book workshops @ Fashion Council Germany x Prince's Foundation
Last week saw the launch of a really exciting project, one of many in a 2022 of firsts.
After seeing my readings on TikTok, Scott from Fashion Council Germany reached out to see if I’d like to form part of an initiative for young designers. A final cohort of 8 have been selected to spend a year together learning from a variety of disciplines, reincorporating what they come across into their design practice. I’m selecting books with some application to design, creativity, the future and sustainability.
I spent a great couple of days in Berlin meeting the team at FCG and then attending the announcement of the winners at a drinks reception. Then last week, we had our online kickoff meeting where we released the books we’re going to be discussing to the group. At the end of April I’ll be returning to Berlin to run the first workshop and release the second group of books which we’ll discuss at another workshop in Gloucestershire in June.
While reading and talking about books is fun, there’s a practical purpose to the workshops. Books are a vehicle for perspective, helping us to see the world in a different way, and that’s what design requires. Design is how you bring your perspective to the world, whether that’s with a building, an object or a piece of clothing; it’s a solution to something you’ve seen and it can be something beautiful.
Part of the reason for starting my TikTok account was to discuss and share the books beyond the topic of sport and to get to do it in this format is a real pleasure. I’d certainly be happy to run similar workshops in future.
concept
8 young designers from Germany
books to inform and inspire their design practice
We will not be educating them in fashion or textiles. We want them to experience other areas, wood, glass, metal etc.. they’re going to dive into craft as inspiration for their own fashion and textile practice.
deliverables
3 days of workshops:
1 virtual workshop to introduce me, my book selection and the objectives to the designers
1 day workshop in discussing the content of books in Berlin
1 day workshop in discussing the content of books in UK
the books
Shoe Dog
background
In 1962, fresh out of business school, Phil Knight borrowed $50 from his father and created a company with a simple mission: import high-quality, low-cost athletic shoes from Japan. He made $8000 in his first year. Today, Nike's annual sales top $30 billion.
The Nike swoosh is iconic and one of the most recognisable symbols in the world. This memoir is the story of the man behind its rise.
why we’ve chosen Shoe Dog
Every founder’s story influences the company they go on to build. This is a fantastic insight into how that’s happened for Phil Knight and Nike.
Nike has pioneered some genuine design innovations and is a cultural powerhouse. There are design specific things to learn as well as how to access and harness your own inspirations.
what to think about while reading Shoe Dog
Creativity, Innovation and Inspiration
Phil Knight made one of the biggest brands in the world. How does he speak about creativity and innovation throughout the book?
Quality and Publicity
Nike is known for its branding and marketing but Knight didn’t start out with this focus. Think about the tension between creating great work and letting people know about it while you read.
Enjoying Your Work
Knight speaks a lot about the importance of enjoyment for him. What is it you want from your work?
Self Belief and Persistence
To do all this was clearly not easy for Knight! He took a series of risks along the way and faced many challenges. How will you approach risk taking and prepare yourself to face your own challenges on your journey?
Brave New World
background
Brave New World is a dystopian science fiction novel by Aldous Huxley. It is set in a futuristic World State, whose citizens are environmentally engineered into an intelligence-based social hierarchy and controlled via social conditioning and mindless pleasures. Everyone seems happy with this arrangement - everyone, that is, apart from our main character.
why we’ve chosen Brave New World
Written in the 1930s, Brave New World anticipated real social and scientific advances, and its themes remain relevant today. This book provides us with a great starting point for discussions around issues which may affect your design practice, including materialism, sustainability, individuality and innovation.
what to think about while reading Brave New World
Individuality, Social Conditioning and the Role of Clothing
In Brave New World, society has been designed from the top down to erase individuality. How influential can clothing be in this respect?
Physical Beauty and Perfect Bodies
How close to the novel’s ideas of beauty and perfection are we now?
Consumer Society
The characters have everything available to them all the time. Think about the implications of always being materially satisfied while you’re reading.
The Value of Art
The novel depicts a supposedly perfect society based on science where art is seen as an inconvenience. What value do you place on art and how practical is it in everyday life?
Predicting the Future
Brave New World was in many ways, a prediction. How far do you think it has come true?
Misfits: a Personal Manifesto
background
Michaela Coel is a hugely talented young black British creative. Her show I May Destroy You is one of the most distinctive pieces of work to come from the UK in recent memory.
Coel's MacTaggart Lecture made waves with her revelations about race, class and gender and how they apply to her as a creative. Based on this speech, Misfits describes Coel’s own journey to realised creative and encourages us to embrace our differences and has been described as ‘a rousing coming-to-power manifesto dedicated to anyone who has ever worried about fitting in’.
why we’ve chosen Misfits
While Coel’s experiences are in writing, she’s a multi-hyphenate creative, acting in her own creations which demonstrate her auteur’s vision across the colour palette, fashion, music and language. To succeed as a modern creative is to embrace different mediums and references and Coel can be instructive in this respect.
Coel has a singular vision, partially derived from a background uncommon in her industry, and Misfits also references ideas of beauty, the use of symbols, ethnicity, gender and discusses the creative process.
what to think about while reading Misfits
Being a Misfit
Coel references being regarded as uncommercial and unattractive throughout. Consider the tension between making your work commercial and accessible.
Symbols and Motifs
Consider Coel’s use of the moth throughout and the importance of symbols more generally.
Making it in a Difficult Industry
Coel has struggled with issues like racism and sexism in what is a tough environment for a creative but has succeeded in making her art. Consider your own obstacles while you read.
Ownership and Compromise
Coel has been continually asked to compromise her vision for various reasons, including ownership. What do you own as a creative and what would you be prepared to give up to see your art made?
My Body
background
Emily Ratajkowski is an acclaimed model and actress, an engaged political progressive, a formidable entrepreneur, a global social media phenomenon, and, with the release My Body last year, a successful writer. Rocketing to world fame at age twenty-one, Ratajkowski sparked both praise and furor with the provocative display of her body.
My Body is a collection of profoundly personal essays. Ratajkowski chronicles moments from her life, investigating commodification, feminism, and trauma.
why we chose My Body
The book’s exploration of the dynamics of the fashion and film industries is an interesting catalyst for discussions around your own industry. By considering Ratajkowski’s experiences with personal agency, controversy, and success, you can explore your own relationship with the work you create, as well as with the people who help bring your designs to life.
what to think about while reading My Body
power and ownership
Ratajkowski grapples with a loss of agency throughout her career, from being under the control of her agent to losing ownership of her image. What does ownership mean for you? What value do you place on it? How might you retain it?
controversy
Ratajkowski has caused strong - and often negative - reactions from the public, for example in her Blurred Lines appearance. What value might lie in causing controversy? How willing are you to take risks?
pigeonholing
Ratajkowski mentions feeling restricted to her role as a model, with other parts of her person often being ignored or undervalued. Have you experienced this kind of treatment? How might you address it?
capitalism
Ratajkowski carves success out of what she herself describes as a flawed system, facing a lot of traumatic experiences along the way. Think about the flaws and obstacles present in your own career. Do you agree with Ratajkowski’s approach?
workshop 2 - Berlin - 28th april
❓We've selected the first books that we're covering but we've got space for 3 more... any suggestions?❓