Fashion Week: It’s Complicated

New York Fashion Week kicked off this past Thursday, and with it some complicated topics graphic designers are very familiar with:

Design Plagiarism

High fashion brand Saint Laurent is showcasing a dress with graphic lipstick prints that retails for $3,490 - but looks a lot like a dress from Forever 21’s 2013 collection that sold for $23. Saint Laurent is most likely safe from being sued for copyright infringement because copyright law prohibits the protection of a design if it can only be depicted in a limited number of ways— tubes of lipstick may fall into this category. However, it doesn't protect them from being called out for it.

Social Awareness

As New York Fashion Week Live reports, “one of the great ironies of fashion is the disconnect between the beauty of the products, and the way the materials are often sourced.” Consumers are increasingly demanding more humane treatment of animals and people, as well as the use of more eco-friendly materials. Fashion designers are responding and young designers like Max Gengos, are embracing the concept of “responsible luxury” when deciding on which materials to use and the conditions in which their products are produced.

Sustainability

We live in a culture of disposability. This extends to “fast fashion,” where cheap garments are produced quickly to keep up with trends. America buys 20 billion garments a year, 1 item per person per week. This results in 12.7 million tons of clothing thrown away each year. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimates that textile waste occupies nearly 5% of all landfill space and 85% of textile waste is not recycled. Ultimately this leads to overtime, overcrowding, and unsafe conditions for overseas workers employed to keep up with the demand.

Cultural Influence

Celebrities like Emma Watson and fashion designer Stella McCartney are speaking out in campaigns like this recent one for British Vogue on Fashion and Gender Equality, demanding empowerment for women and a better message for women of all ages and sizes, allowing them to feel good about who they are.As we enjoy the glamor of New York Fashion Week, we may also do well to consider the complicated relationships surrounding beauty and image.Sources:http://newyorkfashionweeklive.com/http://www.thefashionlaw.com/https://www.notjustalabel.comhttp://www.ecouterre.com/http://www.elle.com/http://www.weardonaterecycle.org/

Designers Voting Yes for Love

On May 22 Ireland may be the first country to vote to legalize same-sex marriage.“Yes for Love” is a campaign which asks people to help support this cause by downloading a design and using it as their social media profile.Help support this cause, get your profile pic here and encourage people to vote yes for freedom, for commitment, for justice, and for equality: http://yes-for-love.com/Sources:http://eyeondesign.aiga.org/designers-are-voting-yes-for-love-to-help-ireland-legalize-same-sex-marriage/http://yes-for-love.com/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/ireland/11614313/Ireland-gay-marriage-referendum-what-you-need-to-know.html

Students & Scientists Working Together

Graphic design is used for everything from advertising to information graphics to entertainment. Many feel that graphic design is at its best when it’s used for advocacy. Some go further and ask if graphic designers actually have a responsibility to use their skills to advocate for social causes. If doctors have a responsibility to take care of those that in critical condition, then one can reason that graphic designers have a responsibility to create communication which motivates people to take action on critical issues, like the condition of our planet.The 6th Extinction In-Motion Video Campaigns were created by Carnegie Mellon Communication Design students. The collaboration between the students, scientists, and conservationists was based on the idea that graphic designers can create a bridge between dry scientific data and the population that needs to hear it.In honor of this year’s Earth Day, take a few minutes to see how these students put their skills to work, and think about what you can do with yours.

Protesting through Design

Weeks before the Ferguson grand jury handed down their verdict, students in my graphic design class chose police brutality as their topic for a social awareness project. It was interesting and disturbing to see some of the facts that unfolded as they presented their research and drafts. When the grand jury decided not to indict in the Eric Garner case a few weeks later, we watched as their chosen topic became even hotter. We watched as people reacted with incredulity and horror. We watched as our small exhibit of the class’ posters stirred up controversy—creating heated conversations among those who loved the work and those who felt it was too one-sided.People are getting swept up in emotional outrage and are taking to the streets, marching on Washington, blocking traffic, and staging protests and die-ins against what they feel has been a serious injustice. Many echo the thoughts of Russell Simmons, who stated during a recent CNN interview that in over 150,000 cases that came before a grand jury, only 11 chose not to indict. The lack of indictments in these two most recent cases seems unbelievably one-sided.At times like this it’s important to look at the facts and the big picture. When doing so, we may become even more outraged.You can view more art from artists around the world protesting against the Ferguson verdict:http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/12/05/ferguson-art_n_6257340.htmlSources:http://www.occupy.com/article/millions-march-december-13-anger-over-police-violence-sweeps-nationhttp://www.cnn.com/2014/12/11/us/police-slayings-reaction-roundup/

Students and pro bono work

"The Role of Graphic Design in Social Awareness," "Issues in Design," and "Can Design Touch Someone's Heart?" are all graphic design courses with the common theme of creating pro bono work (volunteer work done “for the public good”) to teach social responsibility. As AIGA Philadelphia and others are taking a pledge to support paid internships, where does pro bono work done by students fit in? Nonprofit organizations clearly have a need. Organizations like DesigNYC partner designers with nonprofit groups in New York City to create pro bono work on a local level to benefit the city. The Ad Council has been working with volunteers from the advertising and communications industries since 1942 to create public service campaigns to effect positive change in the lives of Americans. Other organizations like Design Global Change have a similar mission, sending students to India and Africa to create design that will effect change and create a better world.Students gain valuable experience designing brand identities, packaging, poster design, and more by working pro bono for nonprofit organizations. They can also fill out their portfolio with "real" work. Is this any different than student internships that are unpaid? If so, why?