Capulana in a D4S Perspective:
Identity, Tradition and Fashion-able Challenges in the 21st century
- Name
- Sofia Vilarinho
- Year
- 2019
- Institution
- Lisbon School of Architecture Universidade de Lisboa
- Supervisors
- Henri Christiaans, Maria Paula Meneses
- Discipline
- Fashion Design
- Scope
- Sustainability
- Taxonomy
- Praxiology
- Type
- Theoretical
- Language
- English
- Wordcount / Pagecount
- 92,961 / 204
- Joint supervision
- No
Design for Sustainability methodologies in defining fashion-able practices based on capulana’s
Research Process (9 methods)
x
Urban Maputo; local markets, consumer behaviour, small tailors, stores.
Young designers, tailors, young consumers.
Maputo tailors
African tailors residing in Lisbon
EPAT (Education Platform for African Tailors) is the educational training program developed for resident/immigrant African tailors in the Professional Trade School MODATEX
EPAT students
3 sessions of Forum of Dialogue with Capulana experts
Young African women (3 emergent African fashion designers and 1 emergent Mozambican artist)
| # | Name of Method | Research Phase | Research Approach | Researcher Role | Object of Study / Participants | N |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Literature review | Exploratory | Qualitative | x | x | x |
| 2 | Coolhunting | Exploratory | Qualitative | Observational | Urban Maputo; local markets, consumer behaviour, small tailors, stores. | unspecified |
| 3 | Interview | Exploratory | Qualitative | x | Young designers, tailors, young consumers. | 25 |
| 4 | Interview | Exploratory | Qualitative | x | Maputo tailors | unspecified |
| 5 | Interview | Exploratory | Qualitative | x | African tailors residing in Lisbon | unspecified |
| 6 | CoDesign | Generative | x | Design process | EPAT (Education Platform for African Tailors) is the educational training program developed for resident/immigrant African tailors in the Professional Trade School MODATEX | unspecified |
| 7 | Questionnaire | Evaluative | Qualitative | x | EPAT students | unspecified |
| 8 | Focus group | Generative | Qualitative | Observational | 3 sessions of Forum of Dialogue with Capulana experts | unspecified |
| 9 | CoDesign | Generative | x | Design process | Young African women (3 emergent African fashion designers and 1 emergent Mozambican artist) | 4 |
Knowledge Transfer & Exchange
Knowledge Exchange (PhD Process): Exchange with community representatives
| IK&T | Academia | Design Practice | Society |
|---|---|---|---|
| Context | No | No | No |
| Vision | No | No | No |
| Means | No | Yes | Yes |
Recommendations (5)
Extend co-learning, non-formal co-production laboratories such as EPAT and Capulanar to other graduate design schools and formal learning environments.
- Scope:
- Macro
- Time Horizon:
- Medium
- Evidence Strength:
- Indicative
- Feasibility:
- Medium
Reinforce formal accreditation, technical upskilling, and labor recognition for African immigrant tailors through tailored educational programs.
- Scope:
- Meso → Macro
- Time Horizon:
- Medium
- Evidence Strength:
- Indicative
- Feasibility:
- Medium
Design training programs that integrate technical and theoretical learning simultaneously within a shared cultural context, contextualizing knowledge transfer at each phase.
- Scope:
- Meso
- Time Horizon:
- Short → Medium
- Evidence Strength:
- Indicative
- Feasibility:
- High
Use cultural knowledge as a design resource to co-create products that embody affectivity and slow-fashion, thereby strengthening African identity in diaspora contexts.
- Scope:
- Macro
- Time Horizon:
- Long
- Evidence Strength:
- Exploratory
- Feasibility:
- Medium
Develop Capulanar as an open-source platform to update the uncut capulana in contemporary African sartorial practices and to position emerging Mozambican designers within sustainable fashion systems.
- Scope:
- Meso → Macro
- Time Horizon:
- Medium
- Evidence Strength:
- Indicative
- Feasibility:
- Medium