Shirley Mclauchlan
Job title:
Lecturer, Design and ESALA
Office:
Hunter Building, P7a
Research Output:
Edinburgh Research Explorer linkBiography
Shirley Mclauchlan has been a lecturer/researcher at Edinburgh College of Art (Textiles department) for the past 25 years.
Alongside her work at ECA she has her own design practice www.shirleymclauchlan.design. Her design ethos has sustainable design at the core.
A focus on hand skills and product longevity, her work is best described as making modern day family heirlooms. Her research has seen her explore the benefits that hand skills can have on ‘Repairing Clothes Planet and Soul’.
Current research includes a collaboration into regenerative textiles @seed_ed
Through practiced based research she explores the benefits of hand skills.
Recent projects with The King's Foundation further explore community engagement, wellbeing & hand skills.
Part-time lecturer at Edinburgh College of Art since 1999, working with first year to Master students within the Textiles department. My research regards sustainable design is embedded into my teaching. Constantly challenging the role of commercial design and sustainability.
Lecturer within the School of Landscape and Architecture since 2014. Working with the Art & Design team developing drawing and design thinking/process.
Research
Research
Area of research for the past 20 years has been focused around sustainability. Exploring through theory and practice the question of how to work as a commercial textile designer in a sustainable manner.
I have over the years facilitated many workshops exploring hand stitching and discussion. I enjoy working with a wide variety of ages and skills. I like to encourage the audience to simply try with the importance on enjoyment. The mending and repair aspect is a secondary aspect of the workshop.
Influences
I am enjoying the added bonus stitching has with regards to good mental health:
- Read an article about how the calming effects of sewing can help people express and heal themselves (The Guardian)
Related projects
Edinburgh Climate Festival 2019: Personalised mending workshops held in The Meadows Edinburgh during the Climate change festival on the 6th July 2019.
During Fashion Revolution week April 2019 I ran a public engagement workshop highlighting the effect fast fashion has on communities and the environment. During the workshops discussions were had and mending techniques were explored as possible alternatives to the buying and throwing away of fashion garments.
Public paid event at the V&A Dundee in which my film was shown and I was an invited panellist.
Academic research papers for PLATE, 2015, 2017, 2019
Future research workshops:
- #100daysprojectscotland2019 work will be exhibited in Edinburgh in October 2019
- Designing for and with garment repair: an exploration of future possibilities. Durrani, Marium(a), Niinimäki, Kirsi(a), McLauchlan, Shirley(b) a) Aalto University, Espoo, Finland) Edinburgh College of Art, Edinburgh, United Kingdom. Accepted September 2019. | Find out more >
- Workshop Research visit: October 2019: Sustainable Fashion Research Project at Donghua University, Shanghai.
PhD Supervision Topics
- Sustainable design
