PINTEREST PAGE HERE
MARI HLMR
A MANIFESTO
DEVELOPING AN ETHICAL PRACTISE WHEN CREATING CONTENT:
In this exercise, I hypothetically made myself a Business Development & Digital Strategy person for Condé Nast VOGUE WORLD brand which I proposed in Assignment 1 of this course.
STAKEHOLDERS: Global design, fashion industry and consumers. This is a conversation and challenge for everyone.
PURPOSE: To introduce the direction for these new businesses and the industry moving forward in the next decade.
This is what we will promote and propose as a new line of clothing for all ages, sexes and stages of one’s life.
VOGUE WORLD BRAND
COLLABORATION CAPSULE COLLECTIONS
CONTEXT:
Up to date FASHION PRODUCTS have been classified and created as MENS, WOMENS, TEENS, CHILDREN and BABIES. For now, we will concern ourselves with MENS, WOMENS, TEENS and CHILDREN.
TEAM BIAS: There are inherent biases in sizing, sexism and ageism in design, color, sizing and pricing of products based on these CLOTHING & SHOES CATEGORIES. We do not realize how this very practice discriminates against people especially those that do not fall into what would be deemed regular or fall under general rules.
(Sometimes when presenting you must be more personable and give personal anecdotes.)
On a personal note. We do not have that affliction in our family. My eldest cousin was born at a time when the German measles vaccine was not available. His mother contracted German measles and he was born with dwarfism and an enlarged head. Doctors said he would not like to his 18th birthday. He passed away at the age of 50. Since we lived in Manila. All his life bespoke or made to order clothing was affordable and available to him. And clothing that he could buy like Penguin and Lacoste shirts could be expertly altered by gifted tailors. But I imagine, the situation for other people in his situation and possible harder for women in his situation. What kind of clothes are available RTW. This is just one example of someone with a disability.
In other situations. I ask “Why is pink for women and blue for boys? When I was young in the 70’s everything was red and blue which both boys and girls could wear. Then in the 80’s everything for girls started turning up pink. And you’d be criticized for not looking feminine enough or not looking masculine enough depending on whether you were a girl or a boy. Some chose yellow as a middle color. There are inherent biases that are so much a part of like that we do not even know we are biased. But we are. We are sexist, ageist, size-ist. I am. We all are. We have expectations about how we should look and how other people should look. My grandmother was so against the hippy long-haired Jim Morrison poster we had until one day she startled herself with her own revelation and said, “Jesus Christ had long hair.”
DESIGN & REPRESENTATION:
We propose to introduce a first Uniform Capsule Collection with collaborative products. The conceptual experiment behind this is if we could wear the same clothing all our lives what would that capsule collection be? If we could just order the same pieces as we grew. Can this be created? Is it possible to standardize sizing without the gender and age biases? The entire concept is ageless and genderless.
The same design for all ages. Design, colors would be androgynous, classic, modern for all ages from 2 years to 120 years is the goal. Sizes and colors would be for all people not gender or age specific. If this capsule succeeds each item would come in different colors in succeeding years… same design and quality. Changes to design would come from buyers’ feedback. New colors would provide the freshness.
All the media, social media, materials, advertising and images could feature anyone and everyone from 2 to 120. It is a uniformed look and feel that is genderless, ageless.
Hypothetically… Could we explore how we would go about changing our design and sizing to be genderless and ageless?
Could 24 pieces make up an entire wardrobe for all ages?
1 The Nike Trainers
2 The Adidas Originals
3 The Birkenstocks
4 The Slippers
5 The Boots
6 The Short-sleeved Crew Neck Tee
7 The Long-sleeved Crew Neck Tee
8 The Tank Top
9 The Turtleneck
10 The White Shirt
11 The Jeans
12 The Trousers
13 The Joggers
14 The Hoodie
15 The Sweater
16 The Burberry Trench Coat
17 The Winter Puffer Coat
18 The Raincoat
19 The Summer Shorts
20 The Skirt
21 The Dress
22 The Suit
23 The Pajamas
24 The Robe
25 ONE SURPRISE ITEM THAT CHANGES PER COLLECTION
These items will be produced/manufactured with the brands that could produce the best designed products and produce these ethically. The sources of material and the work conditions in the factories must be a priority. We cannot produce greater goods if people are treated in unfair and unjust ways. We can no longer turn a blind eye. Covid has taught us that we are un a global community. What affects one person or even a community in a far-flung country eventually will also affect us. We are no longer isolated.
CONVERSATION DESIGN:
Condé Nast Vogue is the curator. Vogue World is the community and the platform.
SUSTAINABILITY:
With this same collection, it would be simpler to trade in this clothing when you grow and get the next size. This would especially be more rapid and regular with younger people.
It will encourage a new way of using and consuming clothing. You will know where your used clothing is going to or where it came from. TO REUSE or RECYCLE could be quite transparent. Also analyzing how long clothing items lasted with regards to damage, quality, quantity needed per item. If people enjoyed dressing this way or got bored or tired of it. How many other items they bought outside of this brand. Did it make them consume more or less? All this data would be invaluable to other companies that would pay Condé Nast to know what we have learned and to collaborate on other products.
LIMITATIONS:
This model does not take away from other people who dress for fun or to express how they feel at the moment. This is simply a complete capsule for people who do not want to have to think too much about it or want to have to work at dressing. It is a collection that works for a modern, minimal, sustainable style.
SPECIAL OCCASIONS AND EXPRESSION will be entered into with other future collaborations. That model of dressing will not be completely abandoned. This is to test the waters and to study what the design, architecture and manufacturing issues will be to pull off this CAPSULE COLLECTION.
