The main goal of my diploma thesis was to create a gender-neutral fashion collection based in men’s fashion. Clothes found in this collection adapt to the wearer’s identity. At the same time, I wanted to present my collection as an activist campaign raising awareness of insect extinction. This diploma thesis includes the creation of a fashion collection entitled Save the Bugs, as well as its digital presentation in the form of a fashion editorial and video campaign.
The concept is based on environmental issues, while the visual inspiration was drawn from swimmers’ sportswear, which I wanted to reinterpret as more gender-fluid. I did this by using the typically feminine A-line silhouette, vivid colours and details such as gathered ruffles.
The theoretical part of my thesis discusses human exploitation of natural resources and living beings for pleasure. I describe the influence humans have on the environment, as well as the ways in which we as individuals can minimize the already caused damage. I also present the ecological issue that was the starting point of my collection – insect extinction, which is happening at an incredible pace. A commentary on what consequences such an extinction would have for human kind and the ecosystem as a whole is also included.
Since my collection is also based on the different dimensions of men’s gender expression, a short historical overview of men’s clothing is incorporated into the theoretical part of the thesis. There I contemplate on the question of when men’s fashion became so boring and much less diverse in comparison to women’s fashion. I also explore individuals that want to go against the cookie-cutter men’s fashion of today. The theoretical part also deals with the importance of raising awareness about different issues with the help of fashion collections and campaigns.
A short overview of textile industry’s influence on the environment is also included, and I try to draw some conclusions about how to create a fashion collection in a more sustainable way by using the appropriate materials and printing techniques.
The practical part of my work includes the process of designing and then producing my undergraduate fashion collection Save the Bugs. The collection includes 14 silhouettes; the main piece of clothing is a reinterpretation of a swim parka. This part of the thesis consists of: the concept, starting point and atmosphere of the collection, the target group, the process of realisation and techniques used, the colour palette and materials used, as well as fashion and technical sketches. And lastly, a fashion editorial and a video campaign where the clothes are presented in detail are also included.
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