Materialised memory in clothing
Teleica Kirkland, our latest speaker, is a fashion historian, Lecturer in Cultural and Historical Studies (CHS) at London College of Fashion. She is also a PhD candidate at Goldsmiths University and the founder and Creative Director of the Costume Institute of the African Diaspora.
CIAD website here
Image by Messrs
Another month brought the FACE community together for our guest sessions. We were enlightened by the expertise of the multi-talented academic, Teleica Kirkland, who shared details of her role as Creative Director of the Costume Institution of the African Diaspora (CIAD) and details of her doctoral studies.
Dressing for respectability and acceptance
The creative agency CIAD is a platform to help redress the balance of historical and current representation within fashion studies with continued dialogue and research focusing on researching aspects of the African diaspora, dress history and use history to develop projects and events.
IMage Messers
Founded over 10 years ago, this interdisciplinary platform was birthed to focus on the need for showcasing the sartorial expressions of the African Diaspora. Giving home for a repository of research on dress and adornment practices.
Image Messers
A key aim of CIAD is to democratise and pluralise the scope of what is deemed fashion and bring greater awareness to the practices of those across the globe.
Another aim is to see the community flourish into an international cultural exchange programme combining the expertise and scope of global learning institutions, practitioners and businesses that is mutually beneficial for all parties involved.
Teleica explores the thinking behind terminologies such as ‘fashion’ and ‘fashioning’. This enquiry has grown out of her research and frustrations of the lack of awareness related to dress worn in communities and cultures of the African Diaspora.
One example, a project entitled, Tartan: Its Journey Through the African Diaspora is accompanied by short feature documentary providing context to the exhibition.
With sponsorship support from the likes of the V&A, the project underwent a UK-wide tour, including to Scotland where Tartan is tantamount.
Watch the CIAD: Tartan Project Documentary here
The future indicates growth in all areas for Teleica, with plans for the second CIAD bi-annual dress conference in person; initially postponed due to the global pandemic and lockdown.
And future aspirations include exploring wider global regions where national dress is synonymous with the African Diaspora, such as in South and Central America.
Some extracts from the talk detailed below, help to provide some insight into the evening and the atmosphere that was ultimately felt by all who attended:
“Your PhD is fascinating… respectability… makes me also think about wearing your ‘Sunday Best’, personhood and identity too.”
“Elderly black women are the ancestors, the elders we need to learn from”
“It was an incredible event and vibe”
“Teleica, as you say, it’s the biography of objects that could be a key way to gain more stories from people… just lovely”
“Teleica, such an interesting research and project. Your discussion of fashion and wellbeing and also the use of palm fronts reminds me of working in Ecuador. The weavers use of paja tolquilla fibre to make panama hats and a weaving practice that is deeply embedded in community, has some parallels. The health aspect to fashion is so important and tied up with community.”
“Teleica, what you were talking about made me think of materialised memory in clothing”
“Thanks a lot! It was brilliant”
“Thank you so much”
A sentiment mirrored by all in attendance! Thank you Teleica!
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@CIADuk
Text By Ruth Jacob