Stanfield, Evan (2019) Crafting Clothing: An Art Historical Exploration of the Products and Practices of Small-Scale Garment Manufacturing. Masters thesis, Concordia University.
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Abstract
In response to various social and aesthetic concerns, clothing companies are increasingly rejecting the mass production and global supply chains that typify the contemporary garment industry in favour of small-scale and localized production. Many of the values and strategies they are now adhering to recall the ideals of crafting that were developed during the British Arts and Crafts movement in the late 19th century. The current implementation of these ideals – centred on a desire for the conditions of labor to be pleasant and stimulating and a belief that labor itself should entail a considerable amount of skill and creativity – reveals a potentially radical intersection between modern manufacturing and traditional crafting. This thesis explores the recent emergence of an interest in crafting within the garment industry. It focuses on two notable examples of Canadian clothing companies currently engaged in small-scale, localized garment manufacturing: Atelier b. and Betina Lou. Through interviews with the founders of both companies and analyses of their products and production processes, this thesis investigates how, and to what extent, small-scale garment manufacturing emulates the Arts and Crafts movement’s ideals of crafting. In turn, it proposes how art historical enquiry can be directed towards the garment industry as an important site of contemporary craft activity where practices are currently being inspired by theories that were developed over a century ago.
| Divisions: | Concordia University > Faculty of Fine Arts > Art History |
|---|---|
| Item Type: | Thesis (Masters) |
| Authors: | Stanfield, Evan |
| Institution: | Concordia University |
| Degree Name: | M.A. |
| Program: | Art History |
| Date: | August 2019 |
| Thesis Supervisor(s): | Cheasley Paterson, Elaine |
| Keywords: | Art History Craft History Material Culture Small Scale Manufacturing Garment Industry Slow Fashion Arts and Crafts Movement Canadian |
| ID Code: | 985737 |
| Deposited By: | EVAN STANFIELD |
| Deposited On: | 15 Nov 2019 14:39 |
| Last Modified: | 15 Nov 2019 14:39 |
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