The Digital Anthropology Lab (DAL) at London College of Fashion, University of the Arts London, is an emerging research centre dedicated to making smarter technology for a better human experience.
Based at our Oxford Street site, it works across industry and academia through the lens of fashion and tech. Students have access to the equipment and academics in the Lab via monthly 'Digital Coffee' sessions where they can take ideas or ask for advice, and the Collaborative Unit that all Masters courses take at LCF offers students an array of mixed-disciplinarary group projects include a number with DAL.
The Collaborative Unit
A unique aspect of studying a Masters degree at London College of Fashion is the Collaborative Unit that students undertake. The Collaborative Unit is a cross-disciplinary collaboration on a choice of live projects designed to reflect the kind of problem solving team work graduates will experience in the creative industries. Students in groups of two or more can submit an idea to be developed or apply for a brief set by LCF staff, and recent projects include Omni, an idealised factory model exploring vertically integrated production methods of woollen thread or cloth, and Smart Sight; a prototype of a smart accessory that would assist visually impaired people in their mobility.
As well as close mentoring from staff and industry contacts, Collaborative Unit students work with research, enterprise and social responsibility groups across LCF, gaining a valuable insight into the work that LCF undertakes to move the fashion industry forward.
Many of the project teams work with the Digital Anthropology Lab, and two examples are below; Elevate, jewellery that buzzes to warn the wearer of bad posture, and Ground Control, using ferrofluid to create bespoke footwear.
The Elevate team are Olivia Sylvan (MA Fashion Entrepreneurship and Innovation), Yuting Xiang (MA Fashion Photography) and Qiu Zhimeng (MA Fashion Futures).
Team Ground Control are Jo Cope (MA Fashion Artefact), Tegan Power, (MA Fashion Footwear), Chaolun Zhang (MA Strategic Fashion Marketing).
Smardrobe are Katherine Gowin, (MA Fashion Entrepreneurship), Alexa Feng Kai Chan ( MA Fashion Futures), Nikita Singh (MA Strategic Fashion Marketing) and they worked with Iotic Labs to create clothes that monitor your environment to optimize washing systems.
Companies
London College of Fashion, UAL
- Education & Research