Wearing Sound: Foundations of Sonic Design

Abstract

Fashion is primarily a visual ontology consisting of definitions, theory and methods
that are based on visual language. This research revises fashion by approaching it
from a different—sonic—perspective wherein sound is considered not as a negative
aspect but as a potential source of a new theory and facilitator of the evolution of
new methods. Sound is thus presented not as a secondary quality of designed objects,
but as the main idea-generator. The research opens new avenues for design thinking
with ears rather than eyes. This thesis explores clothing and fashion from the
perspective of listening rather than seeing, sounding rather than showing, and is
a form of rethinking and redefining fashion by starting with the statement
that dress is sound.

An investigation into sonic expressions is seen as a disruptive fashion practice, and
could be described as a process of ‘unlearning’—encouraging one to leave behind
pre-existing knowledge of fashion expressions by focusing on something else when
defining and designing processes. That something else is sonic expressions.
By rethinking the dressed body as a matter of sound gestalt, this research goes
beyond existing communication models in fashion design to examine sonic
language, wherein foundational definitions play a central role and form the basis
for the new practice. The research was designed to facilitate the exploration and
design of sonic expressions.

The research addresses an identified gap in knowledge through the Sonic Fashion
Ontology, which constitutes new, foundational knowledge of sonic expression.
The research findings challenge existing theory with new terms, definitions,
methods, and tools, and show the importance of understanding fashion as a
platform for new knowledge production and critical thinking, along with
unlearning and rethinking preconceptions of what dress is and could be.
Furthermore, the results have implications for ways of thinking in design
in relation to e.g. diverse communities such as the visually impaired.