Higher Seminars
The Higher Seminars consist of lectures around the field of design. Some of the lectures are given by researchers and designers close to home. Others are external to present different methods, know-how, and insight into discussions across a wide range of issues facing the industry, from sustainable design and supply chains to opportunities and developments in technology.
The Higher Seminars primarily target The Swedish School of Textiles' PhD, MA and BA students of fashion and textile design. However, the seminars are also open and available to all, meaning that anyone can come and listen.
Moderator and organiser: Saina Koohnavard, fashion design lecturer at the Department of Design, The Swedish School of Textiles.
Below is the schedule for upcoming seminars.
Welcome!
Location and time
When: Tuesdays, even-numbered weeks, at 13:00-14:30
Where: Zoom/Campus
Autumn 2024
The seminars of the autumn semester take place on Zoom or campus. More information can be found under each seminar.
1 October - Caroline Connor, Material Guidance
Lecture title: You Came Here to Become a Designer but You Will Become...
A career is never straight, it is a journey where you will be guided in many directions, both voluntarily and unwillingly. Cherish your studies at THS to prepare for your travels ahead.
Let me guide you through my routes from Glasgow to Sweden and 24 years of discovering that I am much more than a designer….
Educated with an MA in Textile Design from Royal College of Art, London, Caroline has worked as a consultant in CMF design and product development roles predominantly in the automotive industry. Today she offers consultancy services within Ecodesign and ESG topics as founder and owner of material Guidance Sweden AB.
Time: 13:00 - 14:30
Location: Vestindien A
15 October - Roei Derhi, Placebo
Fashion lovers are increasingly embracing digital fashion—clothing and accessories that exist only in virtual spaces like social media and gaming platforms. But why is digital fashion so important, and how will it transform the industry? In this lecture, we’ll explore key innovations like Web3, phygital fashion, blockchain, and extended reality (XR). You'll learn how these technologies are creating new possibilities for sustainable, inclusive fashion and reshaping the future of design, craftsmanship, and the consumer experience.
Roei Derhi is a fashion designer and 3D artist who incorporates technology into his creations. After his graduation show at the Shenkar College fashion department, H&M recruited Derhi and relocated him to Sweden to join their design team. In 2021, Derhi established the innovative and futuristic fashion brand, PLACEBO, collaborating with celebrities and big fashion companies such as three ASFOUR and Beyonce. He merges low-tech and high-tech, past with future, and physical with digital in his creations. Derhi has built a reputation as a unique Fashion-Tech specialist, speaking at conferences, and events, and lecturing at Shenkar's fashion department and Think Tank Canada.
Time: 13:00 - 14:30
Location: Zoom
29 October - Lena Berglin
Lecture title: A Diffractive Practice – Vagueness as a Resource in Scientific Research and Art
In systematic scientific material studies, vagueness is generally discouraged. The word "vague" comes from the Latin “vaccus”, meaning vacant, empty, or unoccupied. In German, “woge” refers to a sea swell, evoking the ideas of movement, oscillation, instability, and fluctuation. However, vagueness can also be understood as something free, available, and performative. In 2012, I began incorporating vagueness into both my research and creative practices in collaboration with artist Kajsa G. Eriksson. Now, a decade later, I am drawn to explore how the concept of vagueness has shaped my work, blurring the lines between creative and scientific material exploration.
Lena Berglin is a researcher and designer at the Department of Textile Technology at The Swedish School of Textiles. Alongside her research, Berglin co-manages the artistic studio Vague Research Studios with Visual Artist Ph.D. Kajsa G. Eriksson and Graphic designer Milena Karlsson. Her scientific research focuses primarily on the movement of liquids and moisture within textile structures. This knowledge has applications in fields such as healthcare products and functional clothing, while also offering visually intriguing experiences involving textile fibers, yarns, and structures. Recently, Berglin completed the art project "Technology as Ritual" in collaboration with artist Kajsa G. Eriksson and video artist Maria Magnusson.
Time: 13:00 - 14:30
Location: Vestindien A
12 November - Otto von Busch
More information will come soon.
Time: 13:00 - 14:30
Location: Zoom