BLOOM RESEARCH REPORT

BLOOM RESEARCH REPORT

Erin Gribbon AD5605 Fashion Marketing and Communication Level 5 ‘Life on Mars’

I do not know why anyone would want to leave this world. If I ever did leave this world, I would have to take it with me.

When looking at nature, technology has no comparison, and if we have learnt anything from the past years it is that we need to stop trying to cure the earth with human technology. The current pandemic has taught us that the power of mother nature is beyond human control and that technology is unable to cope with nature's problems. Our desire to conquer nature comes from the belief that we as humans are separate from nature and have superior technological powers over it. All human actions have consequences and our ignorance towards our belief that one way or another we will find a technological solution to world problems is a key example of that. We need to learn to live in harmony with nature and within the laws of nature.

We need to learn to live in harmony with nature and within the laws of nature. We need to learn to celebrate the abundant beauty and diversity of life instead of marvelling at the various technology creations that we do not need.

The idea that we are totally interconnected to nature and not technology. By understanding, this worldview becomes an integral part of our consciousness and a principle of mainstream society, we will have different priorities and different values. Instead of economic growth at all costs, we will pursue the growth in wellbeing of people and the health of planet earth.

Beginning in summer, I started to research the many ways artificial intelligence has advance human civilisation and bettered society. Whilst researching, I discovered that most AI technology was aimed towards increasing the rapid culture of todays ‘I want it now’ society. Deciding that societies views needed to be changed in order to rescue the planet, I began looking at biological intelligence against artificial intelligence and how mother nature is no comparison to technology. In fashion its important to incorporate circular fashion in to every brand in the industry. However, I believe that digital clothing, like The Fabricant, only solves a fraction of the waste problem and does target the everyday consumer, who is estimated to throw around 37kg of clothes every year.

The fabricant is the most confusing concept to wrap my head around as a creative, working in the fastgrowing digital fashion industry. The founders of the fabricant even had trouble evolving such an idea with the lack of research and development around technology in fashion.

‘Digital fashion barely existed as a concept’ in 2018 I presume this is because there was no need for digital fashion to exist, consumers were still shopping on the high street and online with next day delivery and higher powers were still ignorant to the fact of how fashion has damaged the world. It was only in 2019 when the pandemic happened that not only the fashion industry, but everything was sent into uncertainty and had to quickly evolve into an unprecedented new reality. The pandemic created a large gap in the market of digital fashion allowing for the fabricant to craft ‘the idea of a digital atelier crafting couture for the non-physical environment’ Defining a digital fashion house surrounded by uncertainty and the lockdown fashion of trend of sweatpants would be no easy feat. Challenging perceptions of the consumer that digital fashion would not just be a trend but a new way of fashion normality.

‘The fabricant’s position of ‘uploading humans to the next level of existence’ while ‘wasting nothing but data and exploiting nothing but imagination’ was still outlandish. (“BLOG — The Fabricant”) However, once the line is crossed for digitalized items of clothing, what is stopping designers from designing in digital as well, which leads me to the question, what is now stopping us from creating the perfect model of the digital garment designed? All shapes, sizes, colors, and ethnicity could be included in the digital design proses losing the human touch in the fashion industry.

‘Let's agree that physical is the way forward - and then let's find a new world for it’ Let's agree to disagree

Deciding to investigate away from technology and mainstream realities I began to explore the idea of nature on Mars.

Japanese artist Makoto Azuma creates ‘living art,’ pioneering the genre of the 'botanical sculpture'. So, imagine if we could revolutionize the fabrics we use today into ‘living fabrics’ that are sustainable and extraterrestrial. This would allow us to venture away from digitally created garments and enhance. His best-known series ‘Exobtanica’ he launched a bonsai tree into space: he commented ‘I create living art. I am creating a new way of expression. Azuma’s 'iced flowers' series sees the changing life of flowers after being placed in frozen water, showing how plant life could survive on Mars in a harsh environment. In his futuristic 'paludarium' series of bonsai ecospheres, precious plant species had historically been shipped from distant colonies within glass containers and appreciated its growing cycles inside their home far away from the plant’ s own home. ‘paludarium’ is a of new interpretation of a tiny garden machine, equipped with various functions, transformed into a contemporary encapsulated environmental system. The idea that we are in harmony with nature would allow for the concept based on Azuma’s work that we could also live in his idea of Paludarium. The new colony ‘historically shipped from a distant’ planet ‘within glass containers.

Now focusing on flowers and how they can survive in different environments I began looking at how flora could help us as humans evolve in our new colony on Mars. Flower therapy emerges as a powerful merging of nature and mental health. Sunflowers have the power to always make me smile. The therapy is based on the idea that flowers have a healing vibrational energy, which can aid the body in recovery. There is florapy, which is the physical practice of using flowers to soothe the sense e.g., bouquet making or art intimations including flora. Then there is then flowers essences, which are liquids infused with a flower’s energy, believed to balance your emotions. The idea of using nature's healing powers on Mars, abandoning chemical healing of mental and physical illness, fully supports the idea that nature can cure all. However, despite ignoring mainstream technology, I do believe that the medical advances in technology are aiding us in solving world problems.

Furthering my investigation into natural healing, my next research point was healing crystals. The crystals Promote the flow of good energy and help rid the body and mind of negative energy for physical and emotional benefits. (“Healing Crystals 101: Finding the Right One for You”) A philosophy borrowed from Hinduism and Buddhism I believe more metaphysical principles of healing will become less ‘out there’ than it used to be. More people are turning to crystals and physic to heal them in one way or another.

Last month in the hairdresser's chair, the topic was about the physic she had visited after a breakup with a long-term boyfriend and a family bereavement: looking to find guidance. In the session she had tarot cards, tea leaves and palms read. Now whether you believe in this concept or not, one thing that cannot be denied is that she felt better after. Whether it was true or not, it had some sort of healing power.

Could this be the new faith be a new religion for the younger alpha generation that may live on Mars? There is now a faith- based void for an increasingly irreligious society with 70% of young people in the UK seen as non-religious. Healing crystals have been recognized for centuries, ‘there properties may not be scientifically proven but they can enhance someone’s healing journey, that’s a good thing.’

The Cereus Flower, often named ‘Queen of the night,’ blooms only one night a year. The flower graces the night for only a few hours by morning, like a Sylvan Cinderella. (“One Night a Year, This Cactus Flower May Surprise You ...”) Its white petals wilt before the sun ever gets a shot at a kiss. People often host parties and gatherings to celebrate the debut of these unlikely beauties of darkness is a long-held tradition. In 1937, a crowd gathered on evening at the estate of a wealthy family known for their elaborate parties. (“One Night a Year, This Cactus Flower May Surprise You ...”) (“One Night a Year, This Cactus Flower May Surprise You ...”)

These concepts remind me of the met gala, an aspect I would like to include in my Colony’s story, as a fashion

creative I believe that no matter where we go the Met Gala must follow. Even if it is to Mars. The flowers bloom is not summoned by magic, but temperature, humidity, or rainfall. Also adding to magical ambiance, most follow a lunar cycle

My Future world is inspired by mother nature. We are reminded repeatedly of her power and how technology cannot fully prevent the effects of her powers. Deciding to reproach the project from a different point of view I followed the route of looking more into the beauty and power of nature and what it could look like on Mars. I started off by watching films to visually inspire me into what my future world trend could look like. Avatar encapsulates my visual mind brilliantly. The Flora and Fauna of Pandora inspired what I want to envision Mars like. Instead of a dry, red planet why not decorate the landscape with a flourish of colours. I then began to wonder how we would live on Mars itself and sustain the ability to grow nature in such a harsh environment. Terrariums have the power to preserve plant life in the idealised environment and allow them to thrive wherever they are placed. The idea that we could live in a giant glass house not only reciprocates the idea of preserving life and nature, but also mirrors the fragility of our ecosystems, reminding us of the new colony of our failed history on Earth. The concept of living in a glass house seemed to hold a sense of magic and wonderment leading to me discovering fashion photographer Tim Walker. Walker encapsulate the dynamic between reality and surrealism often ‘plunging the viewer into a parallel world’ What also inspired me to Walker was his Arcadian, thoroughly English upbringing that has inspired a lifelong love of British landscape, something I can relate to as I am often inspired my home surrounding. Rugged wilderness and manicured lawns of English country escapes often provides a backdrop to his fashion photography, something which I intend to incorporate into my final vision of Mars. After viewing his book, Wonderful Things, I began to venture more into surrealism and investigate how fairytales are depicted in fashion and how it could be viewed in a life on Mars. Inspired to base my world around a fairy tale concept like Walker, after reading in vogue, Annie Leibovitz ’s Alice in Wonderland photoshoot, finally began to see my world taking shape. Fairy tales are stories we are told as children to inspire our hopes and dreams. They protect us from harsh realities of the real world. I want to create an idealized bubble for my trend. As a storyteller on a dry red harsh environment, I want to create hope and dreams for the red planet. By following Alice through the looking glass and combining my idea of glass houses, I exaggerate the surrealism and fragility of the natural order of nature on Mars.

The secret life of flowers is an elite luxury society with a respect for the beauty of nature: worshiping the biological beauty like a god. Incaptured in a glass framed house mirroring the fragility of the biodiversity that we destroyed on earth long ago. With earth being a distant memory. Yet, the power of mother nature has survived and conquered all technological advances once created. There is harmony between humans and nature, just like it was intended on earth.

Earth became dilapidated. And in the brief history of Mars, humans were forced to break with the past and imagine the world anew.

Walking through an oasis of flora and fauna. Beings can be seen dressed to be an extension of their surroundings. Flowers bloom with no regret. Creatives are celebrated with a time absent of technology.

Sculptures, poets, and painters are viewed as depicting what earth was meant to be, and what was for a brief time, before human ignorance led them to believe they superior powers, separate from nature. The Mars Garden has learned from its ancestors. Finally, the laws of nature and humanity coexist together equally.

Balanced

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