Textiles, Migration and Identity: ‘Decolonising Fashion and Textiles’ and ‘Traces: Stories of Migration’
- Written byNicole Horgan
- Published date 01 April 2026
Two pioneering projects at the Centre for Sustainable Fashion, Decolonising Fashion and Textiles and Traces: Stories of Migration, have defined the role of fashion research in East London. Focused on migration, identity, and cultural sustainability, the research has provided platforms for underrepresented communities, particularly refugees and migrants, to express their personal stories through fashion and textiles. Developing storytelling and co-creation, the research challenges dominant narratives around migration, amplifying underrepresented voices demonstrating fashion's transformative power as a vehicle for social justice and regeneration of cultures.
These collaborations between London College of Fashion’s Centre for Sustainable Fashion and Portal Centre for Social Impact worked with key partners including local authorities (the London Boroughs of Newham, Tower Hamlets, and Waltham Forest), community arts organisations such as Arbeit Project, Bow Arts, Poplar HARCA, and Rosetta Arts, Victoria and Albert Museum and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.
This research-driven case explores the transformative power of fashion and textile art in amplifying and celebrating migrant and refugee voices. Through Decolonising Fashion and Textiles (DFT) and Traces: Stories of Migration, the Centre for Sustainable Fashion (CSF) and Portal Centre for Social Impact engaged underrepresented communities in East London, particularly migrants, refugees, and asylum seekers, to share their personal narratives and cultural identities. By blending creative practice with advocacy, research has leveraged fashion as a medium for social change.
Participants in the research were encouraged to tell their migration stories through textile-based practices. DFT focused on co-creating garments and Textile Autobiographies, while Traces centred on the creation of Story Cloths. These materials became powerful symbols of resilience, identity, and belonging, showcased in public exhibitions and performances. Both projects engaged with policymakers and industry stakeholders to advocate for greater training and employment opportunities for refugees, aiming to break down systemic barriers within the fashion industry.
Through these practices, the research highlights the potential of fashion as a platform for social justice, promoting inclusivity, equity, and cultural expression. It illustrates how creative collaboration, public engagement, and policy advocacy can work together to foster more sustainable and inclusive ecosystems.
Decolonising fashion and textiles
This AHRC funded project engaged London-based refugees and asylum seekers in a reciprocal process of making and learning and promotes a social and cultural sustainability agenda, in and through fashion. DFT was developed through ethnographic research, storytelling sessions, and garment co-creation. The project culminated in public performances and exhibitions that highlighted the valuable contributions of refugees to fashion while advocating for policy changes that could improve access to employment for these communities.
Traces: Stories of migration
Explored personal stories of migration across multiple generations, told through handcrafted textiles, as part of a wider collaboration with the Portal Centre’s programme Making for Change, at London College of Fashion’s at Poplar Works, a purpose-built design and manufacturing hub. Participants, from novices to experienced textile makers, collaborated over seven weeks to develop personal story cloths, which were later showcased in community settings. These showcases provided an opportunity for personal expression and public dialogue around migration, identity, and belonging.
Aims
- To explore the concepts of cultural sustainability and community resilience through the lived experience of refugees and collectively outline visions for a more compassionate future.
- To co-design fashion and textile artefacts embodying the shifting identities of refugees, whilst contributing to decolonising dominant design practices.
- Exploring fashion as a tool for social justice, both initiatives challenge dominant narratives about migration and refugee identities, promoting equity and diversity in the fashion industry.
Initiatives and activities
Storytelling and textile creation
By centring storytelling, both projects encouraged participants to reclaim their voices, turning their lived experiences into artefacts that challenged stereotypes and celebrated cultural diversity. These stories, embedded in textiles, made storytelling not just a method of expression, but a form of activism and inclusion.
Public showcases
Public showcases provided platforms to share personal stories and textiles. Exhibitions acted as powerful moments of visibility, where participants' voices and experiences were brought to the fore. These public moments were used to celebrate the resilience and identity of participants and often untold stories of migration.
Advocacy
By combining policy advocacy with creative practice, these activities were able to push for broader systemic change. Beyond the material outputs, the research sought to influence policy and industry practices, highlighting the potential for fashion to serve as a vehicle for social justice and change.
Placemaking outcomes
More accessible
Providing safe, accessible spaces, enabling migrants and refugees to reconnect with their cultural heritage and gain new skills in textiles and fashion. Workshops were open to participants of all skill levels.
More equitable
Challenging dominant narratives in fashion and migration by amplifying the voices of underrepresented communities, ensuring that the stories and contributions of migrants and refugees were acknowledged and celebrated.
More inclusive
Bringing together individuals from diverse backgrounds, both initiatives fostered collaboration and community-building.
More sustainable
Adopting a holistic approach to sustainability (considering the interdependence between culture, society, economy and the environment). The use of upcycled materials in garment creation promoted environmentally conscious fashion practices, aligning with broader sustainability goals.
More innovative
An interdisciplinary approach which spurred innovation, blending fashion, storytelling, and social change to create unique artefacts, garments and performances that pushed the boundaries of conventional design processes.
More prosperous
Supporting participants to gain technical and soft skills, networking, and policy advocacy, participants were supported to pursue further education and employment.
Nurturing collaborative and sustained engagement
Ensuring meaningful engagement with local authorities and community partners
Addressing the transient, displaced nature of the participants' lives
Manging cultural sensitivity and the risk of cultural appropriation
Approach: A strong focus on co-creation, ensuring people retained ownership of their own cultural narratives, the projects celebrated and amplified the diverse cultural backgrounds of displaced people.Legacy
The legacy of these initiatives lies in their ability to blend cultural expression with community engagement and social justice. The textiles produced continue to resonate as enduring symbols of the cultural contributions of refugees and migrants. Moving forward, both projects aim to expand their reach, fostering ongoing collaboration between education, community, and the fashion industry to promote inclusivity, sustainability, and innovation.