How might thinking and making through the senses inform critical and innovative fashion research, practice and industry?

“Sensation is fundamental to our experience of the world. Shaped by culture, gender, and class, the senses mediate between mind and the body, idea and object, self and environment.” (The Senses and Society).

Drawing on fashion and dress in its broadest sense, with cultural, design and in particular brand marketing perspectives, the Fashion and the Senses symposium explores the heightened interest in sensorial research and practice.

An international multi-disciplinary forum for industry professionals, academics, practitioners and postgraduate students, guest speakers from the forefront of their disciplines include:

• Professor Michael Bull – Professor of Sound Studies School of Media, Film and Music, University of Sussex UK
• Professor Joanne B. Eicher – Regents Professor Emeritus Department of Design, Housing and Apparel, University of Minnesota, USA
• Professor Bertil Hulten – Professor of Marketing Department, Linnaeus University, Sweden
• Professor Charles Spence – Professor of Experimental Psychology, Head of the Crossmodal research laboratory, Director of Graduate studies and Fellow of Somerville College, University of Oxford
• Dr Jenny Tillotson – Reader in Sensory Fashion, Central Saint Martins, University of the Arts London, UK. Pioneer of eScent® wearable scent technologies.
• Dr Eugenie Shinkle – Reader in Photography, Department of Photography and Film, University of Westminster. Researcher in the field of fashion photography, affect and the senses.
• Ninela Ivanova – PhD candidate, Design for Body & Material Research Centre Kingston University. Researcher in design mechanisms intersecting fashion material, sensory experiences and the human body.

Questions to be debated include:

• What are the social, cultural and political dimensions of sensory engagement with fashion and dress?
• How might multi-sensory research be used to reflect upon existing fashion theory?
• Can making and thinking through the senses encourage critical thinking and innovative design?
• How might sensory design be applied to solutions for problems such as sustainability, wellbeing and ethical production?
• How are fashion brands using sensory dimensions to connect with consumers?
• What are the opportunities, challenges and impact of multi-sensory environments?
• What does the future look like for sensorial fashion spaces?
• Are there innovative sensory methodologies that can be applied to the study and practice of fashion?
• How might inter-disciplinary knowledge exchange in this field encourage future collaborations within and between the fashion academy and the fashion industry?

Important dates:

27 February 2015 – Early bird registration closes

24 March 2015 – Registration closes

27 March 2015 – Symposium

Registration and fees:

Prices:

Industry £150 (early bird – £130)

Academic £120 (early bird – £100)

Students £35 (places limited)

Early bird ticket prices available till 27 February 2015

For more information visit www.fats2015.com