Loose Thoughts: On fashion education (again!)

05/23/24 • 7 min

In a heartfelt update, I reflect on the challenges of decolonizing fashion education. Amid the hurried pace of academia, I share some experiences from teaching British students and introducing non-Western narratives into my curriculum. Despite occasional frustrations, small triumphs in reshaping how fashion history is taught offer hope.

Links:

Read the transcript on my website.
Follow me on Instagram and TikTok.
Subscribe to my newsletter.
Download mini-resource guide on decolonizing fashion education.

Links:

Read the transcript on my website.
Follow me on Instagram and TikTok.
Subscribe to my newsletter.
Download mini-resource guide on decolonizing fashion education.

Previous Episode

Asian Fashion with Faith Cooper

In the first interview of Redressing Fashion, Laura interviews Faith Cooper about her research on Asian fashion and her work behind the digital project, Asian Fashion Archive. They talk about cultural identity in fashion, some of Faith’s favorite aspects about Asian fashion, and how to redress fashion from Asian perspectives.

About Faith:

Faith Cooper is the creator of the digital resource project Asian Fashion Archive. Currently, she is participating in the Fulbright U.S. Student Program studying Brand and Fashion Management

at Fu Jen Catholic University in Taiwan. Previously she taught the Cross Cultural Expressions of Fashion and Dress course at the Fashion Insitute of Technology and worked in the education department at The Museum at FIT. In addition to her experience working in fashion education, Faith’s past professional experience includes working at Christie’s, Smithsonian Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Vogue, and International Condé Nast. Faith holds a master's degree in Fashion and Textile Studies and a bachelor's degree

in Art History and Museum Professions, both from the Fashion Institute of Technology.

Asian Fashion Archive website: https://asianfashionarchive.com/home
Asian Fashion Archive on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/asianfashionarchive
About Faith Cooper: https://www.faithtcooper.com/

Relevant links & references:

Fu Jen Catholic University Chinese Textiles and Clothing Culture Center in Taiwan: https://ctccc.tc.fju.edu.tw/
Guo Pei exhibition at the Asian Civilisations Museum: https://www.nhb.gov.sg/acm/whats-on/exhibitions/guo-pei
Book – Fashion, Identity, and Power in Modern Asia edited by Kyunghee Pyun and Aida Yuen Wong (2018)
Book – Rethinking Fashion Globalization edited by Sarah Cheang, Erica de Greef, and Yoko Takagi (2021)
Book – The Japanese Revolution in Paris Fashion by Yuniya Kawamura (2004)
Book – Fashioning Japanese Subcultures by Yuniya Kawamura (2013)

—

Visit Laura’s blog: https://laurabelru.com/

Find me on social media: @laurabelru & @redressingfashion

Next Episode

(Late) summer recap

In this solo episode, Laura Beltrán-Rubio reflects on her summer experiences, the challenges of navigating burnout in academia and the fashion industry, and the importance of reconnecting with personal style. She shares insights from her travels, research collaborations in Colombia, and the impact of recent conferences on her work. The episode emphasizes the need for questioning existing narratives in fashion and education, and encourages listeners to take meaningful actions to redress the fashion system.

—

Mentioned in the episode: