We are excited to share that The Diversity Network has recently been awarded the Royal Society of Edinburgh Network Funding to undertake a two-year project working towards a series of events. These events will culminate in a pioneering ‘Diversity Network Fashion Forum’ in 2018.

Our aim is to unite expertise from the wealth of Scottish higher education institutions, fashion industries, government, and charity sectors to consider and demonstrate the positive ways fashion can be used to enhance public self esteem. We will hold a series of workshops over the next 12 months to explore how best we can collaborate together for a week of public events for the Fashion Forum 2018.

We kicked off this series of events with our first inaugural Workshop in May of this year. The workshop united key academic members, as well as government and charity figures. We couldn’t have asked for a more engaging and encouraging start to our project! The following attendees’ contribution resulted in a thoroughly inspiring day which centered around thought provoking discussion and brainstorming;

• Mary Hanlon – Phd Student and founder of Social Alteration; School of Social & Political Sciences, Edinburgh University
• Nikki Kilburn – Learning & Development Facilitator, Penumbra
• Emily Newman – Lecturer – Research in disordered eating styles and behaviors, Edinburgh University
• Emily Ford-Halliday – Fashion Lecturer at Edinburgh College of Art
• Dr Alison Bancroft – Fashion & Culture Analyst
• Dennis Robertson – former MSP
• Frances Johnstone – Parliamentary Assistant
• Clare Hill – Process Oriented Psychotherapist and Facilitator
• Ariana Zane – Saheliya

Special thanks to the following members who we are delighted to announce will form the Diversity Network Steering Panel;

• Debra Bourne- Founder and Director, All Walks Beyond the Catwalk
• Linda Shearer – Senior Lecturer, Glasgow Caledonian University
• Karen Cross – Course Leader, Robert Gordon University, Aberdeen
• Marlies Kustatscher – Co-Director of the Center for Education for Racial Equality in Scotland, Edinburgh University
• Dr Sue Thomas – Director of Studies Msc Ethics in Fashion, Heriot Watt University

And not forgetting our Fashion students; Rhys McKenna, Alice Firman, Jan Lucocq, and Alanna Hilton, who’s presentations on their personal practice of ’emotionally considerate design’ were both moving and inspiring.

This years’ diversity project saw students from Fashion and Graphic Design bring their specialisms together to create a collection of statement making garments. Students used innovative construction methods to incorporate typography into their designs.

The models were cast individually by the students; specifically chosen for their individuality and confidence. The models’ identities and opinions directly underpinned the design process, and the garments reflect their unique character.  The diversity project is  a powerful segment of the Show which challenges our preconceived ideas of the standard catwalk model.

All photography courtesy of Gareth Easton

CONSTRUCTS OF IDENTITY – AUTUMN/WINTER 2016/17 Year 2 Fashion

For this project, students cast a group of inspiring and diverse fashion muses to wear their garments for the show. These models were chosen to represent strength, individuality and unique beauty – students strongly considered the emotional connection between clothing and the wearer, ultimately celebrating the spectrum of diversity of the fashion consumer.

On the 15th November, the exciting Beauty by Design exhibition opened to the public at the Edinburgh Scottish National Portrait Gallery.

Launched in September 2012, the project was devised by Mal Burkinshaw and Dr Jill Burke, a specialist in Italian Renaissance visual culture within the School of History of Art. It brings together experts from a variety of areas (History of Art and Costume, Fashion Design, History, Psychology, and Education), who were interested in considering how Renaissance art could be used to question contemporary notions of beauty and body image.

The beautiful bodies of the Renaissance – the fleshy women of Titian or Rubens or the androgynous forms of Michelangelo or Leonardo – are a long way away from today’s size zero model, yet both have been considered ideals of beauty in these diverse societies.

This project’s aim is to communicate the need for a global recognition and commitment to improve self-esteem through emotionally considerate design, marketing and branding. The project aims to promote and reinstate a healthier attitude towards diversity of body image and beauty. The research team will seek to unravel historical codes of beauty and innovate towards new fashion design and communication solutions.

The project underpins the activity of the Edinburgh College of Art and All Walks Beyond the Catwalk Diversity Network. 

Mal Burkinshaw, Silhouettes en Dentelle – Series 1. 2013-14. Sophie Hallette lace, hand-appliquéd onto tailored jackets in nylon netting. 

Claire Ferguson, Double Exposure, 2014. Pima cotton and monofilament with Sophie Hallette lace.

Sally-Ann Provan, Headpiece: Memento Flori. Laser-cut acrylic, gold-plated pins, glass pearls and crystals.

We are grateful to the following people who made this year’s first Diversity Network symposium such a success, and provided us with thought provoking and educational discussions:

Caryn Franklin and Debra Bourne from All Walks Beyond the Catwalk, Lauren Benton from BODY Charity, Anja Aronowsky Cronberg of Vestoj: The Journal of Sartorial Matters, Maude Lescroart from Sophie Hallette Lace, and Margareta van den Bosch, Beata Aurell, and Anna Sjodin; Creative Design Team at H&M.

And of course the event would not have been possible without the involvement of our students.

A big thank you to all those who attended. We look forward to seeing you at the next event!

We are holding the Uk’s first educational focused symposium on the subject of Diversity within Fashion education at InSpace, Edinburgh University on April 26th. The event will be centered around engaging and informative discussions between key speakers from the industry.  These will take place before a small audience of interested parties from both industry and educational backgrounds.  We will consider an alternative approach to design and imagery and how this can be potentially beneficial in various capacities.

Following this event we will see an exciting showcase of 2nd year ‘Fashion and the Muse’ Design Project work in a live styling and photographic event, working with UCA Epsom fashion journalism students and Southampton Solent University photography and styling students.

The event will conclude with the annual Edinburgh College of Art Fashion Show 2013 at the McEwan Hall, Edinburgh.