• Kristina Bull & Gerrard Fisher both work for QSA Partners. QSA Partners have helped a range of businesses implement circular business models. Most recently, they’ve worked with fashion brands including ASOS, Ted Baker, Farfetch and adidas – developing and launching business models that aim to reduce the consumption of new clothing. Gerrard and Kristina have led this project, and have extensive experience in leading clothing retailers to more sustainable outcomes.

• Dr Francesco Mazzarella is a Post-Doctoral Research Fellow at the Centre for Sustainable Fashion – a University of the Arts London research centre based at London College of Fashion. In 2018 Francesco was awarded a PhD from the AHRC Design Star CDT at Loughborough Design School; his doctoral research project explored how service design can be used to activate textile artisan communities to transition towards a sustainable future.

QSA – Sharing their learnings in creating sustainable outcomes for the fashion industry

In their session, they will share learning from their work – and identify where all clothing brands – and service design professionals – can improve the offer, create value and more sustainable outcomes for the sector. They will also share findings from their recent insight work, showing that circular fashion is a rapidly growing opportunity.

Dr Fransesco Mazzarella – Bridging Service Design with Sustainable Fashion, through Situated and Activist Approaches

To counter the mainstream fashion system – which is proving unsustainable in terms of autonomous livelihoods, cultural heritage, social equality, and environmental stewardship – an increasing number of designers are playing an activist role. Challenging the status quo and activating positive change.

Francesco will present a case study focused on the Centre for Sustainable Fashion, to explore ways in which design activism can create counter-narratives towards sustainability in fashion. Furthermore, Francesco will introduce the ‘Making for Change: Waltham Forest’ project. The project entailed a programme of community engagement, design research, and educational activities aimed at tackling local issues and using fashion & making as catalysts for change. Finally, Francesco will discuss a case study he undertook with a textile artisan community in Cape Town (South Africa) aimed at exploring how service design can be used to activate communities to transition towards a more sustainable future.