Presentation designa '12

Mozambique’s capulana: an et(n) hical approach for Sustainable Fashion Design Sofia Leonor Vilarinho Lucas Supervisor Henri Christiaans Co-supervisor Paula Menezes

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This article is part of a PhD project, which studies a socio-cultural approach on identity, traditions and fashion-able challenges of the African capulana fabric into the 21st century fashion styles.

“Capulana in a D4S design perspective: tradition, identity and fashion-able challenges in the 21st century”

Research Question: How can contemporary capulana fashion, based in tradition and culture, contribute to the identity and sustainability of the African immigrant community?

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The Capulana in Mozambique/Maputo

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rectangular shaped cotton fabric: usually 1,7m x 1m

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Fashionable capulana : the western influence

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Fashionable capulana:the western influence

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The gap: • • •

Fashionable practices are developed under issues about globalization and domestication Under a western cultural imperialism: “Exotic”, “Ethnic” or “Costume” are the main classifications for African clothing Most of the Fashion readings are based on a design/aesthetic discourse in an Euro-American tradition. “ Western fashion poaches from other systems and cannibalizes diverse influences in reconstructing new techniques of dress and decoration” (Craick, 1994: 36)

The proposal: Highlight a deeper understanding of African textile that goes behind the ‘glam’ of the surface. Depart from a strong analysis on historical and socio-cultural background.

I do propose a fashion-able reading on a African fabric. Capulana cultural concepts may become the framework and tool to a hand-on process in sustainable fashion design within the African Community in Lisbon DESIGNA 2012

Rationale

the deeper understanding: Capulana’s interwoven concepts are the base for

Sustainable Fashion Design principles defended by authors as Fuad-Lake and Fletcher

CO- DESIGN Capulana was designed in co-creation with the population (see literature).

This co-work mirrors individual, social and political behaviors.

AFFECTIVITY CAPULANA CONCEPTS

The heritage value of a capulana A document of memories Learned+Lived experience The emotional

SLOW FASHION Unisize rectangle of cotton fabric for multiple appropriations Conscious consumption on value- added consumption Embodied functional tool - activist role - social manifest - dialogue

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Affectivity/ Co-Design/Slow-fashion

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Some Behaviors about Sustainable Fashion design principles

CO- DESIGN “Design that brings users, actors, and stakeholders into the design process on the basis that everyone likely to use a design has a voice in its conception” Fuad –Luke,2009:22 “… offers an opportunity to change the power structures associated with fashion and to produce garments by different meaning”(Fletcher,2008:187)

AFECTIVITY SUSTAINABLE FASHION DESIGN

SLOW FASHION “Conscious fashion that rise to different relationships between designer and maker; maker and garment; garment and user” ( Fletcher,2008:173)

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Contributions

SUStainable In fact, “(...) we can only construct meaning through a dialogue with the ‘other’” (Hall, 1997:235). Furthermore, this dialogue starts when we, Westerners, consider fashion as a system with multifaceted views.

•will contribute to a more horizontal understanding of African fashion •A 21th fashion system should exchange deeper values that work on cognitive levels and identity processes •A reflexive study that takes position in a strategic and political way

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THANK YOU

Sofia Vilarinho vilarinho.sofia@gmail.com

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