Cognitive psychologist Carolyn Mair, PhD, found her calling in 2011 when she was stunned to learn that there were no psychology professors at the London College of Fashion at the University of the Arts London. How, Mair wondered, could a school of fashion teach students about creativity and consumer behavior without psychologists?
To address that oversight, Mair gave a talk at the school that convinced school administrators to create a position for her. She built a psychology of fashion department and created two master’s programs, and eventually an undergraduate program, on how psychological research can inform the fashion industry and how to conduct ethical, rigorous research.
Then, in 2017 Mair left academe to become a consultant for fashion brands that want to better understand the needs of workers and consumers and to enhance their sustainability, among other goals. One of the fashion industry’s most pressing issues is the alarming pollution it creates, says Mair. The Ellen MacArthur Foundation has predicted that if the industry continues to grow at its current rate, by 2050, it will be responsible for 25 percent of the world’s carbon emissions.
"Fashion brands and companies need to produce differently, and we all need to buy differently, and psychologists can help because we understand behavior change," says Mair, who now works with several global and London-based clothing brands on ways to become greener and produce clothing that is more desirable to consumers.
Her book, "The Psychology of Fashion," was published last year, and her groundbreaking work to bring psychology to a whole new industry will be honored this summer with the Award for Distinguished Contributions to Psychology Education from the British Psychological Society. The Monitor talked with Mair about why the fashion industry needs more psychologists’ expertise.
Why is it so important to bring psychological science to fashion?
From design to disposal, fashion is all about human behavior. We use fashion and clothing to shape and change our identity, to announce who we are. Yet the fashion industry is often ignored by psychologists. It is seen as frivolous, but it isn’t—it’s a huge global industry worth billions. And it’s a powerful industry, because we all wear and buy clothes. Psychologists understand and can predict human behavior, so we are the people who can address the psychological issues in fashion that need the most attention.
What are the top concerns?
One is fashion imagery. There has been an increase in mental health issues among younger people, and a lot of it appears to be about their use of social media, much of which centers around fashion. Many young people are very concerned these days about their appearance, and comparison with edited social media images can result in unhealthy habits and mental health problems. Another trend originating from social media is wearing the same thing just once. I find that worrying, as it promotes a throwaway culture that is unsustainable.
Another is mental health in the fashion industry itself. Designers are under huge pressure to produce collections six times a year without any concern for the mental health issues that can come with that, such as anxiety. The industry also needs to change the way it educates its new designers. Fashion students are criticized in harsh ways. Many say this approach prepares students for the real world, but it is far too damaging. It perpetuates the cycle—when those students are then in a position of power, they do the same. The sustainability issue is also very concerning. Some brands are becoming more outwardly conscious and trying to be less damaging to the environment. It is taking time, but changes are happening.
How could psychologists be most useful?
One way is to work for schools of fashion that want to help consumers spend more wisely. Psychologists could help by studying where bad habits are first developed and then designing interventions to address them. Where does that push to buy five items of clothing in a cheap shop instead of one item come from? How can we change it while keeping fashion affordable? Psychologists can also challenge people to look at how many items in their wardrobe they’re actually wearing. Most of us probably don’t need more clothes, but we want new products because we get bored. Fashion feeds our craving for novelty, but the industry needs to do that in a more socially responsible way. We can help by guiding these companies and doing more research on sustainable production as well as reuse and recycling.
I just co-authored a paper with a graduate student and colleague that will be published in the International Journal of Fashion Studies this year that looked at the value of people’s attachment to their clothing, with the aim of using the findings to improve sustainability. We need to find ways to engage people with their clothing so they feel they have made an ethical choice when they put it on.
What are you doing to help?
I recently worked with a nongovernmental organization on how to communicate the benefits of a circular economy—reusing or recycling fashion so that it doesn’t end up in landfills. That project involved several European and global London-based brands. I’ve also worked with a British company on improving the durability of their styles and products, again tapping into the sustainable fashion movement. They want to encourage consumers to buy items that may be more expensive than cheaper High Street brands but that are classic styles that they’ll want to wear longer. Every step is progress.
