ABOUT IMMEDIATE FASHION SCHOOL

 

IMMEDIATE Fashion School’s mission is to be an open and evolving artistic research project bringing everyday creatives together — face-to-face, to playfully challenge dominant narratives in fashion* through study, discussion, art, creativity, making and sharing.

 

*Volumes of theory exist on why fashion is important as an universal human activity, but nowadays it is colloquially known or felt as the equivalent to consumerism and capitalism; it’s current state is a major contributor to our major problems. This makes fashion a perfect candidate for artistic study when thinking about how to solve problems like climate change, inequality and exploitation.  By challenging dominant narratives like patriarchy, white supremacy and capitalism we contribute to a future that is more equitable and empowering for all fashion’s players.

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We value.....

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• Face-to-face togetherness that encourages exploration of nuance and context when discussing ideas.

 

• Playful, nurturing & brave spaces where defaults can be challenged, assumptions can be tested and mistakes can be made.

 

• Cooperative spaces where leadership rotates and all participants are considered teachers, students and co-creators.

 

• Flexibility that invites participants to shape the direction of the artistic research and improvise as it unfolds.

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•  A multiplicity of perspectives, voices and art disciplines, especially those of marginalized nature.

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• Sustainable practices with regard to our material projects.

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OUR ACTIVITIES

Each season welcomes new & returning participants into a fluid collective where artistic research is conducted among co-investigators: 

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Critical Fashion Theory Reading & Discussion Groups:

During these get-togethers participants engage with a range of readings, theories & media related to each season’s specific theme. Multi-disciplinary topics are mixed in with fashion history, philosophy & cultural studies and formats can be anything from memes, videos or photography to news articles, stories or scholarly books & papers.  All participants are invited to contribute relevant material to an open and evolving syllabus.  These discussions are facilitated collaboratively by participants in an accessible manner, and playful games and activities are incorporated into the mix.

 

Skill Share Workshops:

These workshops train participants in hands-on art-making techniques. Sewing, garment making & patterning skills are often topics covered, but multi-disciplinary topics are highly encouraged and valuable like screen-printing, sculpture, performance, photography, drawing, gardening, etc.

 

Collaborative Making Sessions:

These sessions bring participants together to work on group art projects. The projects are meant to incorporate interdisciplinary practices into ideas of fashion and can include elements of costume, music, performance, video, words, sculpture, painting, theater, dance, craft, puppetry, technology, etc. Projects vary from season to season; the concepts are drawn directly from our discussion groups and are developed in an improvisational manner within each season. The completed projects are presented to the public at the end of season exhibition. 

 

Talks: 

Each season guest speakers engage and interact with our collective on topics relevant to our mission and seasonal theme. The guest speakers come from a variety of backgrounds including artists, designers, thinkers, professors, authors, etc. 

 

Exhibitions:  

At the end of each season we have an exhibition & party to share our work with the greater community. The format of these exhibitions vary from season to season and typically participants release a collaborative group zine documenting their experience.

 

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