Research as a link between the ‘what’ and the ‘how’ in fashion design education

Abstract

While it has been widely recognized that the fashion industry has many negative impacts on our planet and communities, fashion design practice and education hasn’t changed enough to reverse the situation. Sustainable fashion practices are more important than ever and we need fashion graduates to be prepared for that task. This paper compares the barriers for the integration of sustainability in the textile and apparel education identified in a study conducted in 2014 with the ones of the present day, recognizing that there isn’t much difference in this 5-year period. We conclude by suggesting that Research for Design can mitigate the difficulties faced by educators when teaching the skills and competencies required for students to design fashion in a challenging world.