Completing Emma's Dissertation Questionnaire

1. Please state your occupation or field of study.

design

2. How would you define the word revolution?

a throw up. a political or intellectual turn over. a moment of epiphany that haloes into a huge uprising or social-cultural, economical, political +/or technological revelation/change.

3. Who do you believe has been the most revolutionary fashion creative, past or present, and why?

Gok Wan. Because he changes people attitudes towards Dress and Identity. 

4. What do you believe affects creativity?

What do you believe affects creativity?  

Gender

Age

Historical Background

Social Background

Economical Implications

International Pressure

Government Power

Impact of Sub Cultures

Media

Public/ Personal Revolt

Other

None

Please expand.

What All of the above. 

Have a look at this: http://www.ted.com/talks/elizabeth_gilbert_on_genius.html

One way to define creativity is that it "allows you to see something that has already been done--perhaps done well--and take it a step further, improving on it for ease of use or practicality--or both. An example would be going from safety pins to the invention of velcro, or evolving from hand-set type to the typewriter to the computer." (page 59, paragraph 3. 2009, Rogers, V.)

(2009, Rogers, Vimala. Transform Your Life Through Handwriting. SOUNDS TRUE: Sounds True, Inc., Boulder CO 80306.)

5. What do you believe sets British fashion apart from international competition?

The dedication of, and appreciation and nurturing of young talent, idolisation, and british education, sociocultural attitudes, british language, and british fashion heritage and I am sure there is more.

6. Do you think that anarchism is relevant in contemporary fashion?

Yes

Please expand.

Fashion always is expression, a tool for communication. All expression has context. The meaning, and feel of anarchism are also in states of flux. So is the notion of contemporary. I think. 

7. Do you think that a movement, such as anarchism, needs to have a strong reasoning or motive behind it in order to work?

Yes

See Q 6. Then, bearing all of the above in mind, Anarchism (or revolution or creativity) has to be driven as they are technically all forms of communication (to provoke reaction +/or response) so has meaning or at least a feeling behind it. I think. The motive doesn't need to be strong in the sense of violence or shock for it to work, but there must be some sort of motive behind it for it to even exist. Therefore, motive behind it is a given in order for it to work. How strong it is can only be measured by how many people the said motive resonates with and that's when it 'works' well (context). So to clear up: If 'strong reasoning or motive' means how relevant the reasoning or motive is, then yes. That said, 'strong' doesn't necessarily mean intelligent if all 'work' means is that it affects the most amount of people in the shortest amount of time. Interestingly, if time wasn't a factor, then I think intelligent (strong) motives are important for the motive to 'work' (this time, just resonating with the most people and having a lasting effect)

8. Do you think that the revolutionary emphasis of British fashion has changed in recent years or even been lost?

Yes. If revolutionary emphasis means, British fashion companies gaining international reverence via commercial success +/or innovation, then, to some extent yes. Because the death of McQueen or the fall of Galliano has changed the way British fashion is perceived. Neither a bad or good way. British fashion continues to evolve with the rest of the world, and develop. This in my opinion means commercial success has recently gained more important than innovation. The innovation still exists, however, businesses need to change and evolve with this and have a deeper cause. 

9. In your opinion, is British fashion still revolutionary?

Partially. see q 8. Essentially linking revolution, with business as this may be the next step in the evolution of Fashion revolution. To be 'still revolutionary', what matters is being in the state of fulfilling revolution, instead of measuring what has been revolutionary.