Fashion students digitize the past through the Fashion Research Collection
This winter, students in 3D Digital Fashion (opens in new window) (FFD400) transformed archival study into digital innovation through a collaboration with the Fashion Research Collection (opens in new window) (FRC). Guided by Caron Phinney (opens in new window) , Assistant Professor, School of Fashion, the assignment gave students the chance to conduct object-based research while building skills in Clo3D, an advanced digital fashion software.
Drawing on research developed in her MA in Fashion (opens in new window) coursework, recent graduate Millie Yates adapted the project for undergraduates and showcased how advanced scholarship can enrich classroom learning. With support from Eve Townsend, Director, FRC, students closely examined garments in the collection while documenting textiles, construction methods, and measurements to better understand historical dress.
At the Red Bull Gaming Hub (opens in new window) , they translated this research into digital form through recreating and reimagining garments as fully realized 3D models. By connecting archival practices with leading design tools, the initiative highlights how collaboration is expanding the possibilities of fashion education.
Explore the students’ digital creations below and see how they brought the archive to life.
Digital recreations and redesigns of garments from the FRC collection: Courrèges orange women’s pant suit (1970s) recreated by Arshia Bahrami (top left), pale green two-piece set (1960s) recreated by Lilly Turmel (top center), boy’s blue cotton romper (1950s) recreated by Jinglin He (top right), avant-garde tunic recreated by Ava Karleff (bottom left), and a redesign of Geoffrey Beene’s 1960s dress by Precious Ayolade (bottom right).
A selection of vintage garments from the FRC collection: a Courrèges orange women’s pant suit from the 1970s (top left), a pale green mini dress with matching hot pants from the 1960s (top right), a boy’s blue cotton shorts and top set from the 1950s (bottom left), a Geoffrey Beene dress from the 1960s (bottom center), and a Takezo Tokyo cream wool dress from the 1990s (bottom right).
The Creative School at Toronto Metropolitan University
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