_Research.pdf

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McClinktock, A. (1993) The Angel of Progress: Pitfalls of the term “Post-Colonialism, in Williams and Chrisman (eds), Colonial Discourse (1993) Memmi, A. and Sartre, J. (1974) The Colonizer and the Colonized. London: Earthscan.

Menke, A. (2017) Global Edge: Working Conditions in the Textile Industry. Available at: https://globaledge.msu.edu/ blog/post/54484/working-conditions-in-the-textileindust#:~:text=The%20textile%20industry%20is%20 one,million%20people%20across%20the%20globe.

(Accessed at: 17/12/20).

O’Reilly, K. (2009) Key concepts in ethnography, Los Angeles: SAGE Pantland, W. (2020) ‘Changing the Balance of Power in the Textile and Garment Industry’, Global Worker, No. 2, Available at: http://www.industriall-union.org/special-report-changingthe-balance-of-power-in-the-textile-and-garment-industry Pieterse, J.N. (1990) Empire and Emancipation; Power and Liberation on a World Scale, London: Pluto Press.

Robinson, W.I. (2006) ‘Beyond the Theory of Imperialism: Global Capitalism and the Transnational State’ Societies Without Borders 2. 2007, pp. 5 – 26 Rodney, W. (1976) How Europe Underdeveloped Africa.

London: Bogle-L’Ouverture Publications Sagoe, C. (2012) The Neo-Colonialism of Development Programs, Available at: https://www.e-ir.info/2012/08/12/ the-neo-colonialism-of-development-programs/ (Accessed: 23/11/2020) 96

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Smith, J.A. (ed.) (2015) Qualitative Psychology – A Practical Guide to Research Methods. London: Sage Publications Ltd. Third Edition.

Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, (2020) Epistemology, Available at: https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/epistemo-logy/, (Accessed: 15.01.2020) Sullivan, A. (2016) Socialist Review: Fashion: ‘Capitalism’s Favourite Child’ Available at: http://socialistreview.org.uk/424/ fashion-capitalisms-favourite-child (Accessed: 25/11/2020) The Machinists (2010) Directed by H. Majid and R. York, Al Jazeera International Tomlinson, J. (1991) Cultural Imperialism: a critical introduction. London: Pinter.

Tuhiwai Smith, L. (2008) Decolonizing Methodologies – Research and indigigenous people. London: Zed Books.

UAL (2017) Code of Practice on Research Ethics, University of the Arts London. Available at: https://www.arts.ac.uk/__ data/assets/pdf_file/0020/43328/UAL-Code-of-Practice-on-Research-Ethics-February-2017.pdf (Accessed at: 16.01.2020) UN (1948) Universal Declaration of Human Rights. General Assembly Resolution 217 A, Available at: https://www. un.org/en/universal-declaration-human-rights/ (Accessed: 21/12/2020) Warren, B. (ed) (1980) Imperialism: Pioneer of Capitalism.

New York: Verso.

Williams, E. (1964) Capitalism and Slavery. London: Andre Deutch Limited

Nienke Creemers MA Fashion Futures References 19027869 2019/2020

Wilson, E. (2003) Adorned in Dreams: Fashion and Modernity. London: I.B. Tauris & Co Ltd Young, R.J.C. (2001) Postcolonialism: An Historical Introduction. New Jersey: Blackwell Publishing.

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8. APPENDICES 8.1 Value Charts 104 Value Chart 20-01

Value Chart 20-02

Value Chart 20-03

Value Chart 20-04

Value Chart 20-05

8.2 Visual References 127 8.3

Chart: Elimination Storylines

132

8.4 Written scenarios 137 Scenario: Negotiations

Scenario: Price Cutting

Scenario: Working Conditions

Scenario: Deadlines

Scenario: Quality Control

Scenario: Payment

Extra Scenario

8.5 Storyboards 148 Introdcution Characters

Price Cutting

Deadlines

Working Conditions

Quality Control

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8.6

Payment

Information Sheets Participants

8.7 Consent form templates

168 174

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Nienke Creemers MA Fashion Futures Appendices 8.1 19027869 2019/2020 Value Chart 20-01

VALUE CHART 20-01 Respect Sustainability Justice Quality Reliability

Respect: What does it mean?

Important to treat people with respect, it is embarassing to aks for a lower price.

Should not gamble with people.

Employees in factories as well as design offices need to be treated with respect.

‘I often felt disrespected, how must others be treated?’

Who is responsible?

Both factory and designer are responsible for creating a respectful relationship Only then you can guarentee a concious way of working together.

Respectful behaviour would be to treat all employees well without expecting them to do anything they do not want to do or would embarass them.

Workers have to be payed a fair wage must be fair payment for the work they do.

What if it doesn’t happen?

Mindset has to be changed. However most people in the fashion industry can not be changed.

If we continue like this the fashion industry will stop to exist.

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Sustainability:

Justice:

What does it mean?

Local production.

What does it mean?

Treating people in the supplychain the right way, which means giving them a fair wage - also in India and Bangladesh - and safe working conditions.

No international shipment of production.

Knowledge of where the products and raw materials come from, such as: leather, cotton etc.

What if it doesn’t happen?

In past, company did not consider sustainable materials .

Participant felt bad about not knowing about the origin of the material.

Felt as if people were not treated right.

Everything was focussed on getting a good price for production Cheap production gave issues with the clothing, such as waching issues.

Sustainable materials might be used as greenwashing.

‘Rich people should not decide on the need of their employees’.

‘Bosses should consider and make decisions in a responsible manner’.

Participant never felt justice themselves within the fashion industry - 70h work weeks, below minimum wage and never receiving recognition for work.

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Quality:

Reliability:

As a designer you expect a certain quality for your pieces.

Quality concerns

Often the quality is not good and the price too high.

Fabrics would have bad quality, eventhough they were tested before production.

Felt cheated when quality wasn’t good.

Deadlines need to be kept so the brand can guarentee reliability for costumers.

‘If deadlines weren’t kept, we would send angry emails (still respectful) and ask for a 10-20% discount.’

A fair treatment goes both ways.

Samples can come back good and all final sale pieces come back bad.

Good quality of clothes is a part of creating sustainably.

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Nienke Creemers MA Fashion Futures Appendices 8.1 19027869 2019/2020 Value Chart 20-02

VALUE CHART 20-02 Efficiency Sustainability Responsibility Reliability Profit

Efficiency: There need to be efficient processes to not waste resources and material.

When you’re not efficient, you’ll be out of business.

Efficiency is connected to sustainability as automation could make the production process more sustainable and efficient, however the productionprocesses in fashion aren’t automated to the fullest.

Knitwear can be done fully automated, but sewing wovens is not. Automating would make the process cheaper and faster.

Being more efficient involves a good visualisation of the product so it is easier to make. A good product description is vital.

Suppliers have to be efficient in organising their pattern cutting, production lines and material usage to ensure the least waste.

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Reliability:

Sustainability:

Company needs to be able to rely on supplier and vice versa. You have to rely on each other.

People + planet

Your employees as well as manufacturers employees rely on you for their income.

A long term relationship with suppliers helps ensure reliability on both ends.

People: Long term relationships with supply chain Fair purchacing practices.

Fair wages standards.

according

to

countries

Planet: Material, energy, water and efficiency Encouraging solar power in factories.

Looking into green energy sources for factories.

Striving to be carbon neutural by 2040 Does not belief in compensation practices such as buying forests.

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Responsibility:

Profit

Interlinked with sustainability.

End of the day, profit needs to be used to invest back into the company to make new and better products.

Long term comitments with suppliers.

Responsibility for people and planet.

Without making a profit, reliability can’t be guarenteed towards costumers, employees and suppliers.

Without profit, all other values can’t be guarenteed while profit can’t be achieved without the other values.

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Nienke Creemers MA Fashion Futures Appendices 8.1 19027869 2019/2020 Value Chart 20-03

VALUE CHART 20-03 Respect Equality Reliability Sustainability Quality

Respect: You wouldn’t do to others what you wouldn’t want done to you.

Respect within production means: - Listening -> communication - Respecting cultures within the factory - Respecting factory workers’ oppinions - Creating workable facilities - Not draining your employees of their humanity Have witnessed respectful behaviour towards supply chain workers?

Sort of, some brands would see themselves as superior.

On the flipside, I did not always get respected when visi- ting or working with factories.

There is this top down dynamic, you have to teach and communicate respectful behaviour with your staff.

Employees (of brand) will do what they are taught.

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Equality: Means: ‘Everyone has the exact same rights as me.’ Everyone should have the same opportunities to work, be sick, be free, and there needs to be some equality in pay, in regards to setting a minimun wage.

There has to be some hierarchy in wage to create motivation amoung employees.

Has not always experienced equality within the production process.

Has experenced verbal abuse directed at her by supplier and sexism, misogyny and racism in a factory. Creative director told her to just return to factory and work with abusive supplier.

Person to person the communication in this factory would be okay, as soon as business was discuss it was not.

Everyone within the production process is responsponsible for creating equality.

However end of the line the head of the company should take most of the responsibility.

Consumers also have influence on equality within fashion production,

society in general, also the government.

Consumers ultimately drive teams as everything is about sales.

Nienke Creemers MA Fashion Futures Appendices 8.1 19027869 2019/2020 Value Chart 20-03

Reliability:

Sustainability:

Everyone within the production process has to be reliable. The brand need to rely on the factories to make their product and factories rely on brands to get jobs and get payed.

Finds this extermely important!

Sustainability involves: Enviornment and humanity this entails: - Materials: Fabric or skin should

be sustainably sourced, dyed and

be organic, trims need to be as well.

- Longevity of garment: this is

material and construction based.

Even threads can be an influence

on the longevity of a garment.

- Ethics and humanity: ‘Can’t be

pushing people under the pump’.

- Overproduction: Overproduction

creates waste, it can be solved

during the design stage by

not buying more material

than needed. They should

change the minimum rule

for wholesale fabrics.

- Shipment: carbon footprint - Packaging - Electricity - Propper tools and machienery - Pattern making: Should happen

digitaly. Making them manually

wastes material and time.

Run offs and waste in mills

It’s a two way street.

Reliability means being held to deadlines, being accountable for misstakes.

Most mistakes happen cause of miscommunication, cutting corners in factories because of low pay, timepressure etc.

For example: Factory wants a one month holiday, production was paused and deadlines weren’t met.

People need to be more educated on sustainability, it is such an umbrella term, it doesn’t only mean using sustainable material.

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Quality:

Extra Comments:

Quality as a value goes hand in hand with sustainability. Producing bad quality means the garment will end up in landfill.

‘Should your values change according to the job?’

Good quality clothing can be repaired, produces less waste and costumers return the garments less.

Quality brings all other values together.

Construction, material, machienery (and the energy source), craftsmanship and good eductation create high quality.

‘If a garment is not sustainable it is not high quality in my oppinion.’

There won’t be any quality when noone takes responsibility for all these values.

Get’s pissed by companies who greenwash.

Nienke Creemers MA Fashion Futures Appendices 8.1 19027869 2019/2020 Value Chart 20-04

VALUE CHART 20-04 Equality Sustainability Respect Responsibility Quality

Equality: Making sure that anyone within the supply chain is treated fairly, has equal rights.

Would love to see a more diverse supply chain, not only migrant workers. Would be great if migrant communities would not be labeled as factory worker.

We have (almost) noone in the white British population in the UK has been thaught craftsmanship.

Inititiatives to teach craft within factories are often not pushed towards a diverse audience (including whites).

Everyone from the design team and all suppliers need to be willing to work on an equal relationship. Teams need to be encouraged to come together.

‘From supplier perspective I’ve found some people to be really missogynistic.’

The supplier world is not a female world.

You have to start from the ground up.

If inequality is deep-rooted within a design team and within suppliers eventually you just go with it, that then will be passed on to your other factories and suppliers.

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Sustainability: ‘We adopt behavior.’

Problems need to be confronted.

Equality needs to be a part of the brand’s values.

Industry creates enourmous amounts of waste.

Luxury leather: water pollution cause of heavy chemicals.

Social agenda: wellfare.

Fur: Own set op problems ie. breeding.

Waste: Raw materials Waste: Samples, are they thrown away?

Rarely happens that someone uses a garment for twenty years.

Being truly sustainable is not possible, the model for fashion is not right for sustainability (sell, sell, sell!).

Most brands are not rooted in creativity but in consumption.

Sustainability has become a marketing tool (LVMH for example with a sustainability director).

No other industry can bullshit this well (where its made label for example).

As consumers we know what they are saying is not correct.

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Respect: Stock, why are we over supplying? Waste of resources, money and time.

It’s not an issue that can be fixed with half solutions.

We validate the industry’s behaviour by buying their stuff.

Value relates to class and age.

From the ground up everyone deserves the same level of respect.

Visiting factories is often done by interns, that says enough about our level of respect for factory workers.

If you don’t respect your suppliers, you can’t respect the whole supply chain.

How can you be sustainable when you don’t respect your supply chain?

Respect and equality belong together, one does not exist without the other.

Quite often you, and suppliers are set up to fail within the fashion industry by giving impossible tasks.

You loose your self respect.

Everything is fashion is team based, when there is no respect, it will cause problems for the entire process.

In fashion education we are taught to be competitive, tutors encourage it. With that competition comes disrespect for others as you don’t want others to do better.

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Responsibility: ‘We wouldn’t even share the contact details of a good seamstress.’ Institutions are the breeding ground for the way we work in the industry.

Everyone is willing to do anything to get to the top, meanwhile everyone is also replaceable.

Relates to sustainability, you have to be aware of resources and purchases in supply chain.

Have to take responsibility for everything: transparancy, well being of employees, wellfare, peoples worth.

Competitiveness escalates, it is brutal.

Creative director has a responsibility to allow their employees to have a life beyond work.

It is a huge privilage to become a designer.

End of product life needs be considered.

Issues within fashion industry are never properly discuss as the industry makes millions for the economy.

Consumer also has a reponsibility.

We have to educate them and take responsibility for the future of fashion.

Perhaps certain problems are created within education.

We graduate without knowing anything about production or sourcing.

Everyone in the supply and production chain wants to enjoy their job, we are responsible for making that possible.

Within the fashion industry we have been reluctant to ack- nowledge our responsibilities Ethics in fashion can become extremely blurred. It is hard to understand that you still have responsibilities beyond the garment.

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Quality: Within Luxury industry, people expect a wonderfull product.

Raw material has to be of high quality.

You can only guarentee quality when everything else is good (ie. relationships with suppliers, teams etc.)

You have to understand what makes a high quality product , is it the brand, label? What does quality mean?

‘For me quality means using extravagant, exclusive raw materials, craftsmanship and a level of care.’

‘Quality is also a purpose’.

There has to be an open dialogue to create good quality.

When things go wrong or problems occur, the situation shouldn’t turn into a blame game.

Not enough time is taken to reflect on problems that occured. Everyone in the industry and supply chain gets defensive.

To maintain a high quality product other aspects are important:

-payment of employees

throughout suply chain

- conditions in factories

- If you keep underpaying people,

they’ll give up, passion for your

job and craft needs to be

maintained to guarentee

high quality.

- Skill

- A repair service

- Material

- Time 120

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Extra Comments: There has to be a huge shift in this industry.

What we need is nice people.

Letting people that work within this industry live is a huge part of that, fashion should be enjoyable - We are expected to work extremely hard.

The economic value of fashion has outweighed fashion’s responsibility to change things.

The reality of the fashion industry is so different, you should not have to sacrifice your life to work in fashion.

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VALUE CHART 20-05 Quality Sustainability Respect Innovation Flexibility

Quality: The consumer has to get their monies worth Garment needs to last.

Products last longer when they are well made and the quality is good.

Wearing good quality clother feels nicer.

Brand name.

Higher quality makes you value your clothes more.

Good fabric (durability and feel) and construction (great sewing, seams) are part of creating a high quality product.

Quality is not dependent on a certain look or style, its mostly a feel that determines the quality.

Creating quality is a joint effort between the design team, garment technololist, and production team who oversee the quality checks.

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Sustainability:

Respect:

Means: - Clothes that are well made and

last long.

- Clothes need to be responsibly

made - who made it?

- Can’t have loads of seasons

such as in fast fashion labels.

- Quality clothes that reflect a

personal style - Our mentality needs to change

to wearing what we want

to wear instead of following trends.

- Self expression - Sentimental value

Means:

- Being on an even footing with

the factories.

- Within the brand there shouldn’t

be a devil wears prada attitude’.

- Mutual respect

Fabric is a huge part of sustainability.

Sustainable fabric could be recycled or organic.

Sustainability is not always viable for businesses, it is in the works but not yet achieved.

Supporting different projects and supply teams such as teams of women who make handmade products on a small scale.

It is benificial to to respectful towards factories Showing no repect creates a bad working enviornment.

Everyone in the chain is responsible for creating respect, however, people higher up are often followed in the example that they set.

If you, as an employee, are treated well, you’ll also treat others well.

Nienke Creemers MA Fashion Futures Appendices 8.1 19027869 2019/2020 Value Chart 20-05

Innovation:

Flexibility

How things are done.

Things within the production process will always go wrong, things change and you need to be able to adapt to new situations.

We are stuck in our ways, finding new ways of doing things within the industry is benificial, otherwise you are going nowhere, things won’t get better.

Areas that could use innovation or improvement include sustainable and local materials, the way that products are made and shipping.

The complete structure of the fashion system could be innovated.

Values within fashion should change, more value for clothes that are unique and hold sentimental value

You need to be flexible, so you don’t hinder yourself.

Flexibility in new systems (innovation) Preparation is extremely important, there should always be a plab B and C. Being open to new idea’s and not being stuck in the same ways.

You need to be open to other plans to accomodate changes.

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8.2

VISUAL REFERENCES Stardoll is a browser-based game from Glorious Games. One of the world’s largest online fashion communities.

Focusing on an audience that is often overlooked by the gaming industry, Stardoll is open to everyone but focuses on providing a place for teens and young women to express their creativity and manage their own virtual fashion world, engage in creative social activities with other players around the world, and partici-pate in mini games and challenges. source: wikipedia/wiki/stardoll

Stardoll: Barbie collection, source: google images

Nienke Creemers MA Fashion Futures 8.2 Appendices 19027869 2019/2020 Visual References

Barbie fashion designer cd-rom, 1996, source: https://www.ebay.co.uk/p/167401836

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Barbie - fashion show CD-Rom, 2004 ‘Help Barbie get ready for fashion week in Paris Complete 10 exciting fashion assignments Advance through 3 different design studios Choose the styles, fabrics, and colors Select the stage, music, and special poses’ source: https://www.amazon. co.uk/Mattel-BarbieFashion- Show/dp/B00061I0BO

Nienke Creemers MA Fashion Futures 8.2 Appendices 19027869 2019/2020 Visual References

Gosupermodel - 2006 - 2016 Gosupermodel was an online game community where players could create an avatar and emerge themselves into an online fashion world, play games, chat on fora, make friends. source: google images

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8.3

CHART: ELIMINATION STORYLINES

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8.4

WRITTEN SCENARIOS

You work in the production team of a multinational clothing brand. The brand has about 4000 retail stores all over the world. Orders you place at a factory could go up to 450.000 pieces of one style, a big responsibility. You and your team are responsible that all collections are produced well and arrive in the brand’s warehouses in time.

Scenario: Negotiations

You work in the production team of a multinational clothing brand. The brand has about 4000 retail stores all over the world. Orders you place at a factory could go up to 450.000 pieces of one style, a big responsibility. You and your team are responsible that all collections are produced well and arrive in the brand’s warehouses in time.

After the design and sampling stage, the styles that will go into production are discussed during a cancellation meeting. After the meeting, you will have to email the factories that made the samples to negotiate their prices for the production of the styles.

One specific coat has to be produced for €10-€12 per item, material cost included, but the lower the price, the better. The coats will be sold for €84 each. After sourcing the material, there is €4 - €6 left for the ‘making’ per item. Ideally, you get the order produced for max—€ 4 per article. You email five factories to enquire about there price for the production of 10.000 coats. The production has to be done in six weeks.

Factory 1:

Factory 1 asks for €74.000 for the production of the coats, which would be €7,40 per coat. You have visited the factory multiple times, it is a large factory in Italy. Working conditions seem up to European standards, and your relationship with the factory is great.

You ask factory 1 to go down to €50.000. The brand can

Nienke Creemers MA Fashion Futures 8.4 Appendices 19027869 2019/2020 Written Scenarios

afford this, but it is not ideal. The factory replies that they can go down to €65.000 if certain design elements are removed, such as zippers on the cuffs of the sleeves.

You know this factory will deliver the items on time, and of excellent quality, however, the amount of money they want is above the budget.You could cut down the production cost of other items but are not sure if it is worth it.

Factory 2:

Factory 2 asks for €42.000 for the production of the coats, which would be €4,20 per garment. The factory is in China.

You have never visited but have worked together with the factory before. Previous times the production was of mostly of decent quality, but late.

You ask factory 2 to produce the coats for €40.000. They accept and assure you they will deliver everything on time as long as they get all material as soon as possible. You are not sure if they can deliver on time, but as they offer a reasonable price, consider giving them the job.

If the order is not delivered on time, you could give the factory a fine.

Factory 3:

Factory 3 asks for €57.000 for the production of the coats, which will come down to €5,70 per coat. The factory is in Portugal. You have had issues working with the factory in the past. The quality was not up to standard, because of that, onethird of the items could not be sold.

You ask the factory to produce the coats for €40.000.They do not accept and are offended that you request to pay €17.000 less. They will not go lower than €55.000. You offer to give them €53.500, which would be €5,35 per coat. Even though this factory has always delivered in time, you are not sure 138

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if you should give them the job. Your relationship with the factory is not great, and you are afraid that not everything will pass quality control. If that is the case, you could ask for a 20% discount on the production price.

Factory 4:

Factory 4 asks for €33.000 for the entire production of the coats, which would be €3,30 per coat. The factory is in Bangladesh.You have never worked with the factory and have never visited. You have also never received any samples from this particular factory.

You try to get the factory to produce the coats for 20 cents less, which would mean the whole order comes down to 31.000.The factory agrees with making the coat for €3,25 per item. In total, the production of the coat would cost €32.500.

It is a significant risk to give this factory the job, as you have never worked with them, and don’t know if they have the capacity to finish in time. You do not know if the working conditions in the factory are up to standard.

Which factory do you pick?

Scenario: Price cutting

The factory you picked to work with to produce 325.000 pairs of trousers won’t take the job for the price you want to pay.

To lower the production cost, you decide to work together with the design team to remove and replace some details on the trousers. Decide which option is best to cut cost and still keep the trousers of good quality.

Option 1

Remove topstitching Removing the topstitching of a garment removes an extra

Nienke Creemers MA Fashion Futures 8.4 Appendices 19027869 2019/2020 Written Scenarios

step in the production process.

However, when leaving out top stitching, you are cutting out an essential element of the design of the garment and it could even influence the construction.

Option 2

Make the weight of fabric lower.

Weighing down your fabric means that you lower the thread count. The fabric will be less heavy, and the weave becomes coarser but much cheaper.

However, the fabric could also become transparent if the thread count is too low

Option 3

Choose lower quality fabric, polyester instead of cotton.

Choosing a fabric of lower quality will bring the production price down significantly.

In this case you are replacing cotton with polyester. Cotton is a natural fiber, where polyester is a synthetic fiber. Polyester doesn’t shrink as much as cotton when washing, Changing the material could influence the look of the garment.

Using polyester for these trousers would make them shinier.

As polyester is a synthetic fiber, it is less sustainable than cotton.

Option 4

Remove back pockets, design ‘fake’ ones.

By removing the back pocket bags you cut out an extra step in the production process as well as saving material. You can design ‘fake pockets’ so the trousers look the same, but these 140

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pockets won’t be functional.

Doing this will bring down the quality and functionality of the garment.

Scenario: working conditions

When dropping off patterns and size charts to a local factory, you get a glimpse of the workshops. While waiting for your contact, you say hello to the factory workers and try to start a conversation. While talking to one of them, you notice how little English most of the workers speak and when looking around, you see many safety hazards such as loose cables and no flight routes.

When your contact arrives, you hand over the patterns.

What do you do?

1. Ask your factory-contact about the safety policy within the factory.

1.1 Your contact is visibly distressed but assures you everything is fine regarding safety.

2. Ask your factory-contact if all employees are legal in the UK, and if they get paid a minimum wage, you also mention the loose cables and hazardous environment.

2.1 Your factory-contact gets angry and shouts out that his employees are legal and that the working environment is safe.

3. You go back to the office and don’t do anything.

3.1 Nothing happens, you keep working with the factory, but will always be worried that the workers might not get paid or an accident occurs in the factory.

4. You go back to the office and meet with your supervisor to ask her about the correct policy to find out if everyone working in the factory is legal and if the workshops are safe.

Nienke Creemers MA Fashion Futures 8.4 Appendices 19027869 2019/2020 Written Scenarios

4.4 Your supervisor tells you that an audit of the factory can be arranged.The factory owner, however, won’t be happy and will know you are the one responsible for initiating the audit.

Doing this might seriously damage your relationship with the factory.

Scenario: Deadlines

After deciding which factory to work with, you need to set clear deadlines. The sales team has made an exact schedule of when they want different items of the collection to be in store. For several garments, the drop deadline is already in six weeks, and the production hasn’t started yet. How will you make sure all garments can be dropped adhering to the schedule?

1. You have a chat with your sales team. It won’t be possible for most factories to finish the production within less than six weeks, ship the garments to the warehouses and check their quality.

1.1 The sales team tells you that you are responsible if the garments are not in the warehouses in time for the drop. You should have ordered the garments sooner or pressure the factory more, so they finish the order in time.

2. You call up the factories to tell them the garments need to be finished and shipped within six weeks. In case the factory can’t do this, you will not pay the full agreed price.

2.1 The factory is not happy with this, they assure you they will try to finish the job in time, Factory workers will have to work many extra unpaid hours to finish your order.

3. You call up the factories to tell them the garments need to be finished and shipped within six weeks. The factory owner tells you they need to put more workers on the job to finish in time. To pay for those extra workers, they will charge an 142

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extra €2000 for the order. You think this is fair and agree to pay the extra two thousand.

3.1 When your supervisors get word of the fact you are paying the factory an extra two-thousand euro’s you are called to explain why.They disagree with how you handled the situation and gave you the responsibility to either not pay the extra two-thousand euro’s or scrap that money from elsewhere in the production budget.

Scenario: Quality control

You are working within the production team of a ready to wear brand gets faced with an order of 2050 faulty garments.

The construction of the garments is not up to the brand’s standard, which could damage the brand’s name.

Before the batch was ordered, the brand received multiple samples of the garment through the same factory, which were all excellent quality.

What should the production office do?

1. You will not pay the factory for the complete order as they screwed up. You give the factory a call to tell them the brand will not be working with them anymore. All 2050 garments are cut up and thrown away.

2. Go through the complete order yourself to see what is sellable and what is not, you only pay the factory for the marketable garments. Going through the batch will take you two days, and you’ll have to work extra hours in the evening to finish all of your other work. You are not sure if there is anything sellable within the batch. Every garment not up to standard will be cut up and thrown away.

3.You arrange that three unpaid design interns go through the

Nienke Creemers MA Fashion Futures 8.4 Appendices 19027869 2019/2020 Written Scenarios

faulty order to see what is marketable. The job will take them one day, and you do not have to work extra hours. You are not sure if there is anything sellable within the batch. Every garment not up to standard will be cut up and thrown away.

4. All garments are sent back to the factory so they can fix the garments as you recognize that they were not given enough time to finish all garments up to standard. Doing this will push back the drop of the garments, which could result in fewer sales. After the fixed garments come back to the design office and passed quality control, you pay the factory.You have arranged a discount of twenty-five per cent to make up for missed sales and shipping cost.

Scenario: Payment

After receiving the order and quality control, it is time to pay the factory. The factory sends you an invoice as soon as you have received the order. You send the invoice to your boss as you are not responsible for paying the factory. Two weeks later, you get a reminder invoice. And send it through again, you don’t question it as it often happens that factories send payment reminders. Six weeks after receiving the production order your contact at the factory calls you, he angrily asks you why the payment hasn’t been processed yet. He confides in you that they have to pay the wages owed to their factory workers, because of the late payment the factory workers have not been paid yet.

What should you do?

1. You immediately visit your boss’s office to ask why the payment to the factory hasn’t been processed. You might damage your relationship with the factory if they don’t get their money as soon as possible.

1.1. Your boss tells you to not go after it too much. Factories are the last to get paid, after all the other employees. She will process the payment before the end of the month.

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2.You tell your contact at the factory he has to wait. Payments are not your responsibility, and there is nothing you can do about it.

2.1 Your contact at the factory is furious and blames you for not being able to pay his employees.

Extra Scenario: Campaigns

You are working within the production team of a ready to wear brand. The brand needs to create the campaign material for next season. Your creative director has come up with a great plan where models wearing the clothes will be photographed lying in ponds and puddles in the countryside. The clothes will become dirty and could even be damaged.

Your creative director asks you to make sure two pieces of the entire collection are available for the photoshoot in two weeks.The production order coming from Turkey will arrive in 8 weeks, and the individual pieces are expensive.

What will you do to get the pieces in time for the photoshoot in two weeks?

You call a local factory to inquire if they can do the job. The factory owner assures you they can produce two pieces of the entire collection within the timeframe. They offer to do it for a reasonable price. You have never worked with the factory. As you drop off the patterns and similar fabrics to the factory the next day, you understand that mostly immigrant workers run the factory as none of them, except the factory owner, speak English. You are not sure if they are legal, if they are treated well or if they get paid a minimum wage.

You get five unpaid interns to sew two pieces of the entire collection out of similar fabrics.They will have to stay later and have to come in during the weekend to finish. The garments

Nienke Creemers MA Fashion Futures 8.4 Appendices 19027869 2019/2020 Written Scenarios

might not be of the same quality as they would coming from a factory as the interns are not necessarily good sewers.

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Nienke Creemers MA Fashion Futures 8.5 Appendices 19027869 2019/2020 Storyboards

8.6

STORYBOARDS: INTRO CHARACTERS

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8.6

STORYBOARDS: PRICE CUTTING

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8.6

STORYBOARDS: DEADLINES

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8.6

STORYBOARDS: WORKING CONDITIONS

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8.6

STORYBOARDS: QUALITY CONTROL

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8.6

STORYBOARDS: PAYMENT

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Nienke Creemers MA Fashion Futures 8.6 Appendices 19027869 2019/2020 Information sheet

8.7

PARTICIPANT INFORMATION SHEET

ANONYMITY

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OUTLINE

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MA Fashion Futures - Nienke Creemers

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MA Fashion Futures - Nienke Creemers

INTRODUCTION

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MA Fashion Futures - Nienke Creemers

Nienke Creemers MA Fashion Futures 8.6 Appendices 19027869 2019/2020 Information sheet

ANONYMITY

Information Research Project

MA Fashion Futures - Nienke Creemers

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Information Research Project

MA Fashion Futures - Nienke Creemers

Nienke Creemers MA Fashion Futures 8.7 Appendices 19027869 2019/2020 Consent forms

Participant Consent Form

Imperial Mindsets Within Fashion Production You are being invited to take part in a research project. Before you decide to take part it is important for you to understand why the research is being done and what it will involve. Please take time to read the attached information sheet carefully and discuss it with others if you wish. Ask if anything is unclear or if you would like more information.

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I understand that I have given my consent to be interviewed about my thoughts on this masters’ project.

I fully give my consent to take part.

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I am aware that the interview will be audio recorded to ensure an accurate recording of my responses.

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I understand that I have given approval for my opinions to be included in the research outputs. Anything I say may be used in academic papers relating to the project.

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All quotations will be checked by the participant before they are processed in the dissertation.

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I have read the information sheet about the research project, which I have been asked to take part in and have been given a copy of this information to keep.

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What is going to happen and why it is being done has been explained to me, and I have had the opportunity to discuss the details and ask questions.

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Having given this consent I understand that I have the right to withdraw from the research programme at any time without disadvantage to myself and without having to give any reason.

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I hereby fully and freely consent to participation in the study, which has been fully explained to me.

Participant’s name (BLOCK CAPITALS):

Participant’s signature:

Date:

Investigator’s name (BLOCK CAPITALS): Investigator’s signature:

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Date:

Nienke Creemers MA Fashion Futures 8.7 Appendices 19027869 2019/2020 Consent forms

Contact Details Investigator: Nienke Creemers MA Fashion Futures London College of Fashion n.creemers0620191@arts.ac.uk +31 653806764

Nienke Creemers MA Fashion Futures 8.7 Appendices 19027869 2019/2020 Consent forms

Interview nr:

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Participant Consent Form ‘Imperial Mindsets in Fashion Production’ MA Fashion Futures Nienke Creemers

You are being invited to take part in a research project. Before you decide to take part it is important for you to understand why the research is being done and what it will involve. Please take time to read the attached information sheet carefully and discuss it with others if you wish. Ask if anything is unclear or if you would like more information.

Anonymity All participants and companies they work/have worked for will be granted full anonymity within the written and visual components of this study, with the exception of professionals who would prefer to be credited.

Data collection will be confidential, which means that only I, as the researcher, have access to personal data and will modify and or leave out personal details such as location, nationality, age, employment details etc. while processing data.

Participants have to sign a consent form agreeing that the interview can be recorded and given information can be used in the study.

Participants always have the option to withdraw from the study even after signing the consent form.

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I understand that I have given my consent to be interviewed about my knowledge on virtual reality experiences.

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I fully give my consent to take part.

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I am aware that the interview will be audio recorded to ensure an accurate recording of my responses.

•

I understand that I have given approval for my opinions to be included in the research outputs. Anything I say may be used in academic papers relating to the project.

•

I have read the information sheet about the research project, which I have been asked to take part in and have been given a copy of this information to keep.

•

What is going to happen and why it is being done has been explained to me, and I have had the opportunity to discuss the details and ask questions.

•

Having given this consent I understand that I have the right to withdraw from the research programme at any time without disadvantage to myself and without having to give any reason.

•

I hereby fully and freely consent to participation in the study, which has been fully explained to me.

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Nienke Creemers MA Fashion Futures 8.7 Appendices 19027869 2019/2020 Consent forms

Participant’s name (BLOCK CAPITALS):

Participant’s signature: Investigator’s name (BLOCK CAPITALS):

Date:

NIENKE CREEMERS

Investigator’s signature:

Contact Details Investigator: Nienke Creemers MA Fashion Futures London College of Fashion n.creemer0620191@arts.ac.uk +31 653806764

Date:

Nienke Creemers MA Fashion Futures 19027869 2019/2020

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