Katharine Hamnett speaking at University of Dundee events

Published On Tue 24 Feb 2015 by Grant Hill

Renowned British designer and pioneer of ethical and environmental fashion Katharine Hamnett has been confirmed as a speaker at two University of Dundee events next month.

She will appear at a ‘Chiasma’ innovation event hosted by Design in Action (DiA), a Knowledge Exchange Hub for the Creative Economy based at Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art & Design, on Wednesday 18th March. The next day, she will deliver a free public lecture at the Dalhousie Building at 12.30pm.

The Chiasma, entitled 'Circular by Design', is being run in partnership with Zero Waste Scotland, and will aim to transform thinking and support innovation for the textiles and fashion sector, issues that Hamnett, described by Vogue magazine as the ‘Queen of Green’, holds close to her heart.

“There are huge problems in the way clothing is manufactured that destroy lives and the environment, even impacting and contributing to global warming and climate change,” she said. “Petitions have no teeth as they are often appealing to the better nature of people who haven’t got one. We need to toughen up our act to achieve the change we need.

Katharine Hamnett is a global heritage brand, famous for launching new trends, creating new fabrics and inventing new technical processes as well as campaigning for political and social issues. She is also the pioneer and leading spokesperson of ethical and environmental clothing, with the ability to generate international media attention across news and current affairs as well as fashion.

The Katharine Hamnett mission, “To produce ethical and environmental clothing on a large scale, alleviating poverty and preserve traditional skills” has seen her voted ‘Britain’s No.1 Ethical Hero’ by New Consumer magazine. She has also been described as ‘The most copied designer in the world’ by The Guardian.

Shaping the future through innovative design is one of the key challenges the University of Dundee aims to meet in its core mission to transform lives, locally and globally.

The two-day residential Chiasma will bring together participants from business, academia, design and beyond to ideate and create new products, processes or services that can develop a more sustainable textiles industry and promote a circular, less wasteful, economy. The most promising ideas then have an opportunity to apply for up to £20,000 commercialisation funding.

Mel Woods, who leads the research focus, said “Katharine Hamnett's unwavering campaign for social, political and particularly environmental transformation through fashion, inspires and empowers everyone who opens their ears and mind to engage. There is now an urgent need to listen, and listen hard, and we will be doing just that.”

Iain Gulland, Chief Executive, Zero Waste Scotland, said, “Zero Waste Scotland is delighted to be working with Dundee University and to welcome Katherine Hamnett, a designer with a strong pedigree on driving innovation and environmental change. Scotland’s successful textiles sector has tremendous potential to reap the economic and environmental benefits of a circular economy, in which materials are kept in use for as long as possible and our outstanding design talent can drive innovation forward. We’re looking forward to seeing the ideas generated at this exciting event.”

The Chiasma will take place at the Dalmahoy Marriot Hotel near Edinburgh from 18th–20th March. Additional speakers involved in the event include Professor Becky Earley and Dr Kate Goldsworthy (both Textile Futures Research Centre at the University of the Arts, London) and Dr Conny Bakker (TU Delft).  

The public lecture at the University of Dundee takes place at the Dalhousie Building at 12.30pm on Thursday 19th March. More information and free tickets can be obtained from http://www.designinaction.com/event/katharine-hamnett/.   

Ends.

Notes to Editors:

Design in Action is a Knowledge Exchange Hub for the Creative Economy based primarily at the University of Dundee and funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) and Creative Scotland to research, promote and create opportunities for the adoption of design as a strategy for economic growth in industry. For more information about the project, visit www.designinaction.com or call 01382 385361.

Zero Waste Scotland (www.zerowastescotland.org.uk) is funded by the Scottish Government to support the delivery of its Zero Waste Plan and other low carbon and resource efficiency policy priorities.

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