Art and Design Commons^™

Conscious Consumerism: A Design Process For Stylish Sustainable Apparel, Luz Becerra

Honors Theses

The main objective of this paper is to explore current consumer behavior and perspective on sustainable apparel as well as future trends in the market place such as willingness to buy. I investigated the market for organic apparel brands, and identified potential areas of growth. My findings concluded that young consumers lack interest in sustainable apparel because they are not sufficiently educated in the topic and are not willing to sacrifice their style identity, consequently purchasing trendy fast-fashion items. The fashion industry is famously claimed to be the second most polluting industry in the world, so I designed a line …

A Critical Exploration Of Costume Design Possibilities In Tolkien’S Legendarium, M. Grace Costello

Apparel Merchandising and Product Development Undergraduate Honors Theses

Tolkien’s Legendarium has in many ways codified modern fantasy. Illustrations and film adaptations of it have had far-reaching consequences on popular culture, building an 80-year tradition of visual depictions of Tolkienesque fantasy. Particularly, Elven characters are usually depicted wearing costume inspired by Victorian notions of Western medieval costume. In this paper I seek to approach the design of original costume for the Ñoldor from a different perspective, free from the established traditions of other designers’ and illustrators’ work.

The preliminary research focuses on searching the source materials of the Silmarillion and select texts from the Histories of Middle Earth. I …

Determining The Difference Between Counterfeit & Luxury Products, Brooke Burnside

Apparel Merchandising and Product Development Undergraduate Honors Theses

Counterfeits have affected the global industry for decades accumulating billions of dollars in revenue. A study done at the end of 2017 indicates the counterfeit industry has reached $1.2 trillion and is estimated to reach $1.82 trillion by the end of 2020. Counterfeit goods have many ways to reach the final consumer including flea markets, liquidation sales, street vendors, illicit storefronts, and legitimate businesses, as well as online retailers. For this creative project, I created a counterfeit Kate Spade dress to determine the differences visible on the streets compared to an online setting. The results of this study warrant further …

Introducing Stem Education Through A 3d Printing Demonstration, Emily Vrbas, Kennedy Rickard

Apparel Merchandising and Product Development Undergraduate Honors Theses

This research project investigates the impact of a science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) 3D printing presentation on a selected population and evaluates the need for further research on 3D printing as an introduction to STEM education. Participants completed a pre-survey measuring knowledge and interest in STEM education and 3D printing. A PowerPoint presentation demonstrated the viability of STEM education and careers and showed the variety of careers that utilize 3D printing. After the presentation, a demonstration of 3D printed small objects showed a sample of what is possible with the A5 3D printer. Each participant received a 3D printed …

Fashion Patternmaking Book Instructions In Spanish, Yessica N. Prieto

Theses & Dissertations

This study explored participants’ perceptions of the need for a fashion patternmaking book in Spanish to be used by native Spanish-speaking students in U.S. institutions of higher education. There is no previous research demonstrating the need for a patternmaking book in Spanish for native Spanish speakers. This study provided insight into how educators perceive the need for a fashion patternmaking book in Spanish to assist non-English speaking students.

A survey was sent via e-mail using Survey Monkey®. Participants were members of the International Textiles and Apparel Industry and faculty who teach fashion design in Mexico. The responses of 17 participants …

The Effects Of Fashion Trends On The Perceptions Of School Uniforms, Christiana Lazarine

Theses & Dissertations

While the effects of school uniforms have been studied, a gap exists within the literature, which includes the effects of fashion trends inspired by schoolgirl uniforms. The purpose of this ethnographic pilot study was to fill the gap within the literature on the practice and transgressive use of female school uniforms and to determine the need for a larger study, while researching if schoolgirl-inspired fashion trends influence the perspectives of women who wore school uniforms as children. Eight participants were interviewed one on one about their experiences and their perceptions of school uniforms and the fashion trends they inspire. All …

Wearing Art History: Fashion As An Art, Sofia Killion

Senior Theses

Fashion is often seen as a frivolous craft which many believe to lack substance. Fashion however has for generations drawn inspiration from one of the very things that defines culture and that is art. Some of the most successful fashion designers of our time have drawn inspiration directly from masterpieces of art. The Spanish fashion designer Cristóbal Balenciaga (1895-1972) was heavily inspired by his countrymen including Diego Velázquez (1599-1660), Francisco de Zurbarán (1598-1664), and Francisco Goya (1746-1828). The Italian fashion designers Domenico Dolce (1958-present) and Stefano Gabbana (1962-present) created a Fall 2013 collection that was significantly inspired by the Byzantine …

Development And Marketing Of A Repurposed Textile Product For Homeless Individuals In Northwest Arkansas, Mckenna Whitaker, Beau Broyles, Lindsey Stone

Apparel Merchandising and Product Development Undergraduate Honors Theses

Growing concerns over waste disposal methods have led to a greater focus on recycling efforts in the textile industry. Second only to the oil industry, the textile industry continues to be one of the most wasteful among leading businesses around the world and determining ways to repurpose fashion materials could be a reasonable solution to this growing problem (Dobilaite, V., Mileriene, G., Juciene, M., & Sacevičienė, 2017). In addition to alleviating disposal issues, repurposed materials could serve the humanitarian needs of local communities, and even more importantly, could specifically benefit homeless populations. The purpose of this project was to design, …

Drag: The Herstory And Phenomenon, Avery Green

Honors Theses

My thesis project was spilt into three parts. The first part was gathering inspiration and experiencing drag shows. The second part was designing three different dresses for drag queens and showcasing them in the spring MODA fashion show. The final part was participating in Outspoken’s Drag Show as a drag queen. My goal for my thesis was to explore the world of drag and how I can use it to inspire my own creative endeavors.

The first part of my thesis was a ton of fun. In order to experience drag and gather inspiration for my own drag, I visited …

Alternative Futures: The Creative Reconsideration Of Fashion Objects, Kathryn Roberts

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

This project is the beginning of what I intend to be a larger, evolving work that seeks to marry the theoretical with the practical when considering fashion objects that have “served their purpose”. The object at the project’s focal point: a worn out pair of blue jeans. My particular focus on jeans is based on the fact that they, alongside the t-shirt, are one of the most ubiquitous and commonly owned pieces of clothing for people all over the world. This wardrobe staple transcends age, race, and class, as it occupies an iconic status that has made them invulnerable to …

Of The Crickets, Kathryn Lien

Theses and Dissertations

Of the Crickets imagines the overlapping worlds of ethical ecological solutions to climate changed sustenance and the potential for collective excellence in female exclusive environments. Using garments, furniture, site-specific installation and directed performance, the project harnesses social and material sensitivity to mine solutions for idealized living.

Gender Beyond Binary, Sidra Zubairi

Theses and Dissertations

Transgender individuals challenge the binary definition of gender accepted in Pakistani society and as a result, Pakistan’s transgender community is highly marginalized. Pakistani society regards transgender individuals as “abnormal,” because their physical appearance and behavior fail to conform with conventional expectations. Based on contextual research and interviews conducted with transgender individuals in Pakistan, my thesis explores the obstacles transgender individuals face in the course of everyday survival. My research responds to the physical realities of being transgender in Pakistani society and analyzes cultural norms associated with gender, which trigger harassment. By designing transformable apparel for these individuals, informed by primary …

She Has Good Jeans: A History Of Denim As Womenswear, Marisa S. Bach

Senior Projects Spring 2018

Senior Project submitted to The Division of Arts of Bard College.

Exploring Illusions Of Height In Suit Design, Michael P. Lee

Theses and Dissertations--Psychology

Objective: The goal of this research was to explore how the design of clothing, specifically the design of the suit, can create height illusions.

Background: Taller people enjoy many advantages, such as increased income and perceived attractiveness. These advantages motivate people to try to appear taller than they actually are, and clothing experts provide advice on how to accomplish this. However, there is little empirical evidence to validate the illusory effects clothing might have on overall height perception. The few studies that have explored illusions of body size created by clothing design have been limited in two important ways – …

The Classical Versus The Grotesque Body In Edith Wharton's Fiction, Joshua T. Temples

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In her landmark works The House of Mirth (1905), The Custom of the Country (1913), and The Age of Innocence (1920), Edith Wharton responds to earlier depictions of the classical, pure Victorian and Edwardian woman. Wharton's "inconvenient" women overturn popular stereotypes. Subsequently, they are barred from their social groups, but they are independent, unlike the complicit and obedient women of the classical body, most of whom ascribe to the trope of the "Angel in the House." The grotesque seeks to undercut the unrealistic expectations enforced by the classical through its embodiment of progression and humanity, and Wharton is drawn to …