Dr Alison Gwilt
Reader in Fashion and Sustainability
Summary
Dr Alison Gwilt is a fashion design researcher, author and consultant. She explores and promotes a range of innovative design methods and approaches that enable the fashion and textiles community, from educators, to producers, and consumers, to adopt more sustainable and ethical practices. Her work focuses on the use of positive/sustainable design interventions that challenge the current production and consumption paradigm. Alison’s books include ‘Shaping Sustainable Fashion’ (2011), ‘A Practical Guide to Sustainable Fashion’ (2014) and ‘Fashion Design for Living’ (2015). She currently holds the post of Reader in Fashion and Sustainability in the Art and Design Research Centre at Sheffield Hallam University, UK.
About
Dr Alison Gwilt is a fashion design researcher, author and consultant. She explores and promotes a range of innovative design methods and approaches that enable the fashion and textiles community, from educators, to producers, and consumers, to adopt more sustainable and ethical practices and principles. Her work focuses on the use of positive/sustainable design interventions and user-centred approaches that challenge the current production and consumption paradigm. Alison has published widely in the field of sustainability and fashion and her books include ‘Shaping Sustainable Fashion’ (2011), ‘A Practical Guide to Sustainable Fashion’ (2014, also available in Spanish and Portuguese) and ‘Fashion Design for Living’ (2015).
Alison has a Ph.D from RMIT University, Melbourne and a BA (Hons) Fashion & Textiles Design from Central St Martins College of Art in London. She has worked in design education in the UK, New Zealand and Australia and currently holds the post of Reader in Fashion and Sustainability in the Art and Design Research Centre at Sheffield Hallam University, UK. She is an advisor to the not-for-profit organisations Redress (Hong Kong), and the Ethical Fashion Forum in the UK.
Sustainability and fashion design; sustainability and the fashion industry; sustainable design strategies; approaches to sustainable fashion
The fashion design process; new directions for fashion design; new models of fashion design practice
Fashion as an interdisciplinary practice; user-centred fashion; fashion, health and well-being
Teaching
College of Business, Technology and Engineering
Fashion & Interiors Subject Group
Publications
Journal articles
Gwilt, A. (2015). The power of the designer to create change. The ecochic design award magazine, 2, 13-15. http://issuu.com/redressasia0/docs/the_ecochic_design_award_2014_15_of/1?e=10296672/11398654
Gwilt, A. (2014). What prevents people repairing clothes? : an investigation into community-based approaches to sustainable product servicesystems for clothing repair. Making Futures Journal, 3. http://www.plymouthart.ac.uk/research/journalvol3/dr-alison-gwilt-what-prevents-people-repairing-clothes-an-investigation-int
Gwilt, A. (2013). The synergies between sustainable design strategies for the design and production of fashion garments. Textile Toolbox (online platform). http://www.textiletoolbox.com/people/detail/alison-gwilt/
Gwilt, A. (2013). Valuing the role of the wearer in the creation of sustainable fashion. Research Journal of Textiles and Apparel, 17 (1), 78-86. http://www.rjta.org/index.php
Conference papers
Gwilt, A., Leaver, J., Fisher, M., & Young, G. (2017). Understanding the caring practices of users. In Cooper, T., Braithwaite, N., Moreno, M., & Salvia, G. (Eds.) Product Lifetimes and the Environment (PLATE), Nottingham Trent University, 17 June 2015 - 19 June 2015. Nottingham Trent University: http://www.plateconference.org/understanding-caring-practices-users/
Atkinson, P., Bateman, R., Gwilt, A., & Hanson, M. (2015). Space|Time|Place : enabling participation in design research for higher education staff. In The Value of Design Research, 11th International European Academy of Design Conference, Paris, 22 April 2015 - 24 April 2015. http://thevalueofdesignresearch.com/program/
Gwilt, A. (2014). Sustainable strategies in fashion and textiles : caring through design. In Beyond the Blue : Woad Symposium, Brighton, UK, 13 June 2014. http://www.blue-waide.eu/en/program/symposium-beyond-blue-university-of-brighton/
Childs, C., Gwilt, A., Sherriff, G., & Homer, C. Old and Cold: Challenges in the Design of PersonalisedThermal Comfort at Home. In Christer, K. (Ed.) Design 4 health: Proceedings of the 3rd European Conference on Design4Health, (pp. 1-9). Sheffield: Sheffield Hallam University
Book chapters
o'Mahony, M., & Gwilt, A. (2016). Where does wearable technology fit in the Circular Economy? In Earley, R., & Goldsworthy, K. (Eds.) Circular Transitions A Mistra Future Fashion Conference on Textile Design and the Circular Economy. (pp. 303-315). University of the Arts London: https://www.cumulusassociation.org/
Gwilt, A., Homer, C., Sherriff, G., & Childs, C. (2016). Community voices in design practice : a case study of understanding older adults’ clothing needs for keeping warm at home. In Futurescan 3 : Intersecting Identities. Creative and Print Services: http://www.ftc-online.org.uk/publications/conference/
Gwilt, A. (2015). Exploring a framework for fashion design for sustainability. In Handbook of Sustainable Apparel Production. CRC Press: http://www.crcpress.com/product/isbn/9781482299373
Gwilt, A. (2014). Fashion and sustainability : repairing the clothes we wear. In Gwilt, A. (Ed.) Fashion design for living. Routledge: http://www.routledge.com/books/details/9780415717724/
Gwilt, A. (2014). Fashion and sustainability : repairing the clothes we wear. In Gwilt, A. (Ed.) Fashion design for living. Routledge: http://www.routledge.com/books/details/9780415717724/
Gwilt, A. (2013). Sustainable and ethical fashion. In Fogg, M. (Ed.) Fashion : the whole story. (pp. 486-489). London: Thames and Hudson: http://www.thamesandhudson.com/Fashion_The_Whole_Story/9780500291108
Gwilt, A. (2011). Revealing historic traditions of craftsmanship in the context of sustainable fashion. In Ebel, S., & Assouly, O. (Eds.) Proceedings of the 13th annual conference for the international Foundation of Fashion Technology Institutes (IFFTI) Fashion and Luxury: Between Heritage & Innovation. (pp. 19-24). France: Institut Francais de la Mode: http://www.iffti.com/downloads/past_annual_conference.htm
Gwilt, A. (2009). Generating sustainable fashion: opportunities, innovation and the creative fashion designer. In Rouse, E. (Ed.) Fashion & well-being?: conference proceedings 2009. London: Centre for Learning and Teaching in Art and Design, University of the Arts London
Books
Gwilt, A. (Ed.). (2014). Fashion design for living. London: Routledge. http://www.routledge.com/books/details/9780415717724/
Gwilt, A. (2014). A practical guide to sustainable fashion. Fairchild Books. http://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/a-practical-guide-to-sustainable-fashion-9782940496143/
Gwilt, A., & Rissanen, T. (Eds.). (2011). Shaping sustainable fashion: changing the way we make and use clothes. London: Earthscan. http://www.routledge.com/books/details/9781849712422/
Gwilt, A. (2008). Fragments: methodologies Of making fashion. Australia: DAB DOCS, University of Technology, Sydney. http://www.dab.uts.edu.au/research/publications/fragments.html
Exhibitions
Gwilt, A. (2009). Fashioning now. UTS Gallery, Sydney, Australia. http://www.fashioningnow.com/
Presentations
Gwilt, A. (2013). Bringing lifecycle thinking into the design studio. Presented at: Applying Cornish Wisdom : localising sustainable fashion and textile practice, University of Exeter, 2013
Other activities
External examiner roles: MA Fashion Design and MA Textile Design at University of Brighton; BA (Hons) Fashion Design, Buckinghamshire New University
Advisor to the sustainable fashion industry NGOs, the Ethical Fashion Forum (UK) and Redress (Asia).
Peer Reviewer for, Fashion Practice: The Journal of Design, Creative Process and the Fashion Industry, The Design Journal, Zed books, Fairchild / Bloomsbury publishing.
Postgraduate supervision
Director of Studies for two full-time students.
Areas of study include: “Exploring wellbeing in yarn-based amateur craftswomen who make alone and share online” and
“Utilising re-use and recycling strategies in costume design in Kuwait theatre.