University of Dundee
Electric Corset
Kettley, Sarah; Townsend, Katherine ; Glazzard, Martha; Walker, Sarah
Published in:Proceedings of the 3rd Biennial Research Through Design Conference
DOI:10.6084/m9.figshare.4747027.v1
Publication date:2019
Licence:CC BY
Document VersionPublisher's PDF, also known as Version of record
Link to publication in Discovery Research Portal
Citation for published version (APA):Kettley, S., Townsend, K., Glazzard, M., & Walker, S. (2019). Electric Corset: an approach to wearablesinnovation. In Proceedings of the 3rd Biennial Research Through Design Conference [31] figshare.https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.4747027.v1
General rightsCopyright and moral rights for the publications made accessible in Discovery Research Portal are retained by the authors and/or othercopyright owners and it is a condition of accessing publications that users recognise and abide by the legal requirements associated withthese rights.
• Users may download and print one copy of any publication from Discovery Research Portal for the purpose of private study or research. • You may not further distribute the material or use it for any profit-making activity or commercial gain. • You may freely distribute the URL identifying the publication in the public portal.
Take down policyIf you believe that this document breaches copyright please contact us providing details, and we will remove access to the work immediatelyand investigate your claim.
Download date: 17. Apr. 2022
Image credit:
Proceedings of the 3rd Biennial Research Through Design Conference
Kettley, S., Townsend, K., Walker, S. & Glazzard, M. 2017. ‘Electric Corset: an approach to wearables innovation’. In: Proceedings of the 3rd Biennial Research Through Design Conference, 22-24 March 2017, Edinburgh, UK, Article 31, pp. 486-500. DOI: 10.6084/m9.figshare.4747027.
Electric Corset: an approach to wearables innovationSarah Kettley, Katherine Townsend, Sarah Walker, and Martha Glazzard
the authors.
Abstract:Onecriticismofelectronictextilesandwearabletechnologyisthatinsteadofbeingintegratedintothemodernwardrobe,theelectronicgarmentisperceivedasthe‘other’,asan‘unusual’itemwithinthewardrobe.Contemporaryfashionisafieldofplayinwhichindividualsconstantlymanagepersonalexpressionsofsocialbelongingandtransgression,atthesametimeasitclosesdownthepotentialfornewformsasaresultofincreasinglyfastfashionsupplychains.TheElectricCorsetprojectproposesthattheuptakeofwearablesiscompromisedwhendevelopmentisbasedonmoderncategoriesofdress/dressing,andproposesthatdesignerslooktoobsoleteand‘in-between’itemsofdress
torethinkthefoundationsofwearablesdevelopment.IncollaborationwithNottinghamMuseumsandGalleriesCostumeandTextilesCollection,wehavereproducedasmallselectionofsuchitems,andrecastthemas‘sacrificial’toilestoprovideanon-preciousbasisforembodiedexperimentation.Thepaperdescribessomeofthebarrierstoinnovationinwearabletechnologies,andframesourapproachthroughthetwinconceptsofdeconstructionandreconstructioninfashiontheory.Itreportsonourexperiencesofembodiedresponsestothetoileswithinthemakingprocess,andpresentsearlyfindingsfromapilotstudyusingimprovisation.
SarahKettley1,KatherineTownsend2,SarahWalker,andMarthaGlazzard
NottinghamTrentUniversity,Nottingham,[email protected],[email protected]
Keywords:archivalresearch;wearabletechnology;electronictextiles;interactiondesign;fashion;categoriesofdress
ElectricCorset:anapproachtowearablesinnovation
487
Kettley,Townsend,Walker,Glazzard|TheElectricCorset;layeringtoiles,paperimagesandelectroniccomponentsforcreativewearablesinspiration
488
IntroductionThispaperreportsonanongoingproject,TheElectricCorsetandOtherFutureHistories,establishedbytheauthorsin2014.ThetitlewasinspiredbyalateadvertforDrScott’selectriccorsetsfrom1883,designedusing‘scientificprinciples’andpoweredelectro-magneticallytoenhancehealthandwellbeing(ArtandPictureCollection2014).BasedonParisiancorsetmodels(fashion)andpoweredbyEnglishelectricity(technology),thishistoricalartifactprovidesastrongmetaphorforwearabletechnologyandtheaimsoftheprojecttodevelopnovel,interdisciplinarymethodologiesforwearablesinnovation.Theprojectrespondstotheneedforthedesignerlyintegrationofelectronictextileswithwearableconceptdesign,optimisingboththeaestheticpotentialof,forexample,surfaceembroidery,ande-textilefunctionality.Todatetheuptakeofwearabletechnologyasfashionhasprovedproblematic,withsmartgarmentsandaccessoriesthatperformparticularfunctionsoftenbeingseenasgimmicky,andrestrictedlargelytotheredcarpet,stage,ornichesportsmarkets.Oneofthereasonswehaveidentifiedforthislackofmainstream,‘everyday’success,istheassumptionthatawearableshouldcompriseawholesystem(input-processing-output)inonegarment,whichthenbecomesexperiencedas‘other’inthecontemporarywardrobe.Ingeneral,today’sfashionsystempresentslimitedscopeforinterventions;thepopularisationofT-shirtsandjeansthroughmassculture,thepracticalturninwomen’sclothing,theriseofunisexand‘classless’styles(Laver1995),allcontributetothestreamliningofhigh
streetsilhouettesandoutfitsthatmerelysimulatefunctionalitythroughfauxpocketsandbuttonstandsforexample,inthenameofnarrowmarginsandamodernistaesthetic.Thedesigningoutofconstructeddetailsandmodularityhasresultedinfeweropportunitiesfordesignerstoconvincinglycontextualisetechnicalenhancements.Itisforthisreasonthatwearelookingtopastcategoriesofdressandpracticesofwear,toinspireandhelpusidentifypotentialspacesbetweenthebodyandclothing,whereactions,objectsandtechnologycanco-exist.Basedonthispremise,theauthorsareworkingwithhistoricalgarmentsandfashionitemsfromtheCostumeandTextilesCollectionheldbyNottinghamCityMuseumsandGalleriesatNewsteadAbbey,Nottinghamshire(Figure1).
Thispaperisorganisedinfivesections;thefirstcontextualisestheareaofwearables,throughreferencestocreativeresearchpracticerelatingtofashionandtechnologyandtheconceptualframeworkofdeconstructionandreconstruction.Thefollowingthreesectionsdocumentour‘researchthroughdesign’practice.InTheRoleofTheArchive,wecoverinitialvisitstothecostumeandtextilescollectionundertheguidanceofthecurator(Figure1),theensuingcreativeideationprocessbasedonvisualresearch(drawing,photographs,video)(featureimage),thecouturepracticeofmoulage(draping,workingdirectlywithcomplexformsonthebody)(Figure2),andthecreationofaninstallationcomprisedofvisualisationsofwearablesandhistoricalartifactsshownintheexhibitionCraftingAnatomies(2015).Sectionthreereportsonfollowupvisitstothearchive,
489
andtheselectionandreplicationofitemstoproduce‘sacrificialtoiles’(Figures3and4);thissectiondescribesourownembodiedresponsestothemakingprocess,andreflectsonwhatitmadepossible.Thefourthsectiondepictshowpockettoileswerefurtherdevelopedtodrivetheintegrationofinteractiondesignconcepts(Figure5),contextsofuse,andsuggestcreativetechnologicalsolutions.Finally,wereportonapilot
studyandoutlineperformativeevaluationmethodsforfurtherwork.
WearablesandtheCreativeProcessThedesignof‘wearabletechnology’canbeaparadox,asthewearableandtechnologicalaspectsareoftendesignedseparately,resultinginelectronictextilecomponentsthatoperateindependentlyfromperceivedandactualwearingpractices.Theintegrationoftechnologywithatriedandtestedfashionitemcanconstitutea‘decorative’approach,wheretheelectronicelementisviewedasanenhancementofthegarment‘canvas’(Townsend2011).Thebringingtogetheroftwocontrastingtechnicalconceptscanresultinprototypesthataremoreartwork,thanafunctioningitemofclothing.In2005,Steadidentifiedtheneedforfurtherresearchfroma‘fashionperspective’tobeundertakenintheemergingareaofintegratingsmartmaterialsandelectronicswiththebodythroughtheprojectTheEmotionalWardrobe.Theresearchexploredfashion’scapacitytobeemotionallyexpressivethroughtheaddedinterfaceoftechnologyfacilitatedviathe‘AffectiveWare’platform,developedthroughamulti-disciplinaryframeworkcombiningfashion,materialscienceandreal-time,affectivecomputing(Stead2005).Thisworkshiftedtheemphasisonwearabletechnologytobeinformedbyhuman-computerinteraction,towards‘amorepoetic…computer-aided,human–humancommunication.’RickardLindqvist’sresearchinto‘kineticgarmentconstruction’(2015)isbasedontheinteractionsthatoccurbetweendrapingthemovingbodyincloth,andhowthiscaninformtheshaping
Figure1.FromthearchiveatNewsteadAbbey:footman’sliverywithgoldbraid,andaselectionofcollars.Photocredit:KatherineTownsend.
490
andcuttingoffashionthataccommodatesbodilyexpression,asopposedtobasingstylesonpreconceivedprinciples.Lindqvist’smethodology‘challengesthefundamentalrelationshipbetweendress,garmentconstruction,andthebody,workingfromthebodyoutward,asopposedtothemethodsthatarebasedontheprevalentparadigmofthetailoringmatrix,whichworkfromtheoutsidetowardthebody(Lindqvist2015:6).Thisreverse-engineeringapproach(Ibid.p.104)isalsobasisofhiscollaborativelabel,Atatacwhichchallengesexistingmodesofdesigning,visualisingandproducingfashionbymakingeachstageoftheprocesstransparent(Atatac2016).Thisphilosophyraisesparallelswithdeconstructedfashion-howshiftingtheacceptedparametersofthefashionsystembyexposingtherawingredientsandinherentprocesses(body,gesture,materials,making)canleadtoadifferentkindoffashion/technology,whichismoreresponsivetothehumancondition.MartinMargiela’sinterpretationof‘timeandthebody’isevidencedthroughthehistoryofagarment,made‘visiblethroughtheexternalisationoftheproductionprocess’(Verhelst&Debo2008:8);hisuseofreplicaarchetypalWesterngarments,suchasthetrenchcoat,tuxedo,whiteblouse,andjeans,hasparallelswiththisproject’sreimaginingofpastdresscodesinanewcontext,whileLindqvist’sdeconstructionofthearchetypeitselfinformsoureclecticapproachtothearchive,andthecreationofnewnarrativesthroughtheuseof‘in-between’things,whicheludesimplecategorisationasgarment,jewelleryoraccessory.
Theteamincludedadigitalprintandfashiondesigner,adigitaljewellerandinteractiondesignerwithtextile-basedwearablesexperience,amixedmediatextiledesignerwithe-textileexperience,aknitexpertwithe-textileexperience,apatterncutterwithcollaborativeexperienceonwearablesprojects,andavisitinginteractiondesignartistfromanotherproject.Notonlydidweseeopportunitiesforthedevelopmentofawearablesdesignapproachinformedbydifferentculturesofdress,butwealsounderstoodtheneedforourselvestocontinuedevelopinghands-onembodiedknowledgeofthematerialsoffashion,physicalcomputingandwearabletechnology,thatis,tocontinueworkingtowardsinterdisciplinaryratherthanmerelymultidisciplinarycollaborativepractice(Kettleyetal2015).
TheRoleoftheArchiveThetitlefortheprojectwasbasedonanadvertisementforaVictorian‘electriccorset’,whichrepresentedawearableinnovationfromthepast.Theoriginalaimoftheresearch/practicewastodemonstratethewealthofhistoricalartifactsandreferencesavailabletodesignersofsmarttextilesandwearabletechnologiesbyconsideringtheanatomyofdressasacatalystforfuturewearabledesignsthroughanannotatedphysicalanthologyofhistoricalartifactsandspeculativeprototypes(Kettleyetal2015).Aprocessofselectionwasinitiatedinlate2014/early2015throughvisitingandstudyingitemsheldbyNottinghamMuseumsandGalleriesCostumeandTextilesCollection(basedatNewsteadAbbey)in
491
collaborationwiththecuratorofCostumeandDress,JudithEdgar.AsmallcollectionofpieceswaschosenforexhibitionaspartofCraftingAnatomies(2015)(featureimage);thesepiecescomprisedawhitetwill(‘jean’)woman’scorset(jumps)(1800-1810),awoman’sdresscollar,embellishedwithshellsandglassbeads(1920-30),threedetachablemen’sstarchedlinenshirtcollars(1850-1952)andafootman’sliverycoat(1890-1910).Aspartofthisengagementwiththearchive,themesbegantoemergewhichwebelievecouldinformnoveldesignprocessesforfuturewearables,includingfunctionality,careandmaintenance,detailsdenotingclassandidentity,andmodularityandlayering(Kettleyetal2015).Thegarmentsintheexhibitionwereaccompaniedbyafilmthatcommunicatedtheresearchmethodologythroughstillimages,shortvideoclipsandquotations.Thecontentincludedphotographsofthegarmentsandaccessories(takeninthearchive)anddocumentationoftheprocessofexperimentalideation,or‘play’inspiredbytheconstructionanddecorativedetailsoftheitems(Glazzardetal2014).Forexample,theboningandten-holelacingofthecorset;buttons,fastenings,pocketsanddecorativecordingofthefootman’sjacketandcollarshapesinspired2Ddrawings,collagesandmaterialsketchesandassemblages.3Dpartialgarmentswere‘moulaged’(DuburgandvanderTol2008)byworkingonthehalfandfull-sizemannequinsusingclothmanipulation,stitching,smartelementssuchasbasiccircuitsincorporatingLilyPad(Arduino)andSMA’s(shapememoryalloys)(featureimageandFigure2).Thiscrafts-drivencreativeprototypingemployssomeoftheprinciplesofKettley’s‘foundationsofcraft’,whichinclude:‘riskand
visuallanguage’,‘extendingmaterial’andthe‘internalizationofmaterial’(2012).Italsoprioritiseshandmakingasa‘wayin’totheprogramminganduseofdigitaltools(TaylorandTownsend2014).
Figure2.‘Moulage’processonthestandwithmixedmediaandelectronics.Photocredit:WalkerandTownsend.
492
Embodiedresponsesinresearchthroughmaking:fromuntouchableto‘sacrificial’materialsfordesignAnarchiveisaninactiveplace,fullofstillness,andthingsdecontextualisedandheldinstasis,waitingtobebroughtbackintoplay(Latour2007);weseeinthesethingscluesandopportunitiesforfuturedresspractices(Entwistle2000).However,thingstakenfromarchivesareprecious,oftenfragile,andhandledwithkidglovesandwrappedinacidfreepaper.Inaccessingthesethingswefoundthatwehadnohands-oninteractionwiththegarments,butexperiencedthemvirtuallythroughthehandsofthecurators.Wethereforeneededtodevelopourownphysicalinstantiationssothatwecouldplayfullyrecombinegarmentpiecesandambiguouswearableobjectswithoutfearofdamage.Thispaperfocusesonthecreationofthesedeliberately‘sacrificial’toiles,andourembodiedresponsestothem.
Inthecontextofwearablesdevelopment,‘sacrificial’isusedtoremindourselvestobeplayful,andthattoiles,evenwhentheyhavefunctionality,arenon-precious,andseenasstartingpointsratherthanendsinthemselves.Thischallengesconventionaldesignpracticesinwhichatangibleoutcomeisusuallyrequired,orheldasafinalproduct.
Thisapproachsharessimilaritieswithcreativityexercisesinotherfields,suchasmakingsketchesonlytothendestroythem(infoundationartanddesignstudies),oreventhemetaphoricalthrowingawayofresearchquestions(inpractice-baseddoctoraltraining).Itcertainlysitsinoppositiontotheperceivedvalue,ifnotreverencefor,theinvestmentoftimeandfinancialcostingettingphysicalcircuitstoworkinwearablesdevelopment(asanaside,thesilversmith/jewellerontheteamseemstofindthislessproblematic,perhapsbeingmoreaccustomedtoworkingwith‘precious’materials).
BuildingontheCraftingAnatomiesexhibition(2015)moulagestage,thefirststepwastorecreatetheselected‘in-between’thingsfromthearchiveastoiles.Secondly,bylookingatthepointswherepartsofgarmentsattachtoeachotherandwherethingslayeronthebody,wecanbegintomapthepointsatwhich,throughinteraction,thewearerdefinesboththeirexpressionandtheirfunction(Figure3).Thisapproachhasthepotentialtoinformtheplacementandconstructionofelectromechanicalcontactpoints,whichcouldincludee-broiderytechniques,softswitches,andcreativeuseofhaberdasheryandjewelleryfindings.
493
Inmaking,allthetoileswere‘baggedout’,toprovidespacesforelectroniccomponentstohide;theresearchers’experiencesonrelatedprojectsinformedshareddiscussionsduringthemakingprocess,aboutpossibleconnections,sensorsandswitchtypesthattheformsbroughttomind.Wesawpotentialinlacecollarsforcapacitiveswitchesbasedontouch,withproposalsformixingconductiveinksandnon-conductiveyarns(Figure4).Achatelainebecameasortof‘plugandplay’wearable,lashedupwithinterchangeableobjectseachhavingadefinedfunction(‘lash-up’isusedincircuitdesigntorefertoquickanddirtytestingmethods,suchasusingcrocodileclips).Theoriginalincludesapincushion,eternalcalendarandembroideryscissors;anelectronicversionmightbethoughtofasaphysicalanalogyoftheappsonasmartphone,orincludetheitemsthatwouldbeneededtomaintainawearablesystem–batteries,sparepressstudsandminiaturesewingkit(Figure4).Twooftheresearchersmadeshortvideosofthemselvesputtingthingson,andthinkingthroughactionandinteraction.Fourworkshopswereorganisedamongstthemakers,buildingideasandwaysofmockinguptheapplicationofelectronicsandcircuitstotheforms.Asimplecapacitivesensorwascreated,forexample,usingpinsandconductivefabrictogetherwithanIglooboard(Microsemi2016).CrocodileclipsandVelcrowereusedtoprototypedifferentplacementlayoutsacross(andwithin)garments,andwiththelargerpocketandthesleevetoiles.Problemswithpinningelectronicsformockingupwereovercomeby‘working
Figure3.‘Sacrificialtoiles’:Thepocketarchetypetakesontwodifferentpersonalities(‘generous’and‘neat’)asaresultoftheirconstruction,suggestingfunctionallyandqualitativelydifferentinteractionconcepts.Toprow:whenfilled,thecircuitinthegenerouspocketcircuitisbrokentolighttheLED.Bottomrow:theconductivefabricringcompletesdifferentcircuitsinsidetheneatpockettolightdifferentLEDs.Photo:SarahWalker.
494
backwards’andrevisitingthemulti-medialayeringtechniquesdevelopedinthefirststageoftheproject,andconceptsweresavedand
communicatedusingphotographsandvideorecordings.
Atthispointhowever,werecognisedthedangerofbeingcaughtupinissueswiththeelectronicssuchasdevelopingnewprogrammingskills,andgettingmicrocontrollerstoworkproperly,whenthequestionsweremoreabouthowitemsarewornandinteractedwithonthebody.Tobringtheprojectbackontrack,theteamdiscussedtwopossiblewaysforward:eitherwecouldrecreateawholeoutfit,demonstratingconnectionsandlayerswhichcouldbedevelopedasconnectorsinelectronicsystems,orwecouldfocusonthetoileswehadmade,andexplicitlyusethemtoorientourthinking.Ameetingwasorganised,atwhichallthetoilesandmock-upswerelaidoutforhandlingwhiletalking.
Thismadeahugedifferencetoourabilitytoshareknowledge,andtorespondinanembodiedwaytothematerialsandformsofthepieces,ratherthanourownpreconceptionsofwhatwearablesshouldbelike.Asaresult,thedecisionwasmadetofocusthenextpartofournovelmethodologyonembodiedinteractionswiththetwopockettoiles,oneofwhichfeltgenerousandbaggy,andtheother,flatandneat,almost‘prissy’(Figure3).Wefeltthelargerformalmostaskedtobefilledfullupwiththings,whiletheflatpocketsuggestedquiteaflat,slidingmotionofthehandintoit,againstthebody.Inturn,thisledustothinkaboutwhatkindofcircuitsmightbeinvolved;thusweproposethattheconstructionofdifferentphysicalformsofthesamearchetype(inthiscasethe
Figure4.‘Sacrificialtoiles’:(toprow)lacecollarinspiredcapacitiveswitchusingconductiveink;(bottomrow)chatelainewithpincushion,embroideryscissorsandperpetualcalendar,and‘lash-up’usingIglooprocessorboardandcrocodileclips,towhichdifferentsensorsoroutputscouldbeconnected.ChatelaineswerecommoninthenineteenthCenturyandwerewornclaspedatthewaist;usefulitemsweresuspendedonchainsfromtheclasp.Photo:WalkerandGlazzard.
495
pocket),cansuggestdifferentbody-ledinteractiondesignconcepts,whichinturndetermineexpressivefunctionalityandthearrangementofelectroniccomponents.
Thiswasaprocessofabstraction,oftakingthewornthingoutofitsnormalcontext,inordertoexploreitsownmaterialityphenomenologically,withoutpreconceptionsasfaraspossible.Itwaseffectivelyaprocessfor‘makingstrange’,ofdefamiliarisingourselveswiththem,inordertoseethemafresh,orevenatall.Thistacticcanbeseeninethnographicpractices,usedtoovercomeresearcherblindnesstoover-familiarsituations(deJong,Kamsteeg&Ybema2013);indeed,thetacticcanalsobeseendevelopedinSituationistartpracticessuchasdérive,inEuropeinthe20thCentury(Ejsing-Duun2016).Inremovingtheconceptualmodelwebringtotheinteraction,wecreatethespacefornewreconstructionsofmeaninganduse.Inthecaseofthepockets,forexample,werealisedthatwemightbetalkingaboutnotonlymaking,butbreakingcircuitconnections.Simplecircuits,withoutprocessors,weremadewiththepocketforms.
Figure3showsthese:thefirstisthelarger,‘generous’pocket,withacollectionofthingsthattobeaccumulatedwithinit–whenitgetsfull(ofnon-conductiveobjects),thecircuitisbroken,andthereisanoutput(anLED,fordemonstrationpurposes);thesecondistheflatterpocket,whichisactivatedbyasecondwearableartifact,asimpleringofconductivematerial,whichclosesacircuit.
Thesenowdemonstratethepotentialofthesamearchetypalform–thepocket–toinspiredifferentinteractiondesignandphysicalcomputingdesignconceptsandspecificationsthroughembodiedresponsestosimple‘sacrificial’toiles.Importantly,asthemethodologycontinuestodevelop,thetoiles,invariousstatesofelectroniccomplexity,needtoremain‘sacrificial’sothatwecanworkwithotherpeople.
Wenowreportonthepilotstudythatusedmovementandperformativemethodssothatthecreativeplayfulnessofthe‘designers’istransferredintoacontextthatsupportsthecreativityofthewearer.
ProvisionalFindingsfromaPilotStudy
Wewereinfluencedatthisstageby‘PotatoTheatre’,‘ObjectTheatre’andImprovisationintheatrepractice,aswaysinwhichnewandunexpectednarrativescanbeconstructedinrelationwithobjects(Buur&Friis2015,Johnstone1989).Eachoftheseformsoftheatrecraftaimto“encouragetherediscoveryoftheimaginativeresponse”toobjects,andtohumanrelationswithandthroughobjects(Johnstone1989:9).SuchapproacheshavebeenemerginginInteractionDesignforsometime,andWalkerattendedarecentdoctoralsummerschoolattheDesignSchoolKolding,toexperiencePotatoTheatrefirsthand.
Totrialthesemethods,threefellowresearcherswereinvitedtoplaywiththeobjectsinrelationtotheirbodies,toexplorewaysofwearingthemandtalkaloudabouthowtheyfelt,andwhattypesofinteractionor
496
functionalitytheyimagined(Figure5).Theserespondentshadarangeofexperienceintextiledesign,wearablesmarketresearchanddevelopment.Questionssuchas“WhatshouldIdowiththis?”and“Howdoesitconnectwiththebody?”wereposedasstartingpointsandtherespondentswerevideorecorded.Therespondentsdidnotknowwhattoexpect,andbroughttheirownperspectivesstronglytobearonthesequestions.Forexample,oneindividualdiscussedeverythingfromastylingandfashioncommunicationsperspective,whileanother(theembroiderer)respondedtothetexturesandsurfaces.
Themainthemestoemergeincludeobservationsonmannerisms,gesturesanddemeanour,whichappeartobeaffectedbytheformsandinteractionsofthetoilesandmock-ups;andemotionaldimensionsofbodypostureandwhatGoffman(1959)termed‘givenoff’impressionsoftheselfinsocialsituations.Forexample,onerespondentdescribedstandingwithaclenchedfistinthelargerpocketbecauseshefeltshy.
Figure5isanattempttocapturethemovementsdifferentformsaskthewearertomake–totieafastening,ortoaccesstheopeningofthepocket–orthedemeanourstheyaffordonceonthebody,suchasstandingwithhandsonhips.
Althoughtheseareinterestingstartingpoints,wearenotconvincedthatwemanagedto“breakpatternsandcomeupwithyetunknownideasandsolutions”(Buur&Friis2015:4).Wearethereforekeentodevelopthemethodsfurther,byworkingwiththeatrepractitioners.Theframinganddirectionofimprovisationandobject-basedworkareskillswerecognisewedonothave,andsoaoneweekcreativeworkshopisplannedinthefinalweekofMarch2017withcollaboratorsfromtheAcademyoftheArts,Amsterdam,andcolleaguesfromtheDesignforPerformanceprogrammeattheauthors’owninstitution.
497
ReflectionsandfutureworkIncontemporaryfashionandthecontextofthecontemporarywardrobewehavebeenunabletofindenoughpotentialtoanimatethecreativedressactsofthefuture.Thispaperpresentedanovelmethodologyforthedesignleddevelopmentofwearablesthatmighthelptoaddressthisissue,throughworkingwitharchives,deconstructingandreconstructinggarmentsand‘in-between’garmentsthroughtheuseof‘sacrificial’toiles,defamiliarisationtechniques,andpotentially,improvisationaltechniquesforevaluativenarrativeconstructionwithwearers.Thevalueofembodiedmakingpracticesishighlightedthroughtheuseofasinglearchetypewearableform(thepocket)withquitedifferentpersonalities,interactions,demeanoursandsubsequentphysicalcomputingspecifications.Finally,themethodologypresentsaviablewayofworkingwithvisualandtactileconceptsofcrafttofurtherthefieldofwearablesdesign,andpre-emptstheinventionandavailabilityofspecifictechnologiesbyconsideringidentityandexpressionasfunctionsofclothingandadornment.Webelieveitcouldmakewearablesmorefeasibletoproduce,astheybecomemodular,with‘plugandplay’functionality,andtherebycontributetotheinnovationprocessandeverydaytake-upofwearablesandelectronictextiles.
Justastherespondentsinthepilotresearchbasedtheirresponsesintheirownfields,sohavewefoundourselvesatonceimplicitlyboundedbyourownexperience,andunderimaginedpressuretomakecomplex
Figure5.Dressingworkshopswithrespondents;exploringexpressionandfunctionalpotentialthroughthebodyanddemeanour.Analysingwheretheobjectsaretouchedandmanipulatedwhenworn.Photo:SarahWalker.
498
circuitswheretheyareunnecessary.Weareawareof,andhaveexperiencedhackinginthemoretraditionalsense,whereelectronicproductsaretorndownandrecombined,andoneoftheauthorsisamemberofthelocalHackspace.Wehavetriedtoextendthismindsetthroughoutthedesignprocesstoincludeallmaterials–theinspirationalhistoricgarments,thepatterncutting,andtoiles,andeventhebody.Wearestrivingtokeeponopeningupeachstepoftheprocessinordertodevelopthecreativemethodology,ratherthanarrivingatobjectsthatareendsinthemselves.Thisisdifficultwhenthetechnologyisquitenewtosomeofus,orwhenitfeelstoo‘precious’orevenbeautifultohack.Thenextstepsincludeasetofdeconstructedshirt-dressformsthatcanbereconstructedtocreatevariationsonacircuit.ThesearetobeshownatRTD2017,whenwewilltestaseconditerationofourframingofusers’improvisationalinteractionwiththeshirt-dresses,beforetakingthemtothetheatremethodsworkshopattheendofMarch.Wedonotclaiminsightsforthewiderdesigncommunityfromourapproach,ascreative,lateralthinking,andreframingtechniquesarenotnewinthisfield;however,perhapsourworkwilldemonstratehowquicklywearableshavebecomethoughtofasonlywristorhead-worn,andcharacterisedbytheformallanguageofindustrialdesign,andanarrowuse-valueapproachtoanexpressivedesignopportunity.
AcknowledgementsTheauthorswouldliketothankJudithEdgar,curatorattheNottinghamMuseumsandGalleriesCostumeandTextilesCollectionatNewsteadAbbey.TheworkwassupportedbyQualityRelatedfundingatNottinghamTrentUniversity.
ReferencesArtandPictureCollection(2014)TheNewYorkPublicLibrary."Dr.Scott'sElectricCorset."NewYorkPublicLibraryDigitalCollections.AccessedApril27,2014.http://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/510d47e0-fcc0-a3d9-e040-e00a18064a99.
Atatac(2016).Whywedowhatwedoandhowhttp://atacac.com/company/
Buur,J.andFriis,P.(2015).Objecttheatreindesigneducation.NordicDesignResearch,6,http://www.nordes.org/opj/index.php/n13/article/view/379[AccessedJanuary8,2017].
CraftingAnatomies(2015).BoningtonGallery[exhibition],http://www.boningtongallery.co.uk/exhibitions/crafting-anatomies[AccessedJanuary8,2017].
Duburg,A.andvanderTol,R.(2008).Draping:artandcraftsmanshipin
fashiondesign.DenHaag:DeJongeHond.
499
Entwistle,J.(2000).TheFashionedBody.Cambridge:PolityPress.
Ejsing-Duun,S.(2016).ParticipatoryUrbanism:MakingtheStrangerFamiliarandtheFamiliarStrange.InM.BakerandB.Blaagaard(Eds.).CitizenMediaandPublicSpaces.Abingdon:Routledge,pp.155-171.
Glazzard,M.,Kettley,S.,Acti,T.&Harrigan,K.(2014).Experientialcollaborationsfromgarmenttocostume:Playandthethingasdesignoutcome.CraftPlusDesignEnquiry,(6),137-157.
Goffman,E.(1959).ThePresentationofSelfinEverydayLife.NewYork:DoubledayAnchor.
Johnstone,K.(1989).Impro(PerformanceBooks):Improvisationandthe
Theatre.London:MethuenDrama.
deJong,M.,Kamsteeg,F.,andYbema,S.(2013).Ethnographicstrategiesformakingthefamiliarstrange:Strugglingwith‘distance’and‘immersion’amongMoroccan-Dutchstudents.JournalofBusinessAnthropology,Vol.2(2),pp168-186.
Kettley,S.(2012).TheFoundationsofCraft:asuggestedprotocolforintroducingcrafttootherdisciplines.TheJournalofCraftResearch,Volume3Issue1,2012,Intellect.
Kettley,S.,Townsend,K.,andWalker,S.(2015).EvidencingEmbodiedParticipatoryDesign.ProceedingsofCriticalAlternatives5thDecennialAarhusConference,17-21August2015,Aarhus.
Latour,B.(2007).ReassemblingtheSocial:AnintroductiontoActor-
NetworkTheory.Oxford:OxfordUniversityPress.
Laver,J.(1995).Costumeandfashion:aconcisehistory.Fourthed.London:Thames&Hudson.
Lindqvist,R.(2015).KineticGarmentConstruction:Remarksonthe
FoundationsofPatternCutting.StudiesinArtisticResearchNo.13.Borås:UniversityofBorås.
Microsemi(2016).DevelopmentKits&Boards.http://www.microsemi.com/products/fpga-soc/design-resources/dev-kits-boards.[Accessed8March2016].
Stead,L.J.(2005).TheEmotionalwardrobe:AFashionPerspectiveonthe
IntegrationofTechnologyandClothing.PhDThesis,London:UniversityoftheArts.
Taylor,J.&Townsend,K.(2014).Reprogrammingthehand:bridgingthecraftskillsgapin3D/digitalfashionknitweardesign.CraftResearch,vol.5(2),pp.1.
Townsend,K.(2011).TheDenimGarmentasCanvas:Exploringthenotionofwearasafashionandtextilenarrative.Textile:TheJournalofClothandCulture,SpecialDenimIssue,Volume9,Issue1,Berg,UK,pp.90-107ISSN:1475-9756;IBSN:9781847888143.
Verhelst,B.&Debo,K.(2008).MaisonMartinMargiela‘20’The
Exhibition.Antwerp:MoMu.
500