Designing clothes for the future - inspired by the book, Brave New World by Aldous Huxley 
and based on current cultural, social, and scientific developments
1. Read the book (Brave New World by Aldous Huxley) 2. Research to understand the exhibit theme. 3. This guide can help! Fall 2018
Brave New World by Definition: Dystopian - relating to a state or society that is dehumanizing, unjust, unpleasant, and/or frightening. Opposite of utopian.
Several copies of the book are available in the FIT Library. It's also available in full text online from multiple free sources. Links to some of these are below.
Below: Audiobook
For more, read Huxley's Brave New World Revisited (first published in 1958), a nonfiction exploration of the themes in his novel Brave New World.
Brave New World Revisited by
When the novel Brave New World first appeared in 1932, its shocking analysis of a scientific dictatorship seemed a projection into the remote future. Here, in one of the most important and fascinating books of his career, Aldous Huxley uses his tremendous knowledge of human relations to compare the modern-day world with his prophetic fantasy. He scrutinizes threats to humanity, such as overpopulation, propaganda, and chemical persuasion, and explains why we have found it virtually impossible to avoid them. Brave New World Revisited is a trenchant plea that humankind should educate itself for freedom before it is too late.
Search by person's name, subject, place, etc.
The book Brave New World describes a future world, set some 600 years beyond the original 1932 publication date. It's a world with many issues - genetic engineering, psychological manipulation, sleep learning, control of community, destruction of family, division of society into classes, mindless consumption, overpopulation, totalitarianism, and much more.
Using the world of Brave New World to spark your imagination, your job is to design fashion for a future world, a world of the year 2050 or beyond. Base your designs on cultural issues, societal problems, and scientific developments, such as those mentioned above, or others that you may find in your readings and research.
And remember - designer collections may also be inspiring. Check out recent Pierre Balmain collections and slightly less recent Kenzo menswear collections, inspired by the future.
This theme is open for interpretation. It's a conceptual theme, requiring a rigorous approach and standards of excellence in concept and execution. You have freedom of design - but your design research and development is of key importance.
Start your research with one of these -
E-books and scholarly articles on fashion topics. It also offers an extensive image collection including 1400+ selections from CoPA (Commercial Pattern Archive 1868 to 2000) and a fashion museum directory.
Continue with more specific fashion databases:
This link opens in a new window This link opens in a new windowContains every issue of Vogue from 1892 to present. Each issue can be browsed cover-to-cover in searchable full-text format. Each page and image is reproduced in high-resolution color with indexing, enabling images to be searched by garment type, designer, and brand names, among others. All covers, advertisements, fold outs and pictorial features are captured as separate documents,which are also indexed, searchable, and viewable in high-resolution color.
Try these museum websites:
Use to look up theme, shape, detail, designer & get runway photos & inspiration for your designs!
This link opens in a new windowTrend reports & forecasting for fashion.
This link opens in a new windowConsumer, marketing, retail, and innovation trends.
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