MAKING MEANING

MAKING MEANING

MEANINGFULLY

MEANINGFULLY

AN INVESTIGATION INTO THE POSSIBILITY AND

IMPORTANCE OF CREATING EMOTIONALLY
DURABLE PRODUCTS THROUGH EMOTIONALLY
SIGNIFICANT PROCESSES

AN INVESTIGATION INTO THE POSSIBILITY AND

IMPORTANCE OF CREATING EMOTIONALLY
LAURA ROSE DOBSON

DURABLE PRODUCTS THROUGH EMOTIONALLY

FASH30103- BA (HONS) FASHION DESIGN

SIGNIFICANT PROCESSES

KEY AIMS
T O E X P L O R E T H E H Y P O T H E S I S T H A T T H E R E I S A L AY E R O F

THE THERAPEUTIC BENEFITS

OF MAKING
Chapter 3

EMOTIONAL MEANING IN THE THINGS WE MAKE OURSELVES THAT

ADULT MINDFULNESS COLOURING

DOES NOT AND PERHAPS CANNOT,8 TRANSFER TO THE

In coloring, youve got this P H Y S I C A L S E N S A T I O N of the tool youre using

CONSUMER.

holding this tool, and moving in different R H Y T H M S as you fill in the space. Youre

touching on the paper. You also have the F E E L I N G in your hands and fingers
being M I N D F U L , and when you move in a rhythmic fashion for an extended period
of time, that becomes a M E D I T A T I O N The whole idea behind F O C U S I N G on

Fig. 7 Secret Garden (2015), by Julia

Fig. 8 Secret Garden (2015), by

NCLG

Fig. 9 Secret Garden (2015), by

KADR

Fig. 10 Secret Garden (2015), by

Andrea C

one thing for an extended period of time is to bring us into the P R E S E N T The past

TO STUDY THE EXTENT TO WHICH DESIGNERS AND MAKERS

doesnt exist. The future doesnt exist. Our whole AWA R E N E S S is being brought into
whats happening at that given point in time. (Wulfurt in Welch, 2015: online)

THEMSELVES VIEW THEIR CREATIVE PROCESS AS MEANINGFUL AND

C O N S I D E R T H I S T O B E A P R I M A R Y M O T I VA T I O N F O R M A K I N G .

Fig. 11 Oil Paint by Number Set (circa 1950) by

Artist Touch

KEY FINDINGS
I N C R E A S I N G AWA R E N E S S O F T H E P O T E N T I A L T H E R A P E U T I C B E N E F I T S O F

TO INVESTIGATE WHETHER INVOLVING THE CONSUMER IN THE

CREATIVITY HAS LED TO ART THERAPY BEING SUCCESSFULLY USED AS A

MARKETING STRATEGY FOR PRODUCTS AND EXPERIENCES WHICH ENGAGE
THE CONSUMER IN CREATIVE PROCESSES.

CREATIVE PROCESS THROUGH INTERACTIVE DESIGN AND BRANDING

THE PRIME CONTEMPORARY EXAMPLE OF THIS IS ADULT COLOURING.

THE CONCEPT OF ADULT COLOURING ARGUABLY ORIGINATED IN THE

CAN SIMULTANEOUSLY CREATE MORE MEANINGFUL PIECES AND MEET

1900S WITH PSYCHOLOGIST CARL JUNG.

IT HAS RECENTLY GAINED MASS-MARKET POPULARITY.

A CURRENT PERCEIVED DEMAND FOR A MASS-MARKET FORM OF

CREATIVE THERAPY.

T H E R E I S A P A R A L L E L T O B E D R AW N B E T W E E N T H E R E P E T I T I V E H A N D
PROCESS OF COLOURING AND THOSE SUCH AS HAND SMOCKING AND
EMBROIDERY WITHIN FASHION MANUFACTURE.
Fig. 6 Secret Garden (2013), by Johanna Basford

CO-CREATING MEANING

THE POSSIBILITY OF SHARED MEANING IN THE

DESIGNED OBJECT

Chapter 4

Chapter 1

EMOTIONAL DURABILITY

Fig. 3 Hussein Chalayan Clothes Disintegrate on Catwalk (2015),

photographed by Jason Lloyd Edwards

Material C O N S U M P T I O N operates on a variety of E X P E R I E N T I A L

layers, from the rational and tangible to the P R O F O U N D and numinous.
Consumers mine these layers, unearthing meaningful content as they steadily
excavate deeper into the S E M I O T I C C O R E of an object. If any one of
these layers F A I L S to stimulate, the relationship between user and object
immediately falls into T H R E A T it may be said that consumers will
continue to mine the experiential layers of an object just as long as there are
further layers to be mined. It is therefore imperative that designers

Fig. 1 Hussein Chalayan Spring 2016 Ready-ToWear Look 1 (2015), photographed by

Yannis Vlamos

Fig. 12 Selecting custom design components through in-store app

(2015) by YR Store x Topshop New York

Fig. 13 Printing custom image as dye-sublimation print (2015) by

YR Store x Topshop New York

Fig. 14 Positioning and transferring the custom print design

(2015) by YR Store x Topshop New York

endeavor to weave greater degrees of intricacy amongst the layers of

Sharing, personalisation, customisation, C O - D E S I G N I N G

products to ensure the sustainability of their meaning.

with customers, halfway or achievement products and the

(Chapman, 2005: 37)

personalisation of products during the use-phase are all viable

strategies for E X T E N D I N G T H E P R O D U C T - U S E R

KEY FINDINGS

R E L A T I O N S H I P and, hence, the L I F E S P A N of the

product. (Mugge et al in Hirscher, A-L., Fuad Luke, A., 2014: 182)

CONSUMERS SEEK EVOLVING MEANING IN THEIR PURCHASES.

KEY FINDINGS

THE DESIGNER IS ARGUABLY RESPONSIBLE FOR ENSURING THE

P R E S E N C E O F L AY E R S O F M E A N I N G T O E N G A G E
AND INSPIRE THE CONSUMER.

MEANING IS GENERATED THROUGH PERSONAL

A DESIGNERS INTENDED MEANING IS OFTEN NOT

THIS IS AT THE POINT OF CONCEPTUALISATION OR

A D E S I G N E R M AY C H O O S E T O E X E R T C O N T R O L O V E R H O W T H E Y

kind of situation [in Cuba] to a more P L AY F U L one. I liked the

DURING THE MAKING PROCESS.

COMMUNICATE MEANING.

idea of using water. Because, of course, Cuba, theres a S E A . So I

thought how could I fuse these ideas together. And I liked the idea

COMPANIES SUCH AS WE ARE HAIRY PEOPLE AND WOOL

THE CONSUMERS OWN EXPERIENCES AND IDENTITY SHAPE HOW THEY

of a garment that could M E L T and R E V E A L something else

AND THE GANG ARE PROVIDING EXCITING INITIAL

INTERPRET THE VISUAL CUES PRESENT IN

underneath. And it was, of course, C R Y S T A L embellished

Fig. 2 Hussein Chalayan Paris Fashion Week

Hussein Chalayan (2015), photographed by
Margaret Zhang

INVESTMENT IN THE CREATIVE PROCESS, WHETHER

FULLY COMMUNICATED.

That was to represent the T R A N S F O R M A T I O N of a militant

EVIDENCE THAT PRODUCT DURABILITY, WITH

THE DESIGNED OBJECT.

because our sponsor was Swarovski. So we had these dancing palm

MEANINGFUL DESIGN UNDERPINS EMOTIONAL DURABILITY.

trees, and the crystals were their coconuts. (Chalayan, 2015 in

Fig. 15 Final garments awaiting collection (2015) by YR Store x

Topshop New York

Leitch, 2015: online)

CONSEQUENTIAL BENEFITS FOR SUSTAINABILITY, CAN

Fig. 16 Screenshot of Wool and the Gang Website (2016) by author

CUSTOMISATION AND CONSUMER CO-CREATION

MAKING MEANING THROUGH PROCESS

BE CREATED BY INVOLVING THE CONSUMER AS A

DESIGNER AND MAKER OF THEIR PRODUCTS.

CONCLUSIONS

Chapter 2

CRAFTING MEANING

T H E VA L U E W E A T T A C H T O S E L F - M A D E O B J E C T S I S C L O S E L Y L I N K E D T O T H E

When someone I N V E S T S psychic E N E R G Y in an object- a thing, another

EMOTIONAL MEANING WE GENERATE THROUGH, AND THE THERAPEUTIC BENEFIT OF, THE

person or an idea- that O B J E C T becomes C H A R G E D with the energy of

PROCESS OF MAKING.

the agent (Csikszentmihalyi and Rochberg-Halton, 1981: 8).

PERSONAL SIGNIFICANCE OF
SELF-MADE OBJECTS

T H I S R E S U L T S I N A S I G N I F I C A N T L AY E R O F P E R S O N A L E M O T I O N A L
MEANING, WHICH CANNOT BE COMPREHENSIVELY COMMUNICATED TO THE

The memories of clothing C R A F T E D for oneself show that craft provides a

CONSUMER.

possibility for A F F I R M I N G a sense of C O N T I N U I T Y with ones

self-experience... The mindscape of crafted clothes is built with strong
E M O T I O N S and E X P E R I E N C E S of making and people

SINCE CONSUMERS INCREASINGLY PRIZE MEANINGFUL AND

E N T A N G L E D in the P R O C E S S E S , as well as with an understanding

EMOTIONALLY DURABLE PRODUCTS, THIS OBSTACLE TO MEANING

of S E L F - I D E N T I T Y (Raunio, 2007: 63).

KEY FINDINGS
CREATIVITY IS WIDELY REGARDED AS BEING
I N T R I N S I C A L L Y M O T I VA T E D .
THE PROCESS OF MAKING SOMETHING BY HAND CAN BE AN IMMENSELY
EMOTIONALLY-SIGNIFICANT EXPERIENCE.
CREATIVITY IS EVEN CONSIDERED AS OFFERING THERAPEUTIC
B E N E F I T S , I N A S I M I L A R WAY T O M E D I T A T I O N .

TRANSFER SEEMS PROBLEMATIC.

Fig. 4 Author snow sculpting (2013), photographed by Aiden Yu

Fig. 5 Melting Memory Puddle Dress (2014), own design

INVESTMENT OF MEANING IN A DESIGN

TRIGGERED BY A PERSONAL EXPERIENCE.
CONCEPT DEVELOPED THROUGH PRIMARY AND SECONDARY RESEARCH.
DESIGN REALISED THROUGH MANUFACTURE PROCESSES.

B Y I N V O L V I N G T H E C O N S U M E R I N T H E D E S I G N A N D M A K I N G P R O C E S S E S , D E S I G N E R S H AV E
THE POTENTIAL TO REDUCE THE NECESSITY OF COMMUNICATING THEIR OWN INTENDED
MEANING, FACILITATING INSTEAD THE DEVELOPMENT OF PERSONAL MEANING BY THE
CONSUMER.

THERE IS A WEALTH OF EMOTIONAL MEANING INVESTED IN AN OBJECT

BY THE DESIGNER, THROUGH THE MAKING PROCESS.
THIS EMOTIONAL MEANING IS RARELY FULLY COMMUNICATED
TO THE CONSUMER.

EMOTIONAL MEANING INVESTED BY DESIGNER DURING EACH STAGE.

MEANING MEDIATED BY CONSUMER INTERPRETATION.

EXTENDING THIS TO INVOLVE THE CONSUMER IN HAND PROCESSES WHICH THEY

PERCEIVE TO BE THERAPEUTIC COULD PROVIDE EVEN GREATER BENEFIT.

LAURA ROSE DOBSON

BA (HONS) FASHION DESIGN