Amy carling is a third year fashion promotion student at manchester metropolitan university WITH THE AIM to specialise in
graphic design, illustration and videography. she has always had aN APTITUDE of knowing what looks
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aesthetically pleasing, and is known for thinking unconventionally. with the ultimate goal of opening up her own business, amy
is a dedicated individual with big dreams and through her creative flare with adobe
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softwares such as illustrator, photoshop and PREMIERE PRO, she has hopes of helping the fashion industry become a
eco-friendly one. FILM MAKING/EDITING, drawing and branding ARE HER KEY AREAS OF INTEREST, allowing
her to undertake projects where messages can be communicated to the world. being a lover of nature, adventure and
spontaneity, amy is a free-spirited creative wanting to help businesses radiate their identity to the full.
3 FASHION-RELATED TOPICS THAT ARE MEANINGFUL TO ME AND WHY?
gender fluidity acceptance
When it comes to what an individual decides to wear I don't think there should be any boundaries. Gender fluid clothing is on the rise at last and I personally believe this is a positive milestone within the industry (Friedman, 2017). I'm of the opinion that we shouldn't be scrutinised for what we want to wear whether it be stereotypically a 'men's garment' or a 'women's garment'. Growing up with a Dad and an older brother, both of whom I greatly admire, was very influential on how I chose and still choose to dress sometimes. As a child and teenager I was often made to feel embarrassed for having a 'tomboy' aesthetic therefore I think that it is refreshing that there is now more acceptance amongst society due to it being communicated in a more positive light.
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fast fashion needs to be eradicated
My understanding of the impact of fast fashion on the environment has increased dramatically in the past year and I wish I was more aware prior to it being covered more in news outlets. I have always been a grateful and appreciative individual of the world's natural beauty and I believe that the detrimental consequences of fast fashion such as water pollution, toxic chemical use and too much textile waste is not something that can be ignored. While the industry can aim to produce clothing that is made in a more ethical manner, the best way to help the negative impacts of fast fashion would be to recycle and not be opposed to wearing second hand clothing (Perry, 2018).
Second-hand clothing market
Wearing clothing from second hand stores such as thrift shops, charity shops and vintage shops was previously surrounded by a stigma and being branded as 'unhygienic' and for the 'poor'. While it's positive this stigma is being fought against, I believe that it needs to be eradicated completely. The future of fashion is going to be revolving around reusing clothing, primarily for environmental reasons (Kirshenbaum, 2018) . For me, whilst my acquisition behind buying second hand apparel is partially to be 'green', buying clothes from such places I believe gives my style more character and individuality. It's also down to sentimental reasons as I have often been very open to accept passed down clothes from family and friends.