Research

As well as facilitating critical conversations about clothing and fashion in public discourse, whether through media or public talks, The Stitchery Collective frequently writes and presents about our creative practice for academic journals and conferences. The opportunity these forum offer for critical reflection and rigorous analysis of our work is both generative and deeply satisfying. The below list presents a selection of our collaborative articles, chapters and presentations on The Stitchery’s practice and creative outcomes over the last decade.

 

Celebrating Bowery: Radical Costume Parties as Queer Heterotopia in Brisbane

This article discusses the importance of Bowery as a figure in designing the party in terms of the nature of participant responses, as his legacy provides a subversive approach to costuming the self. The analysis focuses on strategies for and the importance of making and holding space, both physical and virtual, for alternate visions of the body – an empowering ethic that celebrates diversity and inclusivity.

Hickey, Anna Germaine, Madeline Taylor, and Remi Roehrs  (2020)

Studies in Costume & Performance, 2020-06-01, Vol.5 (1), p.85-100. DOI: 10.1386/scp_00015_1 

 

Manifesto of dress: Political Intersections in Fashion Lecture-Performances

This article argues for the consideration of the lecture-performance as a genre that offers rich possibilities for critical fashion discourse, one that is uniquely suited to the material, embodied nature of clothing. The Stitchery Collective explored moments in history that demonstrate fashion’s capacity to resist, rebel and turn the political into the fabulous.

Taylor, Madeline, Kiara Bulley, and Anna Hickey (2019)

Clothing Cultures, Volume 6, Number 2, 1 June 2019, pp. 265-280(16). DOI: https://doi.org/10.1386/cc_00016_1

 

Venerating Leigh Bowery: Extreme Public Costumes

Inspired by performance artist, queer icon and costume lover Leigh Bowery, The Stitchery Collective has curated a series of events encouraging radical dress up. These immersive and celebratory occasions emphasise the performativity of dress, and the significance of costume as a way to enable social risk taking and experimentation. This work was displayed as part of the Critical Costume exhibition in 2018 in the UK.

Taylor, Madeline, Anna Hickey, Kiara Bulley, Sarah Winter, Remi Roehrs, and Bianca Bulley  (2018)

In Critical Costume 2018, 2018-09-12 – 2018-09-14, Guilford, United Kingdom

 

Making it Up Together: Exploring Nontraditional Fashion Practice in Design Collectives

This paper explored Australian design collective, The Stitchery Collective, suggesting their work and methods of practice as models that enable the intersection of creative, critical and inclusive approaches to fashion practice.

Taylor, Madeline, Kiara Bulley, and Anna Hickey (2020)

Conference paper presented at ‘Critical Fashion Studies’, University of Melbourne, 27 – 29 February 2020.

 

Under the Skin: Designing Contemporary Experiences in Fashion Display

The Stitchery Collective draws upon multiple design perspectives through their diverse collections of skill sets. Individual members work across fashion, theatre production and performance design and all bring their unique approach to designing and curating space, clothing and immersive environments.

Bulley, Kiara, Sarah Winter, Bianca Bulley, and Madeline Taylor (2016)

Conference paper presented at ‘Cumulus Design Conference’, Hong Kong Design Institute, 21 – 24 November 2016.

 

The Stitchery Collective Position Paper

This paper introduces ‘the stitchery collective’ – a fashion based artist-run-initiative. First the paper overviews the collective’s broad mission (to use fashion for good) and outlines its operational status. It closes with a brief reflection on how ‘the stitchery collective’ can be seen to contribute to, or align with, the field known as with social innovation.

Horton, Kath (2011)

In CCI Symposium : The Big Picture Socio-Cultural Research and Australia’s Policy Challenges, 2011-07-27 – 2011-07-29. (Unpublished). https://eprints.qut.edu.au/60759/1/The_stitchery_collective_position_paper.pdf