Book Club and Mending Discussion Plan for Chapter 2 - Design Thinking & Rethinking.

Tomorrow our book-club Starts 9:30 @ 20 Robb St Belmont.

• Feel free to bring snacks and a drink. 
• Its a think tank format using  Chapter 2 - Design Thinking & Rethinking in Peggy Blum's Circular Fashion book as our guide for discussion. 
• Remember to bring your creativity and passion for sustainable fashion to the book club! Don't forget your mending or upcycling creative fashion project. 

These are the key concepts we will look at:

A. What Has Changed in the Design Thinking  Process

Traditional Fashion Design (p. 21-23) Is a model were fashion on Autopilot: Designers called the shots, with personal style and seasonal trends dictating everything.

The Influencer Explosion: Thanks to the internet, fashion inspiration is everywhere!

 The Problem: This fast-paced, trend-driven system leads to environmental disaster (think "cheap clothes, worn once").

Enter Design Thinking! (p. 24-25)

It is a human-Centered Design process: This approach places the user (and the planet!) at the heart of the process.

The 5 Principles of Design Thinking: (p. 28-30)

Problem-First: We ditch preconceived solutions and focus on understanding the issue.
Empathy is Key: Understanding the user's needs and desires is crucial.
Brainstorm Like Crazy: No idea is too wild! Get creative!
Prototype & Test: Build rough models to test and refine your solutions.
Adapt & Evolve: Learn from failures and iterate on your ideas.
Stella McCartney's Vegan Collection: (p. 29) A great example of problem-focused design!

B. Circular Fashion Design Considerations: (p. 30-39)

Slow Fashion, Not Fast: Design clothes built to last, with quality materials and timeless appeal.

The 6 Steps of Slow Design: (p.32)
Reveal: Understand the problem (environmental impact of fashion).
Expand: Research materials, user needs, and sustainability.
Reflect: Think deeply about the garment's life cycle.
Engage: Collaborate with different stakeholders.
Participate: Involve consumers in the design process.
Evolve: Continuously improve and adapt designs.

Durability Design: (p. 32) Think functionality AND emotional connection. People cherish clothes they love!

Repairability: (p. 33-34) Embrace Wabi-Sabi (beauty in imperfection).

• Think Borro's clothes with repair options (pg. 34).
• Offer repair kits that complement garment styles.
• Nuddie jeans with life time mendability as value add-on to sale.
• Cool example of this Tom Van Deijnen (@tomofholland) • Instagram photos and videos

Biodegradability: (p. 34) Let our clothes return to the earth naturally!

Dematerialization: (p. 36) Less is more! Reduce material usage and waste. Simple designs. 

Zero-waste design aims for minimal offcuts.
Use scraps for other projects or donate them!

Wearable Technology & Bioculture: (p. 36) Explore innovative materials like the fungi dress! This is a thing, check these out fits out.

Design with Waste: (p. 37) Upcycle and recycle materials for a new life! This is a really good a example of a designer doing  this - ABOUT — DANIEL SILVERSTAIN.  And Susanne Guldager | Designer | Label - La Femme Rousse (fibre2fashion.com)

Group Activity: Let's redesign a clothing item with circular principles in mind!  (refer to p. 36) Think beyond the final product. How will clothes be deconstructed? (buttons, zippers, etc.)