Clutter: Creativity + collaboration in fashion education

Fashion is a mix of the tangible and the intangible: it brings together craftsmanship and material expertise with storytelling and imagination. In this process, the role of the individual and the group are interconnected. One person’s creativity influences others, leading to a multiplicative process.

In this book, designer and educator Andrea Cammarosano examines how these dynamics can be applied to education. While fashion education often focuses on individual expression, collaborative processes and group creativity can broaden perspectives, fostering systems of collective creation. The book proposes that skill-training and craft — foundations of tangible creation in fashion— can act as tools to connect personal discovery with collective imagination.

This exploration began at the Royal Academy of Arts Antwerp and expanded over four years to include two other leading institutions: HEAD–Genève, Haute école d’art et de design, in Geneva and NABA, Nuova Accademia di Belle Arti, in Milan. An elaborate inquiry on craft and materials was made possible through a partnership with Gruppocinque, a textile company recognized for its creative approach.

The book includes a large collection of artworks made during workshops and activities at the three schools, as well as stories and feedback from students and teachers. It also offers manuals and practical ideas for building education programs focused on craft and creativity.

This publication is for anyone passionate about working with crafts and materials, and for people who want to use these skills to create strong and creative teams. It is especially useful for educators and young designers looking for ideas on how to organize projects and creative processes in groups or collectives.

The book includes conversations with crafters, educators, and textile industry professionals, such as designers Walter Van Beirendonck and Lutz Huelle, and Sara Sozzani Maino, Creative Director at Fondazione Sozzani and International New Talent & Brands Ambassador for Camera Nazionale Moda Italiana.

'CLU++ER: Creativity + Collaboration in Fashion Education' is the result of Andrea Cammarosano's PhD research at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts Antwerp and ARIA/UAntwerp, and is published by Track Report / Royal Academy of Fine Arts Antwerp, in collaboration with HEAD–Genève, Haute École des Arts et Design (Geneva, CH), and NABA, Nuova Accademia di Belle Arti (Milan, IT), with the support of Gruppocinque Luxury Fabrics and MoMu - ModeMuseum Antwerp.