From Science Fiction to Science Fashion: Fashion Tech & Aerospace

The conversation around the Intersection of Fashion + Aerospace begs to be explored, following the FAAR the Presentation and Panel Discussions that took place in Chicago on 20th July 2017.

The first public FAAR event was held last week at Lost Arts in Chicago. Based on the expertise of the three panelists, and the nature of the Chicago creative and technical communities, the talk focused on the panel’s diverse experiences with, and the potential benefits of, interdisciplinary collaboration, and of human-centered design, to realistically imagine, and then set out to create, new realities.

Fashion Tech

Panelists included, Sean Lally (Night White Skies and UIC Architecture), Anke Loh (SAIC Fashion Chair), and Ovetta Sampson (IDEO). Although common ground revealed itself throughout the conversation, reinforcing the power of interdisciplinary communication, they each brought a unique perspective, from architecture, fashion, and user research, respectively.

“Intellectually, will we miss the feeling of wind on our faces, and the sun on our skin, and physically, the vitamins and minerals that we intake as we move through the world”

New Environments

Framing the discussion between fashion and aerospace, the panel talked about the tangible overlaps like materials and manufacturing already in place, but also the intangible: What will space look, feel, and smell like? Intellectually, will we miss the feeling of wind on our faces, and the sun on our skin, and physically, the vitamins and minerals that we intake as we move through the world? We could aspire to recreate earth-like environments, or we could start with a clean slate, and further aspire to improve our quality of life in this new environment.

Science Fashion
Panelists: Sean Lally (Night White Skies & UIC Architecture), Anke Loh (SAIC Fashion Chair), Ovetta Sampson (IDEO) & Lee Anderson (Organiser of Event)

The possibility exists for us to enhance and even expand on our own capabilities. This example of sensory substitution through noninvasive means is just one way we can teach ourselves to interact in new ways with information and the world around us.

Eventually, we could have products or space creations that are able only to exist in the space environment. Like if we were to have a space museum on earth, Sean suggested, it wouldn’t be possible to house these items without recreating their natural environment in space. Like a deep sea creature that can’t survive above a certain depth (although, studying the resilience of other deep sea creatures to high-pressure changes is an opportunity for our pressure suit research). This idea is intriguing for many reasons, including the simple suggestion that we have so many more discoveries to make.

Fashion Tech and Ethics

Embarking on new territory brought with it many questions about what is right and wrong, and who gets to decide. Artificial Intelligence, for example, is a contentious issue for many reasons, including job replacement, privacy, and fear of a robot apocalypse, among others. A recent chatbot incident from Facebook could be seen as an exciting development in a useful tool, a step closer to the singularity, or a step closer to AI taking over the world.

Also Read: The Most Commonly Asked Fashion Tech Questions Answered

As the model goes: a new technology is developed that brings with it many benefits, and also drawbacks. Which side outweighs the other is a matter of opinion. The level of danger these drawbacks represent is unknown, and therein lies the dilemma. We cannot predict all of the issues that will arise, and thus cannot plan for them. We have to figure it out as we go along, which means that intent and good-consciousness become all important.

Science Fashion

Ovetta encouraged us all to “be good actors,” elaborating through examples of transparency and optimistic versus pessimistic approaches. In your own practice, mitigate unintended consequences wherever possible. In order to prevent bad actors, be curious and ask for answers, don’t take for granted that a business or service has your best interest in mind. Encourage transparency from others and prevent perpetuating bad behavior.

Interdisciplinary Collaboration in Fashion Aerospace

A great question came from the audience: How do you create space for yourself amongst a team of experts in a field, when brought in from the outside as a consultant or collaborator on an interdisciplinary team? For Ovetta, the key is curiosity and confidence. Know your own value, and know how to get the information you need from the other brilliant people in the room. According to a Google study, the best teams have mutual trust and respect amongst themselves that comes from asking questions and sharing about their personal lives. They care about each other as people, beyond just the work at hand. When you feel safe in a group, you are more likely to feel creative and suggest your wild ideas, without fear of rejection. This is the kind of freedom and trust that makes great teams.

“to step out of your comfort zone and work with other teams of experts in order to experiment or advance an idea is exactly what it will take to create the new realities”

It is also a two-way street: sometimes opportunities will find you, and other times you will seek them out. This kind of boldness, to step out of your comfort zone and work with other teams of experts in order to experiment or advance an idea is exactly what it will take to create the new realities we are imagining. In both cases, everyone needs to bring an open mind, and patience. It takes patience to teach, and to learn. And around such a table, both are happening simultaneously.

Human-Centered Design

For starters: where is the human in the process? The input, or the output? What is the structure of the product? Is it digital, physical or conceptual, like a system or process? And what is the intent?

“Both architecture and fashion are opening up to a revolution, thanks to technology and new ideas about how much more profoundly we could interact with our surroundings”

Both architecture and fashion are opening up to a revolution, thanks to technology and new ideas about how much more profoundly we could interact with our surroundings. Also, new ways that we can receive and process information, or communicate our thoughts and needs. Can fashion become a medium for well-being, beyond the psychological benefits of self-expression? Clothing could be a delivery system of beneficial elements, or a filter for external toxins and stressors. New interactions could make us more aware of our environment, and thus encourage us to respect it and the other people around us in a deeper way. If fashion tech and architecture are mediating between us and the outside world, we can potentially turn each of those instances into a productive interaction.

Science Fashion
New interactions could make us more aware of our environment, and thus encourage us to respect it

The future in space brings up questions of culture and inclusivity. Space can be designed for everyone. Right now we can map out what the requirements of such an environment are. [inlinetweet prefix=”” tweeter=”” suffix=””]As a non-sovereign territory, what will culture develop as? Maybe national identities will be a thing of the past[/inlinetweet], and new kind of cultural codes will emerge. Will the diversity of earth trickle up, or will the uniformity of space trickle down? Figuring out what questions to ask is a good place to start.

Fortunately, the practice of addressing needs, and listening to people will carry us through much of the uncertainty. If we continue matching innovation with answering needs, one step at a time we will shape this new future. This discussion, hopefully demonstrates the many exciting directions to explore. For anyone interested in getting a foot in the door, there are endless ways to get started.

You can watch the complete panel discussion HERE. Save the date for our next Fashion Tech / Fashion Aerospace event in Boston on 2nd November 2017! If you’d like to receive announcements, please sign up here.

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Lee Anderson

Writing about the future of the business of fashion, fashion tech online and offline, sustainability. Entrepreneur & Designer.