Department of Cross-Disciplinary Art and Design Field of Fashion and Textile

Students learn about the “fashion and textiles” required by society through art and design.

Since its establishment in 1900, the Joshibi University of Art and Design has consistently provided clothing education and handed down solid skills and techniques to the next generation. Education stressing the link to society and going back over 110 years has been passed down to the present day.
DCPs (Design Center Projects) for social contributions are implemented, including those where cotton growing and textile dyeing plants are connected with clothing creation as activities involving work alongside the local community, art museums and galleries, others featuring designs of uniforms for medical and educational institutions, and others still where exchanges with overseas communities via textiles take place.

In the Field of Fashion and Textile, students learn the knowledge and skills related to clothing and materials as well as the fashion and textiles required by society to create and produce them. They also design and create fashion, textiles, and characters for children, exploiting women's unique perspective. They pursue art and design in fashion and textiles through the study of theory and experience in food, housing, space, sound, language and literature, heritage and high technology, medical science, philosophy, psychology, and ecology, collaborate with other fields and implement projects from original perspectives.

Syllabus Outline

Curriculum

Click for a PDF version

Project

Various projects are implemented in this field. Through fashion and textiles, students engage in collaborative and cooperative activities with families and children, local communities and society, as well as companies and medical institutions in their curricular and extracurricular activities from a female perspective.

Hospitality Work – What we can do for people –
		'Heart in Art' Project The activities are conducted in collaboration with the Suginami Children's Development Center. The art and design therapy workshop is held in a facility attended by pre-school children with disabilities. Students develop children's games and play with a focus on art and design suitable for the sensibilities of respective children, using materials that stimulate all five senses.

		Textile Care Project The activities are conducted in collaboration with the Kitasato University Hospital. Handkerchiefs are made from cotton grown in the field within the Joshibi University of Art and Design campus to be presented to cancer patients in the hospital as part of the "Cotton Ribbon" activities.

		Emergency Care Project This is joint research with the National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, which seeks out new ways to support disaster victims by designing and producing towel shelters, vinyl coat shelters, raincoat shelters, T-shirt shelters, etc. to alleviate the Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) caused by disasters, etc.

Social Design Work – in society, with society –
		Value of Design <CHIKARA> Project The Value of Design <CHIKARA> Project is where student designs are globally showcased to reflect the power of Japanese brands. The Joshibi University of Art and Design has submitted exhibits and proposals for this project since 2009. Exhibiting works designed by students helps promote closer ties with companies and society.

		Product development with companies Commercial products are designed and developed as part of research outsourced by companies. Challenging in-company product planning is proposed, based on students' flexible ideas to produce goods which are thought to be on the market already, but are actually not. Students gain hands-on experience in processes from product planning to designing and commercialization, in order to acquire real world knowledge and skills.

		Joshibi Design Center Project The activities in the Joshibi Design Center Project involve design and creation commissioned by companies and public organizations. Recently, an internal competition was held at the request of a company to design a new uniform. Uniforms are work wear with functionality the top priority. Commercialization is targeted in efforts to create designs based on thinking unhindered by conventional images.

Performance Work – Convey and deliver fashion and textiles –
		Fashion Show The fashion show hosted by third-year students is one of the main events of the Joshibi Festival (university festival) held towards the end of October each year. Students do all the planning and management. Works are showcased after undergoing processes of material production, dress production, staging and composition. It is a major event that attracts an audience of over 1000.

		Performance Show A performance show, titled "Exhibition of Things made of Roses," was held in the Otani Art Museum in the Kyu-Furukawa Gardens. As an activity to promote consideration of nature, materials and the environment, students extracted dyes from roses, drew up plans, produced materials and dresses, and gave presentations. The show helped them experience the difficulties and pleasures involved in releasing such works to society.

Fieldwork – To grow, create, and manage –
		Research into materials: dye A field has been set aside in a corner of the campus to grow dye plants such as ai (indigo) and kobunagusa (Arthraxon hispidus – small carpgrass). Students dye plain cotton cloths with ai and use the rolls of dyed cloth to make yukata (casual summer kimono) and obi (sashes). Students experience and learn human crafts that come alive in the process of making clothes from scratch, while involved in the traditional culture of fibers of Japanese origin.

		Research into materials: fiber Students aim to find a "rich spirit" by plowing the ground, growing cotton, harvesting materials, and creating works. They strive to find a way of conveying to society the rich emotions provoked by considering cotton not as a product but as a living entity through art and design. At the same time, they explore how to contribute to society by designing and making clothes.

		Research into materials: wool Students spin sheared wool, knit, weave, and make felt to make work for presentations. Using fleece offered by the Kitasato University School of Veterinary Medicine, the University provides education that helps the students learn the importance of life and how to enrich it.

Career paths after graduation

Possible career paths after graduation:

Study in graduate school/overseas
Design… Fashion/Textiles/Products/Costumes/Goods/Interior/Jewelry/Bags/Shoes/ Merchandiser/Planner
Art… Artist/Curator/Creator/Director/Craft artist/ Producer/Costume/Goods/Doll artist/Clothing designer
Educator/Researcher

Main employment of former students:

Yohji Yamamoto Inc. / Comme des Garçons / Tsumori Chisato / H&M / LIMI feu / A-net. Inc. / Onward Kashiyama Co., Ltd. / mintdesigns inc. / SANEI-INTERNATIONAL CO., LTD. / FIVE FOXes CO., LTD. / Oriental Land Co., Ltd. / NARA CAMICIE / AS KNOW AS CO., LTD. / CRAYON inc. / H.P FRANCE / Jurgen Lehl Co., Ltd. / BYS / FLANDRE CO., LTD. / P&M Co., Ltd. / agnès b. Sunrise Inc. / MARY QUANT COSMETICS JAPAN LTD. / La La Plan Co., Limited. / ETRO FAR EAST CO., LTD. / Sylvia Co., Ltd. / Atlas / Toray Advanced Computer Solution, Inc. / KOBE LEATHER CLOTH CO., LTD / NINAGAWA STUDIO / SHIKI THEATRE COMPANY / COMMUNICATIONS MUSEUM Tei-Park / Yumi Katsura International Co., Ltd. / Matsugami Senko
In random order. (* Past results of the Department of Fashion and Performance)