Van Dyke Lewis
Associate Professor
2009
FSADWeb Bio Page
Current Activities
Current Professional Activities
- International Textiles & Apparel Association
- Design Research Society
- Popular Culture Association
Current Research Activities
The Self and Fashion: Interwoven throughout all fashion output is the
individual. The Self versus the Fashion industry is a situational
construct of imbalance and appropriation. This study considers the
relevancy of the Fashion industry in regard to emerging global issues
that will impact the design, production and presentation of Fashion.
Further
the study explores alternative constructs such as the Self in regard to
the Fashion industry and questions the future of practice, trend
origination and transfer, and empowerment. The thought that design
should be led by issues and not aesthetic concepts provokes new focus
to the oppositions and benefits of this relationship and develops a new
cartography of Fashion practice at a time when society’s systems and
structures are in upheaval.
New Masculinities: The challenge is understand the extent to which the menswear industry may need to become more strategic and flexible in order to adapt to a changing market. The project explores masculinities in America, with focus on young men's fashion exploration of visual dialogues in advertising and other such outcroppings are compared to real life fashion configurations. Investigations are made through the establishment of types and examination of their variance from industry promoted holdings.
Fashion Undergrounds: This project considers fashion utopias, deviancy and protest as the basis for a unraveling the fashion under the radar with in the space of the big city. The contrast with the earlier Ithaca Fashion Project is cause for comparison, as is the conscious marginality of the temporary encampment of the festival as transcendence toward normalizing resistance and deviancy. Despite attempts of escape, disorder and deregulation through individual and group fashion expressions the fashion underground is discussed in Baurdrillardian terms as hyper conforming.
Biography
Biographical Statement
Van Dyk Lewis teaches a range of courses that include a graduate course in fashion theory, undergraduate courses in fashion graphics, fashion design creativity and process, and portfolio presentation. In interrogating contemporary fashion and its meaning within cultures he uses ethnography, social psychology and poststructural criticism. Current research includes studies of masculinities, fashion blogs, sustainable fashion design practice and the fashion underground.
Administrative Responsibilities
Keywords
Design, Culture, Ethnography, Fashion
Courses, Websites, Pubs
Courses Taught
- FSAD 1170 - Fashion Graphics
- FSAD 4010 - Independent Studies
- FSAD 4700 - Fashion Presentation: Portfolio Development
- FSAD 6700 - Fashion Theory
Related Websites
- All courses (except 401courses) have Blackboard websites.
- Cornell Design League (CDL)
- "FEEDBAK-Pendleton" on Facebook and Twitter
Selected Publications
Book Chapters (editor reviewed)
Lewis, V.D. (2008). Developing strategies for a typology of sustainable fashion. In Ulasewicz, C., & Hethorn, J. (Eds.), Sustainability fashion, why now? New York: Fairchild.
Lewis, V.D. (2007). Sizing and clothing aesthetics. In Ashdown, S. (Ed.) Sizing in clothing. (pp. 309-327). Cambridge: Woodhead.