Fashion Studies Network brings global scholars together for E/Spaces in Fashion
Fashion’s influence extends far beyond clothing, shaping the spaces, communities and cultures we inhabit. Those intersections were the focus of E/Spaces in Fashion, a symposium held at Toronto Metropolitan University. Led by the Fashion Studies (external link, opens in new window) journal team and organized by a committee of graduate students from institutions across Toronto, New York and Montreal, the event brought together emerging scholars and researchers to share ideas and explore new directions in fashion studies.
The symposium was hosted by the Fashion Studies Network (FSN), a project launched by the journal in 2023. FSN is a collaborative scholarly community dedicated to sharing innovative research, methodologies and practices in fashion. Following the success of its inaugural symposium at Parsons School of Design in 2024, the team decided to host the event biennially, bringing this year’s symposium to TMU.
“There are a number of reasons why the work we do for the Fashion Studies Network is important,” shared Nigel Lezama, professor at the School of Fashion and head of the event’s organizing committee. “Spaces like this are inspiring and motivating for everyone involved.”
Over two days, E/Spaces in Fashion featured 33 presentations from graduate students and early-career researchers, alongside workshops and activities including a guided tour of the Fashion Research Collection and a visit to TMU’s urban rooftop farm to explore the natural dye garden which produces plants and flowers used in dying fabrics as part of the School of Fashion’s experiential learning curriculum
“In some ways, this is a conventional type of academic conference,” said Lezama. “However, the field of fashion studies is relatively new, and it has many young scholars, which adds a dynamic that is not always there in more established fields.”
Three presenters respond to audience questions during a panel discussion. Organized around shared themes, panels encouraged presenters to engage with one another’s work while allowing attendees to experience research in dialogue.
Photographer: Audrey Ferreira.
Audiences included fellow presenters and fashion studies researchers. Free to present and attend, the symposium was accessible to graduate students, early-career researchers, and members of the public.
Photographer: Audrey Ferreira.
For members of the organizing committee, the symposium also offered valuable hands-on experience delivering a large-scale academic event. Michon Marigot, a committee member from OCAD University, reflected: “I have never been part of an organizing committee, and to be involved in such a profound way and see my peers and friends share their work was incredibly rewarding.”
A key feature of Fashion Studies Network events is the goal to expand what an academic gathering can be. Beyond presentations, participants explored local artist studios and fashion events throughout the city.
“Something I greatly value about this field of study is the personhood that feels central to it, and gatherings like this past symposium help to further solidify this connotation for me,” shared Alex Trembley, a student at the Fashion Institute of Technology and member of the organizing committee. “I learned so much and met so many amazing people!”
Participants in the symposium visited Chroma Colour Textiles Studio, a creative coworking space in downtown Toronto, where a workshop on fabric marbling explored themes of community and togetherness.
Photographer: Audrey Ferreira.
Participants visited TMU’s urban rooftop farm for a workshop titled A Garden of Colour & Thread, led by Rachel MacHenry, Assistant Professor of Fashion Sustainability at TMU. The session explored the potential of local natural dyes and included an informal talk, as well as flax processing and natural dyeing demonstrations and discussion.
Photographer: Audrey Ferreira.
Although the symposium has concluded, E/Spaces in Fashion does not end here. Presenters will have the opportunity to contribute to the next student-led special issue of Fashion Studies, scheduled for publication in June 2027.
“As a senior thinker in the field, I am often inspired and fascinated by the new ideas and work that I discover at the conference,” said Lezama. “It's a lot of work, but in the end, we all benefit from it and are nourished by it.
In a world where researchers often work independently, E/Spaces in Fashion created opportunities for connection and community, demonstrating the value of coming together to share ideas and experiences.
To learn more about E/Spaces in Fashion symposium proceedings, visit the presentations and event schedule (external link, opens in new window) .
Presenters, attendees, and organizers of the E/Spaces in Fashion symposium attended fashion shows as part of Toronto Fashion Week. Fashion Art Toronto invited the group into its space to experience exhibitions and events, celebrating their participation in the symposium.
Photographer: Audrey Ferreira.
Fashion Studies is an open-access academic journal in fashion published through TMU’s Centre for Fashion and Systemic Change. E/Spaces in Fashion is part of its mission to foster relationships and expand fashion studies as an interdisciplinary field.
Photographer: Audrey Ferreira.
From left to right: Carlea Blight (Managing Editor), Nigel Lezama (Co-Editor), and Maria Paula Grisales Durque (Communications Specialist).
