Unknown Origins

Professor José Teunissen on Fashion

August 31, 2021 Professor José Teunissen Season 1 Episode 69
Unknown Origins
Professor José Teunissen on Fashion
Show Notes Transcript

Professor José Teunissen, Dean of the School of Design and Technology at London College of Fashion, University of the Arts London (UAL), and Professor of Fashion Theory,  provides perspective on the importance of creativity in the fashion industry, her creative process, what it takes to succeed, and the industry's future. 

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Music by Iain Mutch 

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Roy Sharples:

Hello, I'm Roy Sharples, and welcome to the unknown origins podcast. Why are you listening to this podcast? Are you an industry expert? Looking for insights? are you growing your career? Or are you a dear friend helping to spur your pal on? I created the unknown origins podcast to have the most inspiring conversations with creative industry personalities and experts about entrepreneurship, pop culture, art, music and film and fashion. Professor Jose Teunissen is Dean of the School of Design and Technology at London College of fashion, University of the Arts, London, and Professor of fashion theory. She is the principal investigator of three European funded projects, and fashion tech and digital learning and the freelance fashion curator. From 2002. To 2016, she held a professorship in fashion theory at art as well she established the center of expertise future makers, dedicated to digital innovation and sustainable solutions for the fashion discipline. She is currently a board member of the Dutch Creative Industries Council, International Federation of fashion technology Institute's international apparel, Federation sawn Sikh state of fashion, and fashion for good Hello and welcome your say what inspired and attracted you to the world of fashion in the first place?

Professor Jos Teunissen:

For as long as I lived my whole life, I've been intrigued by fashion. And might be maybe it's strange thing, maybe not, because I grew up in a in a very small village, very remote, very rural village in the Netherlands, the sort of Netherlands. But that was during the 60s. And I think fashion was one thing that you know, there was TV, television, there were magazines. And of course, there was your people who just started to, you know, dressed very fashionable. And I was very intrigued by the fact that, you know, that's, you know, it was very strange that one year things, you think, Oh, this most beautiful thing, I need to have this or I need to wear my hair long or you know, in a certain way, or my skirt needs to be short. And then in a few years, you know it all in all, it changed again. So I was always amazed by how, you know, what's the rationale? What is the point, you think this is very beautiful. And then in, in a couple of years, you know, you didn't, you didn't want to wear it any longer. And also looking back to pictures, for example, for my parents, then you actually see, you know, that everything you could date it, you know, the 50s, the 40s, the 30s. So that I think was my fascination for fashion. And then my mother and my aunt, there were just, you know, working as did some tailoring work, and just work as you know, was his seamstress for my mother just made all the clothes for us. So also the, the making side of it and, you know, feeling for fabric, and you know, how it was trained, and how we need to cut it up as a whole, you know, was something I never had to learn because it was sort of in house it was around all the time. So yeah, so I think that those two things are, you know, a reason why Yeah, I was always very much interested and intrigued by fashion, but primarily, also as a cultural phenomenon. And I'm still, you know, I still don't have a solution. Because now, you know, we are in the time period of sustainability, you know, is, is very high on the agenda agenda. And at the same time, we see all kinds of digitalization, in fact, patient tech solutions, and they're still, you know, in my head, you know, do we really need, you know, this, you know, to drive to all those new trends is that, you know, driven by to commercial vision, because I think it's excellent new things. And are the new really new styles as they were in the 80s and 90s. And also, how can we actually reduce this you know, what is what are the products we really want? And you know, it's, you know, fashion for change, is it changing? Why is it changing, changing and what is it expressing, so, it's still, you know, the same the same fascination, but in a very different context.

Roy Sharples:

Fashion stands for individuality and self expression at a specific place and period in time. within a given context, defined by influencers in the fashion industry and popular culture, to which it is trending design is a vehicle for time and social change that interconnects society, entertainment, politics, fashion and technology, which translates into popular culture, practices, beliefs, and rituals prevailing in society at any given point in time. Popular culture expresses society shared experiences, and is a function of what society consumes through entertainment, fashion, politics, and technology. And as soon as we enter the planet, we are immersed in popular culture, influencing us through the toys and games we play. Media programs, we watch brands, advertisements, and the products we consume, the music we listen to the art we make, the books and comics we read, and the clothes we wear. This reflects the moment in time, life in motion, and contributes to society's evolution. by teaching us something new. It challenges us to critically consider the society we live in and empathize by recognizing ourselves and each other, and bridging our differences through providing us with a similarity of spirit and sense of community. even looking at the last seven years, since the birth of rock and roll of some of the key events in popular culture that have affected society, and the interaction between people and their everyday lives, the 1950s where comics captured the imagination, rock and roll encouraged rebellion. And television sharpened the mind right through to the 2000 and 10s to the current day, where there's a blurring of virtual and physical life, where the edges are no longer the boundaries, and intelligent machines are emerging with each generation embodying its own social and cultural movements that encompass ideals, sensibilities, art and science. And there's usually a reaction against prior movements and the status quo, which has grown uniform and monotonous. These social cultural movements, influence art, fashion, music, and popular culture, and drive progressive change, and politics and society just as the hippie movement did in the 1960s, which embraced the sexual revolution and floer power, passive resistance and non violent opposition to the Vietnam War, affiliated to protest folk musicians and psychedelic music style than long hair beads, Blue Bell bottom jeans, ethnic clothing, headbands, floppy hearts, flowerpower motifs, peace symbols, and tie dyed t shirts right through to more recent times where the hipster movement surfaced in the early 2000s as independent thinkers with progressive political views with a penchant for art and indie rock styled and Pompadour haircuts, beards, vintage utter check shirts and skinny jeans,

Professor Jos Teunissen:

I think definitely in because then it was also you know, a social statement because it was also you know, it had it had a real meaning now, it was also expresses ideas about, you know, the society and how, yeah, so it was all connected, especially, I think it was music and fashion that were Yeah, I think he just, you know, this, this, this this culture, movement of young people driving change, and then I think, you know, looking at the 1990s that I think was also interesting time because she saw young designers coming into the field and into the conventional field of fashion, and then I will pay for it too for john Galliano, if you invest. Yes, yes. But also, mighty Magellan gela and the Japanese came in. So, I was also I think, an interesting time when design fashion design came, interesting fashion design, and also the Belgian design of Swiss shaping, I think, you know, the fashion with the senior cutter, yes. Then I think, you know, the classical, big fashion houses, they they started, you know, to also look into heritage and their tradition, but they hired you know, making just trying to hire young designers. Yeah, but basically just to work on the senior tour. So, I think in the in the end, I think it's it's also expressing a lot of literature that you know, since the 1990s, when fashion became you know, less than NT culture but more like commercial culture again. You know, when the the first retailers like h&m, the big ones came came market. When it started to a business that the Fed was very much on moneymaking Yes. And also the fashion houses, for example, you know, they became really commodities and big conglomerates, and I think they, and of course, it was already there. But, you know, it was also about how can we maximum make money of the brand by selling lipsticks, bags, clever. So I think then it got all a little bit muddled, and then, you know, because they could start to make the trends very easily because, you know, internet was there at a certain stage capture, copy things from from the parents, campark, you had very smart stylists who picked up every fashion trend from the street, so that for example, brunch or something that, you know, it didn't even have a campaign to have a very short life in margin and then was copied and, you know, became it became part of the normal culture. And yes, big brands, so it was cannibalized. So you know, it's in commercial fashion, just, you know, I think just started to get to sort of, you know, start to get hold of, to encapsulate fashion is very difficult to, to stand out or to kind of, first of all, still our designers, you know, but for your generation is on our thinking that the 21st century has been very difficult fun. And then also, I think you'll see sustainability coming in as a very important topic and a little bit, also fashion tech. And then you're actually also starting to see that again, you know, it's it's makes maybe much more about the story you tell, and the way you produce your garment, the way you employ workers or you should craft elements. So it starts to generate very different stories, and maybe don't make them more interesting. Because, again, you have people who are against the address certain issues in our society, address are working against the system, try to, you know, improve the system or trying to work better to do better. And but I do that in very different ways. It's not like sort of new style and a very dynamic, you know? Yeah, yeah. Refreshing, trended towards more patient trends. I think, for example, poker, so they were just, they were a way of living. Yeah, I think that's not at the moment. So it's all much more, you know, there are definitely interesting designers, differently interesting approaches, but I also deal with sustainability, or they sometimes work with, you know, newest technologies, but they're also they're all looking into what kind of product do I want to make? And especially what does it mean for society? And the important question, actually, at the moment is, do we really work for consumers? What, what, how, what is, you know, we need to eat, I think food is something that you really, you know, we need to eat to have to have food every day. But how much fashion? And garments do we need? And yeah, do we trust, you know, the market? And why are we buying things and maybe we have to rethink why we buy things. And also, we need to rethink what fashion actually is because there is no real fashion. There are no real I think engaging new trends. It's much more about what kind of product you buy. And if you look to the street, I think for 10 years already or maybe 20 years. It's also very basic. So most people dress very basic, in in what you can go classic. It's a jeans, it's a T shirt to check in. So how expressive Is it?

Roy Sharples:

Yes, one of the multiple themes that is coming through from your perspective is how socially conscious society has become, which is influencing how important it is to understand cultural trends and lifestyle factors through context, norms, routine and daily life habits within communities and societies, which are informing designers, entrepreneurs and businesses with a social context that influences that product creation and marketing process by informing the design, positioning message and packaging the story that they want to tell in a responsible and ethical way.

Professor Jos Teunissen:

When I was a university and was interested in do some more research in fashion, I think it was always you know experienced or a lot of people think fashion fashion that's within even within social cultural studies it was seen as not very interesting and serious and not something you could really you know, it was always seen as the most superficial and the most so there was art of course and then design also serious but fashion you know, was only for women and a field that are in the end we were interested in so was not not often seen as is very serious. research topic, and I think that's also Yeah, it of course, it has changed the last 20 years. Yeah, but yeah, it was always seen as you know, not that interested. Same problem for, for music for music, it also took the time for it. But fashion still, and I think the way we dress and is interesting, and if you look if you tell people, for example, that you say Oh, yeah, but okay, it's something for women. Because men, they're really and then you say yeah, well yeah, they just said tell them Yeah. Why is it that men still have wearing them that suit you know, for today? Not so much. And it has come up at a certain stage, it was an important stage in history because you know, it was with enlightenment was with cities coming up with so after the French Revolution, so so and also women and Scourge now, it's welcome, that women are allowed to wear skirts and trousers, skirts, and the length of skirt was another thing so they're all you know, it's it's only Yeah, yeah. And if you take those, think along things along those lines, you actually see you know, that our social cultural context and fashion that a lot of things, you know, is is interesting to see that as definitely a relation.

Roy Sharples:

What is your creative process, in terms of how do you dream up ideas, develop those ideas into concepts, and then bring those concepts to actualization?

Professor Jos Teunissen:

In context to my background and my rolee, I nead bashion design Institute at the London College of fFshion, but my creative contribution and role is primarily his exhibition making confession. I don't know how many patient exhibitions I've made maybe 10, maybe 15 I don't remember exactly. And I'd always take it as research and I'm also work on writing at the same time and I always try to do is thinking about the future or actually or in what's happening at a certain stage and try to choose to bring together elements and photos, find examples of certain areas where I think you know, the the interesting designers are or the interesting developments are taking place. So my last exhibition was actually official Bian Allah and I called it it was called searching for the new luxury. And this was actually to explore you know, what is because it was actually started with thinking about the classical the very influential fashion houses in Paris like your Prada Chanel, because it's always experienced as luxury fashion is luxury. But you know, with especially to things like sustainability and technology, because you How can technology and fashion tech ever be being experienced as a luxury? And also at the same time, if you think about sustainability, what actually is luxurious luxury? Is that no way is it reusing of things is it is a technology or maybe it's, it's, it's, it's something that's that just shows or is you know is related to other values than less than the classical ones that are craft you know, and, and maybe a valuable product or valuable fabric and it was always is made, you know it, that's what I did tell you, it's not always happen that way, but a very crafted, you know, technical approach. So those elements are always trying to bring bring together. And from there, I start to thinking, you know, what is what could be an interesting selection just to, to showcase? And also how do I bring the visitor into the experience of you know that it must be, I think it's always important to make a fantastic aesthetic experience, but also at the same time telling a story that in the end, there's an awareness, you know, that he, they also start to reflect and to rethink, and maybe what fashion is, and what you how you could experience actually, actually what, what fashion is, and what is important in fashion. So that's a little bit I think, my process in exhibition making. And I, you know, I grew up in a family with a lot of fashion designers, my sister is, is a fashion designer has always a sustainable fashion brand. And of course, I see a lot of students around me and I have a lot of members of staff that are teaching but also at the same time develop their own, have their own little small fashion brand. And yeah, I think in I'm always interesting, you know, that process that always I like to be in the apple liaison, I like to be sitting near to, to assume machine and just see how people work. And always very interested in you know, what is the concepts that are primarily of the ease, I think always the important thing was the concept and what does it need in the whole process to make that concept really, you know, convincing, what, what is a complete fencing solution to it, you know, why, and of course, it has an aesthetic, but it's always, you know, is also, you know, the details of making? Yeah, so I think a lot of ingredients that in the end, make it an interesting product. And sometimes it's also the story and read the story, the story, read it, to actually know, understand in depth, what's interesting about it, and so it's not only the aesthetics is an important part. I think it's, it has two sides.

Roy Sharples:

Your creative process blends the art and science of creativity by balancing, creative thinking to create, interpret and express your craft with critical thinking, to explore an opportunity or, or problem and define and test our hypothesis and answer questions also around the ability to anticipate future trends inspired by industry developments, culture, and the stacks that connect to the emotions imagination, and and how you go about developing this within a cohesive framework that combines qualitative and quantitative research methods, and then applying practical insights and techniques that inform and help you frame what your designs are going to be and then guiding the choices you make either individually or collaboratively across multidisciplinary teams to generate ideas, develop the concepts and then bring them to market efficiently.

Professor Jos Teunissen:

I think more and more designers nowadays, get to process properties and the story of the ingredients of those things. In a sustainable context, or you know, talking about fashion tech explorations are more and more interesting. So I think looking outside, you know, our students and curriculum, it's, it's, you know, it's the process is more and more it becomes, it's, it's really the most important part. And it's not necessarily and it's different from 20 years or 30 years ago, taking for example 50 enrolled Dutch designers. I think in that time, it's also about concepts, they're still working in the same in that way. And what what most designers did then actually just translate that concept in the whole collection 2030 items, because the whole collection just showed a little bit disinhibitor and what they want to tell and talk about an exchange like Victor rove I think they you know, they made a collection for example, flowerbomb collection, it was all built on, started with ribbons. And you know, the Dutch are very concerned joinder approach means that it always needs to be more than a stick. So it's just working with the concept. And I made like, very nice collection, but it was all ribbons. So it was just looking into how the collection was build up and each dress. And also it was a game and playing with ribbons. An example looking at nowadays to a designer like yours from here, but for example, also Dutch designer working with 3d printed things that's much more about structure, you know, and it's not about 20 different garments, where you create your ideas about working with Raven, but it's it's much more and also does not the only thing that victim role, because I always have also sort of, you know, story behind it was interesting. But with infant help, you definitely see very much achievement is working with a certain technique, like 3d printing, and she's thinks about the structure, how actually, you can make garments out of it. And you need to start very different than with the classical garment. It's not like making a better, and then cutting the fabric and just shape it to a three dimensional form. You need to work for more constructive, and you need to maybe study nature or bone structures to get the structure and the weight and actually the way you're building the garments and very different approach. Another designer, for example, Bettany Williams, who studied at the London College of fashion, and is thinking very in depth around sustainability start starts started one of her collection just with a waste of material. And she worked with women in a prison in Italy. And they made fabrics out of those basic garments, sometimes there was plastic in it, he was already a beautiful form. And then she just makes garments out of it, but you know, only a few so the stores wants to buy her collection that don't have way more choice. So these are the items she's going to make them. It's not like a big push on the mark market with a lot of garments, it's only a few and hear the story. And the process is also very important, it's important to know, he does it differently, because she has reasons climate change reasons to do so. So it's a very different approach to to the process to to the garment productions.

Roy Sharples:

And the process is even more important than it used to be having a social conscience and empathy for the environment. by managing innovation that powers the products you design, make and sell and the businesses you run by caring deeply about the world we live in its inhabitants inclusivity and the pursuit of making people's lives better, and moving society forward. A friend of mine, who is a fashion entrepreneur, and CEO of style create, who provide eco friendly clothes that gets delivered to your door every month, namely; Jonathan Burns, who shared with me a few months ago that the fashion industry produces more carbon emissions than all international flights, and maritime shipping combined. And that 20% of global wastewater comes from textile production, and more than three fifths of clothing ends up and incinerators on landfill within a year of being produced. And it was paramount to take a moral standpoint, by being empathetic and having a social conscience about what his business does. And how, by being deeply committed to making a positive difference to the planet and people's lives. And I think that's very symbolic of what the next generation of leaders and and designers and entrepreneurs, they really embellish that value system around social consciousness and making the world a better place.

Professor Jos Teunissen:

Yeah, and I think a lot of young people are aware of this that fashion is one of the most polluting industries as we know it and so and there are so much garments on the market you know all the time. So you could eventually things you know what contribution as a designer to make, to stand to also start the collection make even more close. And of course we know where the problems are and especially you know, it's it's the push market of the of the fast fashion and And they, you know, they just, they produce mad, they're making sure they have, you know, every I think every four weeks new collections in the store, and their business model is just made only if they only sell 30% for normal price, then that's fine, they will sell maybe 2030 or 20% in the sales, and then they have a lot of, you know, leftovers. And that I think is for the whole fashion industry. Because it's a push market, you know, it's really pushed on a market, they test if it works, or doesn't work, there's a lot of stock left somewhere, because, you know, what they used to do is just burn it. But that's, you know, that it's ethical, not, you know, not allow that into energy is not allowed anymore. So there is a problem, you know, with how fast fashion actually started, you know, to test and to see whether you can make some sales. So that I think is the big, big problem. But then, you know, you could think, you know, what is my what kind of designer do I want to be, and the positive thing of it is, I think that due to the all new digital technologies due to Instagram to new ways of working, I think a lot of those young designers can actually build up a business, yeah, a very different way. Because you don't in a classical system, you need to have investors and bankers and you need, you know, to, to design a whole collection, then you need to go to Paris to Lohmann, wherever, and they're the buyers and the stores came and they just, you know, they just made their orders, and then you started to produce, it's very difficult. But now, it's very easy to start an online brand, you can make yourself visible on Instagram. And if you have a dedicated story very easily get customers, you know, are interested in your product, because it has a specific story, they know it's sustainable. Sometimes, because you have a very, very small brand, you're old enough that they can even ask you just to maybe just if you could just adjust some things or make things a little bit longer if your produce nearby, so it makes it much more flexible. And you can also start with a niche product, you know, all the jackets, whatever, doesn't mean that it's a huge market already. But you see, like a lot of startups and young people, they start to differ very differently. So they have completely different business models, and they can work start work very differently. And I think that's probably is, then very likely is the future. And then if you look in on the bigger scale, you'll actually see that and COVID-19 has actually just already has accelerated this that now suddenly, I think the industry is also you know, we can measure people take body scans and have a real measure. The industry is living also in advanced manufacturing systems for need, for example, that actually people that you only started to produce when you have when the product is already ordered. So I think there are a lot of changes, and digitalization and new technologies and hopefully in a couple of years enable consumers as well as design shipped out two completely different production. So it will be more on demand or made to measure you know, as the car industry already is so I think foresee, really, you know, a lot of disruptive changes in the fashion industry as we know it at the moment. And you see already a lot of young designers having their niche already somewhere and have acquired it good to know that they're not big and they're not aiming to be you know, worldwide, known and big. Sometimes there are road but no, but they are only a small brand. And I think I'm fine with it.

Roy Sharples:

What are the key skills needed to be a successful creative and the fashion industry?

Professor Jos Teunissen:

You need a certain talent you know, you need also really to be interested in fashion in the fabric in the body and actually how we can shape those things. So the classical design skills I think are important, but in the current climate and where we are in this time period. I also think you need to be very entrepreneurial, or even if you're in start to work in the industry where they call in intrapreneurial and very open and flexible. Really looking yeah Very, you know, you need to be thoughtful, you need to be interested in the whole process, it's not enough to just make a nice drawing, you need to engage with the whole product development process. Because if you are, you know, an ethical and dedicated fashion designer, you really want to know why things, how things are made by things I made. And that's very difficult, not a very transparent process. And the other hand, I also think you need and you shared with our students, you know, last year, you need to be interested in the new technologies, like the product development, digital design skills, but also sometimes to work with engineers and computer scientists or material engineers, if you really want if you're so you need also to have the curiosity and you know, new technologies that probably can change to make the product in a different way. So I think more and more with our designers, especially now in footwear, they're all, I think, are now using digital software to model the show digitally already. And I think more and more that that will that approach also will be more and more embedded, I think in the industry, but also I think for every designer doesn't doesn't mean that you need to be specialists, but you need to be aware in a different way of if people are in an era, and the engineers, the techs are engineers, the biochemistry know that it's it's much more collaborative, I think, in certain areas where you really try to push the borders. And that's a different approach. It's not like things are coming to you. And sometimes it's also trying, for example, to help the new niche systems. So you need to have that basic interest in and the skills to collaborate with people coming from a very different field. So you need to have a basic understanding for their research process, the language they're using. And I think that's the interesting part in the fashion that I'm working in that field now for I'm just working on a couple of research project with our university, but also with industry partners. And I think that's the most fascinating area, but it's, you know, the teaming up of designers with engineers that I think is where Yeah, where the future is, they need to learn to collaborate. And I think that's so what you need on top of your design skills, are collaboration skills, all kinds of soft skills, problem solving skills, that's what you need, more than, I think that was needed before, because you had all kinds of people who are helping you, and data translation, but now I think the sensitive solutions aren't there yet. It needs to be a common error efforts, with from people from different disciplines to actually solve the sustainable issues solve the issue. So I think we are very much in that transition period. It's also a very exciting period, because there's so much change, and it's really just, you know, you can be you know, really do very interesting explorative work,

Roy Sharples:

The importance of collaboration comes out really strongly within your thinking. And so the cross pollination across multiple domains to seek inspiration, and expertise, to force multiple innovative outcomes, to provide something new to the world means overturning the status quo by embracing originality and making unique connections, often between disparate universes that help light the way into the future.

Professor Jos Teunissen:

You know, what is the big difference that it used to be before you know that I was an engineer, who just you know, it was, you know, a new How do you call it a new, a new product or a new fabric cooking, and then they ask the designer to make something nice of it and nothing that's, you know, it's now just starting with maybe we could find a solution in material or find a sewing machine to to help to you know, to improve the net things and then you need to know the designer and the engineer to work together because you know, the design already can fit in What does work what doesn't you can also see some trials that he think built are interesting. So if they were from scratch together, you know, we get a very much a much more interesting product. So I think that's different from how it used to work in the in the 60s and 70s and 80s 80s now by profession, but also in, you know, product design or whatever, I think those fields start to be much more needed to be integrated from the part disciplines need to work together,

Roy Sharples:

What are your lessons learned, the pitfalls to avoid, and keys to success that you can share with aspiring creatives in the fashion industry?

Professor Jos Teunissen:

The pitfalls, and then I'm looking that's very much based on the lessons learned for the students is sometimes I think people look for, you know, they've seen, you know, successful designers, and I think I also I also want to be, you know, the famous designer. Now, what has worked for one is China as a way, a way to success and career is not something that you need something to copy, because that is really a pitfall because what has worked for a certain brand or certain career for certain designer was, you know, always because it was in its in a decade in the 1990s it was in a certain kind of context, because they had a certain kind of maybe luck or money, and you cannot copy them 10 years later or 20 year laters sometimes we have students in the UK, let's actually say okay, but where are the clubs and where, where's the plumbing and doesn't exist anymore. So fashion is somewhere else, it's out somewhere. So that I think is an important beneful don't look into Of course you can admire, you can have your but you're in a different So, follow your own path. And follow also I think what is very closely you know, you need to be connected in the time we live in, and you we are living in a certain time period, bear when we are no need to realize or are realizing ourselves. We are here on a planet. And we are, you know, very polluting climate changes there are a lot of things are just threatening. So what does it mean as a designer? What How can I benefit to a better world but also you're always working for a client, you so you're doing you're making something that you know, it's fitting in the context of the moment. And the only way you the best way to do it is just stay very close to yourself. Because what we're we're in what kind of things are you interested in? And how do you think personally think you were Yeah, so stay very close to yourself, because that's where you get the energy from and to really do the effort, because it's not like very close to you. You never, you never keep the energy going to really just making sure that you really want to do this.

Roy Sharples:

Be excellent at what you do by mastering your craft, and applying a do it yourself sensibility to find the future by being adaptive, persistent, and resilient, and bringing new solutions to market by being independent, single-minded and self sufficient from start to finish, always finding the alternative by rejecting the banal and overturning the status quo, and your own unique voice and style. The other point you made about there not being the venue anymore. And that is so true, unlike how it was historically where you hide music venues like the Cavern Club in Liverpool, that became the epicenter for mercy beat in the 1960s, or the troubadour in Los Angeles for folk music, and the 1960s and 70s or cbgb, in New York City or the 100 Club in London for punk, and the 1970s or or Wigan casino for Northern Soul, in the 1970s, and then the Hacienda club in Manchester in the late 1980s and early 1990s. These venues became synonymous with the music and fashion that they cultivated. And a sanctuary where music fashion and culture came together, where like minded people could self identify and feel liberated. Those physical venues that don't exist anymore, it's almost like social media and outlets such as Pinterest and Instagram, and away have replaced those entities has been a way of exhibiting fashion and taste and style and trending.

Professor Jos Teunissen:

Yeah, people were and then also you know, you just you know, you dressed yourself to go out and just showing off very fashionable and doesn't exist anymore. Not in that way. You only realize when it's gone that that was their, you know, the most impactful thing that was happening and so probably were they things are happening now and we're probably looking backwards in hindsight.

Roy Sharples:

What's your vision for the future of the fashion industry?

Professor Jos Teunissen:

I think the fashion industry is really needs to revision itself. And they do at the moment, but I see this only, you know, it's very much a system in transition. So I foreseen and hopefully it will happen to that, you know, it will be there will be a lot of change to the way things are made to the way what we are going to wear. I don't know the solution yet. But I think it definitely, I think it's, it's quite a radical change. And we are maybe we could take 510 years. And then I think we hopefully also I, I also hope we have a different idea what what clothes mean for us, and how we want to look like so I think we are in the system is radically changes changing. fashion, as we know, it, like new style new trends, I think is is something that is you know, not very much on the so it's not that much on an aesthetic level happening. But it's much more happening on a product development level, to stainable level and on an ethical level and on a values level. So we all really thinking and we work in those areas. And yeah, so it won't be very spectacular thinking would be just, you know, in this sort of aesthetic news to us, but it definitely is interesting on how the product is made, the stories around it. And I think we'll just shape what we what we will define as what fashion is. So we will make things differently. We probably consume things differently. We order order our new items in a very different way. I think the high street will change dramatically.

Roy Sharples:

Positive societal change, and technological advancement and innovation are important to the evolution of fashion by creating new opportunities and improving our lives and affecting how we self identify and express ourselves as humans. How soon is the future? One thing for sure, is the future is unwritten and everything is possible. You have been listening to the unknown origins podcast. Please follow subscribe, rate and review us. For more information go to unknown origins.com Thank you for listening