The future of the fashion designer: Changing concepts of the designer and consumer relationship in the age of sustainable practice

IFFTI 2019

Paper 132

Noël Palomo-Lovinski

Kent State University, USA

Steven Faerm

Parsons School of Design, USA

The future of the fashion designer: Changing concepts of the designer and consumer relationship in the age of sustainable practice

The traditional practices of the fashion designer should be no longer acceptable in an industry marked by unfettered consumption, resource depletion, and unethical practices. Globally, the garment industry prioritises profitability over the environment and business ethics. To garner optimal profits, designers influence their consumers’ social-psychological motivations and synthesize these with their mastery of aesthetics. However, rather than relying on these actions to create profit alone, future designers must focus on creating profit through higher purposes and values. In doing so, fashion designers will make significant contributions to a truly sustainable future in which the environment and people are protected, and fashion businesses thrive.

This paper proposes a future fashion industry in which designers elevate their creative freedom and motivation to significantly innovate beyond the facile. In this scenario designers extend their talents by creating compelling ethical and creative narratives that inspire consumers’ responsibility. The authors first present an overview of the burgeoning concepts in the practices of design and retail. Then, applying Sustainable Product Service Systems (SPSS) as a theoretical framework, the authors propose an enhanced model for the design and retail practices so they may better engage with consumers for a holistically more efficient, sustainable, and cost-effective future.

Additional proposals are made for the future of design education in support of the changing needs of the fashion industry. Students must gain an increasing awareness of advanced systems thinking, strategic planning, sustainable methods, and consumer psychographics well before entering professional practice. As a result, future designers will be instilled with a deeper understanding of their audience’s preferences while successfully advancing the future industry’s sustainable and ethical operations. This paper advances a proposed manufacturing system based on the existing research literature surrounding the influential relationship between the designer and the consumer, and how to best shape an individual sense of fashion and responsibility for a more sustainable future.

 

Noël Palomo-Lovinski

Noël Palomo-Lovinski is an Associate Professor at Kent State University in Kent Ohio, United States. She was educated at Parsons School of Design with a BFA in Fashion Design, New York University with a MA in Visual Culture and a MFA in Textiles from Kent State University. Noël’s research holistically encapsulates new approaches to sustainable practice in the fashion industry and the pedagogical requirements of graduates to meet these changes. Noël has been focused on creating a consortium of academic research, programming and support initiatives at Kent State to encourage sustainable practices in the Northeast Ohio region and the Midwest.

Steven Faerm

Steven Faerm is an Associate Professor of Fashion at Parsons School of Design (BFA Program Director, 2007-2011). He has designed for Marc Jacobs and Donna Karan, and has been awarded his University’s and School’s teaching awards. He has taught and lectured for Harvard, MIT, Brown, RISD, Donghua, Polimoda, and many other international institutions. He has served on academic advisory boards for RISD, Pratt, VCU, Otis, and Marist.

His publications include two books that are featured on international required reading lists and articles in academic journals. Steven received his BFA from Parsons, MSEd from Bank Street, and MEd from Harvard University.