Collaborating with Claremont Project, an arts and well-being centre for people aged 55 and over

Can you tell us a little about the workshop at the Claremont Project, what is the project and how did it come about?

• Soljana: The MSc Applied Psychology in Fashion has a long history of organising workshops at the Claremont Project, which is an arts and well-being centre for people aged 55+ in Islington. The Covid-19 pandemic interrupted this collaboration until the centre’s Programme Manager contacted me in November 2022. We decided to resume the collaboration and Abbie, Camila, and Nell volunteered to organise the workshop this year. Focusing on power dressing in the 1980s, they delivered a presentation on the psychological aspects of this trend. They helped workshop attendees reminisce about the 80s and then guided them through a task which involved recreating 80s looks and framing the results. The aim was for the students to apply concepts they have learnt during their MSc to contribute to the Claremont Project’s mission of enhancing well-being in older adults.

How did the workshop contribute to your knowledge of psychological concepts learned during your course? - such as the relevance of memory and enclothed cognition.

• Abbie: The workshop helped me gain anecdotal insight into 'enclothed cognition' - how clothing impacts human cognition, through the shared experiences of the group members. In addition, since some research suggests we remember our teens, twenties, and thirties best, engaging with older people and asking them to reminisce about this time period in their life, helped to embed our understanding of this application of memory.
• Camila: By discussing the impact of clothing on moods and attitudes, we stimulated participants' memories and nostalgia. It was fascinating to see how fashion trends of different eras shaped their diverse identities and influenced their thoughts and behaviours. This highlighted life's dynamic nature, emphasising the significance of memory and reminiscing, enclothed cognition, and the role of fashion in personal development.
• Nell: Listening to the past experiences of the group members emphasised the importance of memory and enclothed cognition in that moments can become significant simply because of an item of clothing someone was wearing at the time of a certain event and how it made them feel, and from this how many autobiographical memories one can form about their garments.

Can you share one example of the positive engagement and participation from the elderly attendees during the workshop? How did their involvement contribute to the overall success of the event?

• Abbie: We got lots of positive engagement from the elderly attendees. They were all open to sharing stories and experiences of outfits they remember wearing from the 80s, or how the clothes they wore to do their jobs helped them embody certain characteristics and roles, such as the use of uniforms or power dressing.
• Camila: The craft activity became lively and exciting as many elderly attendees enthusiastically shared their stories and memories of their favourite power outfits from the 80s. The room was filled with energetic discussions as participants exchanged personal experiences while actively engaging in hands-on crafting. This collective engagement created a memorable and successful workshop experience.
• Nell: It was very nice to see the attendees enjoying the craft activity while sharing their stories about their former careers and/or what they thought of fashion in the 80s.

How did the hands-on crafts session contribute to the overall experience for the attendees? Did you notice any notable effects on the participants as they engaged in this creative activity?

• Abbie: The craft activity enabled participants to be creative with colours and textures, as well as the social element of chatting to others whilst doing it. Notably, some of the quieter members began to chat more through the expression of their ideas and once we sat with them to do the activity.
• Camila: The activity added an interactive element to the workshop and participants truly enjoyed the experience. Most of them immersed themselves in the process, radiating a sense of relaxation and joy. Using different materials and techniques, they explored their creativity and expressed their unique styles, resulting in a diverse collection of artworks. This added a sense of fulfilment and well-being to the attendees.
• Nell: There were a couple of attendees who enjoyed the craft workshop, particularly one who was so careful about what he was designing and took his craft with him to finish later. It was special to see someone enjoy and submerge themself in the activity. It is always a pleasure to watch someone be so passionate about something they are working on and care about it.

Can you share one challenge that you faced in delivering the workshop to an elderly audience?

• Abbie: One difficulty that I remember was that a couple of members struggled to hold scissors to cut the fabrics they wanted to use on their crafts, so to help them get the most out of it, we worked with them to do the bits they couldn’t. Many of the attendees seemed pleased with what they’d made and were happy to frame their crafts at the end of the workshop to take home with them.
• Camila: One challenge encountered in delivering the workshop to the elderly audience was connecting with a few participants who struggled with the craft activity and felt dissatisfied with their work. To address this, we adapted our communication and engagement approach, offering assistance and support. Most participants were happy with their results and eager to take their framed artwork home.
• Nell: It was difficult seeing some of the members struggle with the activity and trying to be delicate about offering help, which I find challenging. But most were very open to a helping hand. Another difficulty is that some did not like what they made and expressed they felt frustrated that they couldn’t ‘be creative’.

• Soljana: The workshop was directly linked to UAL’s aim to bring about change using creativity and knowledge. Elderly adults often experience loneliness and reduced psychological well-being, especially when their physical and cognitive abilities start to decline. Abbie, Camila, and Nell provided workshop attendees with an enjoyable social and creative activity. They did this using their knowledge of applied psychology in fashion and the beneficial effects of creative activities on well-being. They learnt, and demonstrated, that applied psychology in fashion is not just about enhancing the fashion industry or people’s interactions with it; it can also be used creatively to develop hands-on activities which have the potential to enhance the well-being of diverse groups of people. I am very grateful to the Claremont Project for giving our students this opportunity.