At this symposium, we will ask: how can we use fashion and textiles to shift prevailing narratives around refugees and foster cultural sustainability and social change?

This event is part of the public engagement and cultural programme of the AHRC-funded project ‘Decolonising Fashion and Textiles’ delivered by Centre for Sustainable Fashion, UAL, in partnership with the V&A and other organisations. The participatory action research project explores the lived experiences of London-based refugees and asylum seekers in relation to the themes of cultural sustainability and community resilience. Throughout a reciprocal process of learning and making fashion and textiles, the project team and participants reflected on refugee’s shifting identities, cultural heritage, and collective visions for a sustainable future.