Student Craft Teachers’ Choices During the Garment Design and Making Process

A Qualitative Analysis of Posters

Abstract

This study aims to identify the choices made by university student craft teachers during the garment design and making process. The research utilises a theoretical framework centred around the clothing design and making process, employing the functional, expressional and aesthetic (FEA) model and Papanek’s function complex model. Two research questions were set: 1) Related to their garment design and making process, what kinds of choices did students outline in their posters? 2) How did student teachers utilise garment analysis models (FEA and Papanek’s functional analysis)? The methodology involved a qualitative content analysis of 23 posters that combined visual elements and textual descriptions created by the participants. The posters highlighted the emphasis on participants’ pragmatic considerations, such as usage intention, making methods and expressional and sustainable choices. Additionally, the studied posters showcased the participants’ satisfaction with their garments, as these garments provided them with a means to express their personal clothing styles and experiences. The findings suggest the need for an increased focus on sustainable practices in teaching clothing courses, as well as design-focused tools that specifically aid in craft product analysis in craft teacher education programmes.

Keywords: clothing, garment design and making, garment construction, higher education, poster analysis