The Articles

Steven Faerm in The School of Fashion (SoF) presents a paper that examines stress, anxiety, pedagogy, and college student development. Faerm contextualizes his essay by first discussing the wider context of the U.S. in flux. Across the country, Americans are experiencing great change and unprecedented stress levels due to factors that include political discord, widening economic disparities, increasing gun violence and other forms of terrorism, tensions between world powers, and more. These events are sensationalized and emotionalized as a ceaseless stream of negative news that, in turn, exacerbates viewers’ stress and anxiety. Additionally, the extreme use of digital technology -particularly electronic messaging that never allows the user to “unplug”- further weakens emotional and physical health. These and a host of other stressors contribute to the record numbers of undergraduates seeking services for mental health issues. In response, college campuses are seeking ways to improve students’ wellbeing. One method of support dubbed “Contemplative Pedagogy” is gaining widespread attention in higher education. These simple yet highly effective teaching methods aim to decrease stress levels, improve a sense of wellbeing, and increase “mindfulness” so that students feel more present in the classroom and beyond. Following the contextual overview of the nation, the campus environment, and select factors that are elevating stress levels, Faerm presents four pedagogical methods that can benefit all levels and types of students. By adopting these methods in and out of the classroom, students’ emotional and cognitive development are strengthened, thus promoting longterm academic and personal success.

Thomas Werner in The School of Arts, Media, and Technology (AMT) explores the journal’s theme of flux by considering how a community’s ideals -namely the fashion industry’s- are evolving. Werner posits, “Historically, fashion design -and the imagery that defiines it- has shown us where our boundaries lie and how we alternately seek to embrace or break them. This applies not only to the garments we wear, but also to the manner in which fashion addresses the social and cultural norms of the era or country in which they are designed, presented, and advertised.” Werner notes the design, presentation, and advertising of fashion has been largely homogeneous and centered around specific (often Westernized) “ideals” of body and ethnicity. However, these ideals featured in runway shows, magazine editorials, and advertisements are becoming increasingly questioned and challenged. In his paper, Werner examines this growing conversation from its nascent, historical beginnings up to select contemporary representations shown across fashion media platforms. By incorporating qualitative and quantitative data, Werner provides readers an overview of the fashion landscape and evidences the lack of varied representation -namely in ethnic representation and body diversity. Although the fashion industry’s progress in this topic is slow, Werner concludes by noting there has been an increase of diverse representation in fashion media and, “In the rapidly changing commercial environment, outdated business practices must evolve to reflect the broader community.”

Marie Geneviève Cyr in The School of Fashion (SoF) examines the sudden, rapid growth of China’s economy -specifically, that of the apparel industry- and how the resultant hyper-consumerism that followed fostered a shifting identity among many Chinese fashion consumers. Cyr postulates that China’s rapid economic boom produced “mass-confusion, enthusiasm, rebellion, romanticism, and idealism. The 1990s manufacturing industries continued to dominate the acceleration of consumerism in the 21^st century…” The country’s accelerated economy and consumerism led many of the nation’s emerging elite to seek vast quantities of luxury goods. The spikes in manufacturing and hyper-consumption “gave China the ultimate opportunity to create a new identity for itself while importing the ‘dream’ of luxury. By transferring Westernized ideas of consumption into visual symbols, production systems, and communication tools, China channeled an idealized fantasy world.” While Westernized symbols and goods have been adopted, newer forms that suit local cultural contexts and aesthetics have emerged. Cyr examines the rise of consumerism, quest for individuality, social impact of giant retail spaces, luxury, authenticity, and spirituality to contribute to the study of fashion and globalization. Cyr’s paper also echoes the increasing questions around the economic, social, and cultural logics related to consumption and communication of the constructed significances of fashion.

Noël Palomo-Lovinski, Associate Professor at Kent State University, and Steven Faerm in The School of Fashion (SoF) at Parsons challenge contemporary fashion practices by proposing a new system that aims to better support local communities and sustainability. Increasingly, the fashion industry is re-examining its inefficient and environmentally harmful practices. These practices are due in part to consumers’ unyielding needs for instant access, constant change, and low prices -all of which increase a corporation’s profits. Yet a paradox exists: How can the fashion industry decrease accelerated and destructive practices while remaining profitable? This binary relationship elicits key questions that aim for a better future. What are the possibilities of domestic apparel manufacturing that utilizes innovative production methods, communication technology, and service systems that, in turn, encourage holistic sustainable practices? What are the possibilities and needs of designers who want to take full advantage of this evolving relationship? Thus, the authors propose a Sustainable Product Service System (SPSS). Across the U.S., local hubs would create a locally considered space that promotes sitespecific design, manufacturing, and retail in conjunction with a global perspective, presence, and digital distribution of ideas. The authors liken their proposed system to the local organic food movement that “encourages local organic farming, thoughtful consumption, and methods of creating more closed loop systems (such as composting). These farmers and farmers’ markets encourage community participation and transparency. So too can the consumable product of clothing become locally based with greater concern for the environment and the people it serves.” An enhanced form of design education that can train and support future SPSS entrepreneurs concludes the paper.

Anezka Sebek in The School of Arts, Media and Technology (AMT), and John Jones, Senior Vice President of Design Strategy at Fjord, present the final paper. The globally intertwined phenomena that foster the present state of flux are affecting companies that strive to innovate design, improve systems, and remain lucrative. At the same time, design education aims to provide its students with experiences both inside and outside the institution so they may gain the knowledge required in the hypercompetitive job market. These factors are leading traditional internship models to be reimagined so that students are given the most up-to-date knowledge and methodologies for a fluid and successful transition into the design industries. Sebek and Jones describe a unique internship collaboration between Parsons and the globally esteemed design consultancy Fjord. Select graduate-level students in Parsons’ Design and Technology Program engage in a one-week Fjord Immersion Program. They join a Fjord team to explore the firm’s design methodologies, contribute their knowledge and skills, and successfully complete a project on-site. This work at Fjord “often sits outside of direct client work and is a perfect vehicle to plug students into an intense, structured process.” In their paper, the authors present six case studies of students who successfully enrolled and benefitted from the Immersion Program. A rich description of each project’s design methods, project briefs, and outcome(s) are provided so that the reader gains an understanding of the students’ cognitive and creative development during the collaborative experience. By participating in such innovative internship programs, students gain tangible, “real world experience” while the design firm gains access to the students’ unbridled creativity that may improve and strengthen the firm’s existing practices.

Parsons School of Design

As a leader in art and design education, Parsons School of Design in New York City is considering the future of the art and design education and practice through ongoing conversations and evolving academic philosophies. Parsons contains five Schools: The School of Fashion (SoF); The School of Constructed Environments (SCE); The School of Art, Design, History, and Theory (ADHT); The School of Arts, Media, and Technology (AMT); and The School of Design Strategies (SDS). Within each School, graduate and undergraduate programs house disciplines that relate to one another. For example, in AMT, the programs of Fine Arts and Illustration are contained; SCE offers graduate and undergraduate degrees in Architecture and Interior Design; and SoF offers programs in Fashion Design and Fashion Marketing. While these Schools offer students their own areas of disciplinary study, broader philosophies in art and design education are influencing programs’ academic frameworks and curricula in order to contextualize each student’s area of study; the importance for this breadth -and depth- has even led to the creation of a graduate-level interdisciplinary program and undergraduate course pathways that allow students to experience multiple Schools and the broader New School University offerings, thus supporting the belief that “design thinking” and cross-disciplinary partnerships may reshape design education and professional practice.