Lunchtime Lecture: (Un)fashionable Fictions: Re-thinking the stories told through fashion

Storytelling is a defining trait of humans and fashion has an important role in the construction and narration of the tales people share. Join historian, Benjamin Wild as we explore how many stories told through fashion are western-centric, but a shift is occurring as the industry becomes more aware of its social responsibility. This talk tells the story of the change that is afoot.

Benjamin Wild is a cultural historian. His work seeks to understand how people’s engagement with the past shapes the stories they tell about themselves and their communities, and the form these narratives take when expressed through material culture, particularly dress. His latest book is 'Hang-Ups: Reflections on the Causes and Consequences of Fashion’s ‘Western’-Centrism'. He is Senior Lecturer in Fashion Narratives at Manchester Metropolitan University.