Teresa Kroenung

This research explores the new cultural awareness of gender differences, variations and thoughts on the construction of gender dimorphism in the fashion industry. 

The creative practice of this research may be speculative and is not - at this stage - defined as garment making or designing. The research will include a discussion of the concept of fashion design practice and may argue for a more diverse definition of design as creative practice. 

The research takes into account the extent to which traditional definitions of gender as 'male' and 'female' form an innate part of a capitalist ideology, and will consider the arguments that connect feminism to social transformation. The research proposes to replace the concept of 'androgyny' in fashion with the concept of 'ambiguity'. This relates to the first year analysis that androgyny is a concept too much defined by gender duality, whereas contemporary culture is proposing a wider and more nuanced range of identities.

The practice dimension of the research may reconnect with a creative design activity that is part of a new culture that works beyond conventions of the gender binary.