Rethinking Fabric: The Application of Fabric Manipulation Techniques in Fashion Design Education

Abstract Within the context of fashion design, fabric is the key variable in the design process, offering infinite options in terms of variety, quality, weight, colour, texture and pattern. The manipulation of these fabrics is an effective tool at the designer’s disposal, which can be used to create innovation in a design. This study examines the use of fabric manipulation for fostering creativity in the context of fashion design education. It explores a variety of approaches to this subject that can be employed to enthuse, stimulate, and enable beginner level fashion students to recognise the value of fabric manipulation in creating innovative fashion design outcomes. It aims to examine the potential of fabric manipulation techniques as a method to reinvent basic fabrics, reflect concept ideas on a garment, expand student skillsets and develop originality in fashion design education. A detailed analysis of the application of textile design practices in the final year of study over twelve academic semesters, in both couture and ready‐to‐wear collections, aims to determine the uptake of fabric manipulation as a major design component in the context of final year graduation fashion collections.