Since the Revolution of 1911, the changes of school uniforms follow the footsteps of history all the way winding forward, carrying almost all the laughter and tears of each of us in our youth, shining in our memory.

Although the Revolution of 1911 failed to liberate China from the semi-feudal and semi-colonial society, it broke the restriction of clothing in the old era that “people are divided into five classes and clothes are divided into five colors” for thousands of years. The spring tide of the new culture movement awakened people’s desire for beauty, and the young generation showed unprecedented innocence, relaxation and joy.

1930s: Cheongsam gained favor on campus

In the 1930s, the cheongsam style school uniform gradually replaced the original skirt shirt uniform, and the 1930s was also the most popular decade of cheongsam

The 1940s: continued the style of the 1930s

1950s: More casual, lack of specific uniforms

In the early days of the founding of the People’s Republic of China, the whole country automatically wore blue and gray uniforms for cadres, Lenin suits and cotton overcoats. The long gown and mandarin jacket basically withdrew from the historical stage. Fifty-eight years ago, the atmosphere was relatively relaxed, and college girls still wore colorful woolen coats. Yang Mo’s Song of Youth is about this period.

60 time, 70 time: old military uniform: one after another “movement” obliterate the gorgeous color of the splendid mountains and rivers, a little bright-coloured, novel clothes were suppressed, look at the students of this period, the old military uniform of grass green is their main color. (But this was not a school uniform, a period when the word “school uniform” disappeared from our country.)

The eighties: school uniforms are back

After the reform and opening up, China’s clothing finally ushered in the spring of flowers blooming, in the late 1980s, the word “school uniform”, also gradually returned to our sight. At the beginning, the school uniform is not available in every school, there is a school uniform, there is no unified requirements.

90s and early 2000s: sports uniforms take over

At this time, school uniforms in mainland China are generally sportswear based, with blue, red, green and white colors and polyester cotton and golden velvet fabrics. This plays a major role in cultivating students’ team spirit, strengthening the overall image of the school and enhancing the collective sense of honor. The Ministry of Education issued a document in 1993 to strengthen the dressing of primary and secondary school students.

21st century: uniform school uniform

With the improvement of living standards, the general sports school uniform has been unable to meet the requirements of students and parents, more and more Korean version, uniform style school uniforms appear in people’s vision.

suitable uniform

Institution means consistency. A uniform is a rule and it is an institution.

Humans and limitations are contradictory.

How can I make this rule, which make people feel not free, become to a convenience things in People’s Daily lives? And reduce the amount of clothes in your closet?

Let our daily wear become simple and casual, when we going out, and want to a right style, it can be match a satisfactory effect outfit. It can greatly reduce the time spent when going out for styling.

Turning “uniform” into “blockhead clothes” is also a form of artificial intelligence. Clothes can also be smart. Just like doctors treat patients, mainly for people who don’t know what to wear, and people who just want to wear whatever when they want to go out.

Question

How can I improve the aesthetics and functionality of school uniforms without increasing its cost?

Primary research

Secondary research

current situation:

Primary and middle school students are in their key period of education in aesthetics of dress. About 60% of students accept or love school uniforms and 40% of students treat school uniforms indifferent and passive, which shows a contradiction between students and school uniforms. From the perspective of the characteristics of adolescent psychological development, the main reason for this attitude is school uniforms can not endow students with a sense of beauty, glory and pride.

Stakeholder

I conducted an on-site investigation in an ordinary urban primary school and interviewed students and ten alumni. I found that school uniform has many different meanings for alumni. So, how can I make the school uniform meaningful?

Research includes:

1. Price of School uniform

2. Aesthetics

3. Functionality (taking school uniform photos, doing questionnaire survey and analysis) Students generally do not have high requirements for the style of school uniform. Many students want to add their favourite things to it. There are not many requirements for functionality, as long as it is durable.

Question:

1. How can I make their demands for school uniforms real?

2. How can I help students change their uniforms according to their will?

Interventions

Platform:

I contacted the school and the teachers to organize students to participate in the drawing collection. And I asked my sister to call her friends to attend the event.

Intention:

1. Pupils have their own style on school uniforms, so I can design new things according to their preferences. For future designs, these ideas and elements can be used to inspire.

2. To find the demand of customers.

Stakeholders:

Pupils who have their own views on school uniforms

Question supporting the intervention:

1. My sister always argues that she should wear her favourite clothes to school. She has her own opinions on her clothes. So what is Gen Z’s views on fashion sportswear? How to better use their creativity?

2. How can I design a collection of fashion womenswear through the drawings of school uniforms by pupils?

Activity/event allowing users to engage：

I noticed my sister’s school uniforms are basically sportswear, so I started a creative painting activity themed “Paint your desired school uniform” to fire their imagination.

feedback

The research outcome: The three works received show that pupils’ needed for school uniforms are simple. But students’ creativity needs to be improved.

One of the children added accessories and styled for the uniform. So how can reflect the personal character? On campus, it can be difficult to use uniforms to reflect personality. Perhaps accessories can make students personalities more distinctive.

Plan

Proposed solutions: taking the perspective of sportswear design Finally, a problem-solving school uniform design will be presented, which will be shown to students and their parents with a questionnaire to improve the design and make it adopted by the school.

Ideas

1. Why students need to wear school uniforms? What is school uniform culture?

2. Study on Chinese Primary School Uniform

3. Study on Primary School Uniform in Foreign Countries

4. Research on the demand of Chinese consumers for sportswear.

Why focus on this issue? Because my sister doesn’t like school uniforms. So didn’t I since I was a child. How can I let the school uniform become something that the wearer can decide?

Reflections/learnings

1. From the perspective of sustainable development, how can we recycle school uniforms?

2. How can I make the school uniform of alumni into a souvenir?

3. How can I endow such souvenirs with better visual induction?

4. How can I make school uniforms become something that the wearer can decide?

5.How can I make school uniforms a form of self-expression? How can make school uniforms a form of self-expression for students?

Challenges/limitations

60% of the students accept or like school uniforms. (REF) These students accept school uniforms. How can I improve their aesthetic appreciation and make them accept new things?

40% of the students treat the school uniform indifferent and passive. They ignore the beauty of the school uniform and are influenced by parents and the environment. How can I change this situation through design?

The old question was limited by cost, so how can reduce the cost? Students have few requirements for the style of school uniform, with asking for functionality and complex design.

Opportunities/next steps

As for the alumni, the school uniforms they wore have a special meaning. How can I make the worn-out uniforms into a meaningful thing?

Reference

[1] Tao Hui, Wang Xiaolei. Research on the importance of school

uniform development in education in the 21st century [J]. Dress

Design Engineer, 2002, (6) : 70-72.

[2] Zhang Li, Liu Guolian. Apparel Market Research and Analysis of

the Application of SPS [M]. Beijing: China Textile Press,2003.

[3] Zhu Baorong. Philosophy of Mind [M]. Shanghai: Fudan

University Press, 2004.

[4] Zhou Liya. Series children’s wear design [M]. Beijing: China

Textile Press, 2003:10.

[5] Liu Yaling, Wei Xiaojun, Ma Zhengyu. Research on the Design

of School Clothing for Pupils [J].Journal of Tianjin Polytechnic

University, 2004, 23(5) : 71-73.

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https://shadesofnoir.org.uk/daytime-rave-family-expectations-and-expressing-themselves/

In the 1980s, many young South Asians would be attending daytime clubs as many came from conservative families which meant that they were not allowed to go to nightclubs. As such, numerous events called ‘Daytime Raves’ or ‘Datimers’ began popping up, originating in Bradford. Daytimers meant that bands and DJs at nightclubs were recruited for the afternoon (BBC, 2019) as many South Asian youngsters restricted by their families would come to experience, dance and enjoy music. 

‘It started out as a daytime thing because there was a huge market for college kids who wanted to experience the nightlife but in the middle of the afternoon. People were leaving the house in their school uniform but with a carrier bag with some jeans and a funky top inside saying they were going to be studying history or something. We would kick off at midday and they would party till 4 pm and then go home for tea, pretending they had a good day at college.’ 

–Moey Hassan, organiser of many daytime events (BBC, 2019)

Bhangra and fusion of Bollywood and reggae music would be played in the rave. According to Kaur, daytime raves were the only place where Bhangra would be played as Bhangra records were hard to find (BBC, 2019). 

A short film called ‘Daytimer’ (2014) by Riz Ahmed gives a peek into the experience of a young Muslim boy, Naseem, attending the Daytime rave for the first time. The importance of this event for the young generation is portrayed in the film as Naseem’s character of trying to be a good Muslim son whilst also wanting to be like the older boys in the rave.  The demographic of Daytime raves were made purely by South Asians who created their own identity and existence due to the fact that during that time there was a lack representation of Asian culture in mainstream media in the UK. Daytime raves were little secrets for many and allowed them to have freedom from their families’ disapproval of such activities. They could wear what they like and come together. 

‘Asian girls had to keep their personalities hidden, but once we got inside that club, we could be free’ (Manzoor, 2012) 

These young Asians were owning the culture that was built by themselves. 

‘The events debunked the idea of sexless young Asians working studiously, dancing to vintage Bollywood classics at weddings with girls trapped in the kitchen’

Yates, 2017)

Daytime raves have been hidden by the mainstream club culture in recent history, but from those attending these events, they hold memories of balancing their family expectations along with expressing themselves.  

Image reference: 

• Smith, T., 1988. DJ Radical Sista Playing At A Club In Bradford, England. [image] Available at: <https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-leeds-47526815> [Accessed 17 May 2020].

Bibliography:

• Ahmed, R., 2014. Daytimer. Available at: <https://vimeo.com/107465232#at=627> [Accessed 17 May 2020].
• BBC News. 2019. In Pictures: Bradford’s Bhangra Daytimers. [online] Available at: <https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-leeds-47526815> [Accessed 17 May 2020].
• Manzoor, S., 2012. Strictly Bhangra: How Daytimers Got Young British Asians Dancing. [online] the Guardian. Available at: <https://www.theguardian.com/music/2012/apr/10/strictly-bhangra-daytimers-british-asians> [Accessed 17 May 2020].
• Yates, K., 2017. Why Daytime Raves Were So Important For Asian Club Culture. [online] The FADER. Available at: <https://www.thefader.com/2017/01/10/british-asian-daytimers-history-riz-ahmed> [Accessed 17 May 2020].

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https://shadesofnoir.org.uk/turner-prize-2018/

This years most controversial nominee, Luke Willis Thompson Trilogy: Cemetery of Uniforms and Liveries, autoportrait and _Human examine the relationship between person and their representation.‘Reframed their histories of violence enacted against certain bodies, and offers counter-images to the media spectacle of our digital age’; Audiences witness Thompson’s large, sprawling film projections. Whilst extremely beautiful, it is often criticised that the New Zealander is not best placed to tell the stories of his subjects, who are ultimately his collaborators. Negotiating with the high-profile stories of Dorothy “Cherry” Groce, Joy Gardner, British artist Donald Rodney and Diamond Reynolds. Unknowable feelings, memories, tragedy, displacement, death, all become legitimate entry points to Thompsons film and yet there remains a disconnect. Thompson been heavily accused of turning his subjects into a spectacle, in my mind it is up to the viewer as to this acknowledgement.

Donald Rodney’s In the House of My Father, 1996-7, made from the artist’s own skin after grafts for the condition which killed him soon afterwards. Photograph: Tate

Perhaps here, in finally for myself witnessing Thompson’s work after hearing so much about the artist, what remains in my mind is the duality of the final colour film. A study of the small sculpture the late British artist Donald Rodney made, using scraps of his own shed skin, and held together with dressmaking pins, as he lay ill with sickle cell anaemia – The sculpture is in the form of a house – I was taken aback.  Within its narrative stillness, meticulosity of detail, in the openness of its observation, it is a difficult thing to chastise. Although it remains cautious as to why he chose to focus on these subjects, and his ultimate aim in producing these films, it for me was less than spectacle, but more of a presentation.

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https://graduateshowcase.arts.ac.uk/projects/260122/cover

This project is an exploration into the school uniform in Kingston, Jamaica. Portraying it as an equalizer to Classism and socio-economic divide, by providing a level playing field, void of external categorization of ones self based on tangible wealth.

While contrasting it to the idea of the uniform as a form of protection, this project seeks to amplify and celebrate the nuances of individuality injected into the uniform. Viewing the idea of “richness” as an internal construct founded in the individuality that one brings to a space of conformity, as opposed to an external object.

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The collection is about questioning and breaking the definition of perfect, correctness and expectation.

It is a journey about rebellion, response and reflection.

My starting point is my personal experience of being “corrected” during my childhood and school years growing up in China. I want to question what is “correct” and “normal” behaviour. There were also very clear regulations to “correct” students’ hairstyle and clothing style in middle school. Chinese society has a stereotyped expected image of a “perfect person”, being a good student at school and having an ideal occupation such as a doctor, lawyer or teacher, which are typical Chinese parents’ expectations. It gave me a feeling that people all grow up in an invisible set mould. That is why I have used the fruit shaping mould as a metaphor for uniformity and conformity. Fruits are unable to grow up freely, nor can they choose the shape they grow into. They have been in the mould from the moment they were born, so they don’t even know what a truly normal and natural fruit looks like. Just like people who want to become a “perfect” person in my society, they are trying so hard to be someone being recognized by people of universal values. However, they will never know who they really are.

https://graduateshowcase.arts.ac.uk/projects/255134/cover

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Hello, pumpkins! X-inderella is an online magazine, as well as a blog, dedicated to all those who love vintage and contemporary fashion, who care about gender identity issues, and who aspire to share their bold voices in a more open environment. Perhaps you were born into a traditional family environment and grew up with strict parents, or were once trapped in sloppy school uniforms and had to cut your hair short at the behest of your school. The past is like a jigsaw puzzle that makes up the person you are now: determined, distinctive, and sassy!  

All the articles in the debut issue are made up of interviews with Gen Z artists, who have just embarked on their journey into the fashion industry. They range from freshly graduated jewellery designers who declare “a sincere person with courage is a modern Prometheus challenging the gods”, to ambitious fashion designers who are commercial-wise enough to establish their own labels and even queer stylists who believe ‘‘a woman can be narcissistic, but she cannot be stagnant.” They share the same passion for fashion and the world, all whilst owning sensitive and vulnerable souls inside.  This is why X-inderella exists: to gather like-minded people and support each other. You are never alone! So what if life doesn’t have a fairy godmother who can do magic? Self-salvation is a proud ability. Dry your tears, hold on to what you love, and never lose your sincere heart. 

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https://graduateshowcase.arts.ac.uk/projects/276320/cover

Exploring the potential of locally sourced materials, handmade processes and traditional crafts to create meaningful pieces.

In this project I explore the opportunities that locally sourced waste presents – specifically its potential within the field of textile and fashion design. Each final artifact is crafted as sustainably as possible, completely chemical free and fabricated by hand wherever possible.

Inspired by the stories of the porters at Billingsgate Fish Market, my work focuses on the importance of preservation, highlighting the little known cultural heritage of under-represented communities that might become all but forgotten within the context of an increasingly globalised society.

Imagining a fish-skin atelier, my first collection consists of a set of tools necessary to treat fish skin and transform it into leather. The resulting garments and final artifacts are inspired by traditional fishermen and fishmongers’ aesthetics and work uniforms.

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