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Technology in Fashion | October Edit

This month we spoke to Christie Morgan and Taylor Mitchell, founders of ‘Pitch Portal’, a female-led creative lab by Pitch Studios that explores how digital culture is shaping attitudes, identities and communication.

The lab has collaborated with IAM, Screen Shot Magazine, V&A Museum and have been interviewed about their projects and digital culture by LS:N Global, It's Nice That and Acclaim Magazine.

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When examining how digital culture is shaping an industry, Pitch Portal don't focus a lot on the technology. Instead, they look at the (very human) attitudes that drive — then react to — technologies. 

“Currently, we're researching the future of emotional value perceptions in creative industries, particularly in fashion. With the climate crisis driving more conscious consumption, we're seeing a need for a strong emotional connection with the tactile objects we choose to consume. On top of this, emerging communication models are placing brands in constant conversation with global audiences. This is creating demand for more nuanced storytelling, with brands consistently positioning their work in political and cultural contexts to connect emotionally with their audience.”

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Emerging (and reemerging) trends they're focusing on include drop and resale cultures,  fashion-as-art, cultural contributions in commercial spaces and ‘post growth’.

Here is a short list of what they are referencing:

Rich Things | The Economy Of Enrichment

This is a discussion between 032c and french sociologists Luc Boltanski and Arnaud Esquerre about their recent book Enrichment: A Critique of Commodities (Enrichissement: Une critique de la marchandise, Gallimard, 2017). Boltanski and Esquerre’s ‘economy of enrichment' makes connections between paradigms of consumption like luxury, cultural heritage, the arts and tourism to explore how they're reshaping capitalism. My favourite part is where they call the créateur the new 'suit'.

Post Growth

POST GROWTH is a fashion industry research project by Copenhagen based researcher, producer and strategist Faith Robinson. Through Instagram, she documents emerging attitudes in the fashion community questioning the value of progress.

Otis

Otis is a co-ownership platform focused on the culture industry, and aligning with 'the values of our generation'. We have a lot of questions about how platforms like Otis will drive cultural change, the main one is: will it encourage the homogenisation of value attribution in the culture industry?

COOL: Style, Sound and Subversion

COOL: Style, Sound and Subversion researches the last 100 years of global youth subcultures. It starts with flappers and swing kids, and eventually explores how digital culture influenced (and eventually changed completely) how subcultures are produced.

by Greg Foley

Streetwear’s Sustainability Problem

Finally someone (Highsnobiety) tackles the streetwear vs sustainability paradox. The article examines whether streetwear brands born from counter-culture are now erring on conservative as they continue to produce fast fashion in the face of climate change.

words by Christopher Morency

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Find out more about Pitch Portal

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Have a suggestion for our November edition?

Email through your top fashion technology reads to info@ausfashioncouncil.com!