Kidswear by Kids and Me

'Kidswear by Kids and Me' is a practice-based fashion project that explores the use of co-design with children, providing children with a platform for expression and individuality, free from the usual adult constructs found in the current childrenswear sector. As a designer, I was inspired by the concept; “What matters to children may differ from what is seen as important by adults” (Clark & Statham, 2005), and by toy designer Cas Holman’s approach to creative space, enabling children to express themselves outside of the normal constructs of play and design Participants ages 8-11 were recruited and took part in creative workshops, the purpose of which were to capture the wants and desires of children in the current activewear sector. I provided trend imagery, fabric swatches and activewear samples from competitive brands for the participants to work with to give them inspiration and context throughout the workshops. From this the children selected fabrics they felt were comfortable, inspiring and exciting and this is directly reflected in my collection. My aim in the future is to continue with my research, seeking the positive outcomes of co-designing with children, looking at fashion concepts that better reflect children as consumers, and the positive psychological benefits that fashion can bring to the childrenswear market.