Dr Francesco Mazzarella

Biography

Dr Francesco Mazzarella is a Post-Doctoral Research Fellow at the Centre for Sustainable Fashion (CSF) – a University of the Arts London (UAL) research centre based at London College of Fashion (LCF). His current research, sponsored by the Sheepdrove Trust, explores ways in which design activism can be used to create counter-narratives towards sustainability in fashion. As part of his role, Francesco is also involved in teaching across LCF and is the CSF representative within the Change Network, responsible for the College's move to the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in 2022. In parallel to this part-time post at CSF, Francesco is also AHRC Design Leadership Fellow Research Associate at ImaginationLancaster, with the aim to support design research for change.
Francesco was the first researcher to be awarded a PhD from the AHRC Design Star CDT at Loughborough Design School in 2018. His doctoral research project explored how service design can be used to activate textile artisan communities to transition towards a sustainable future. Previously, Francesco was awarded a BSc in Industrial Design (Product Design) and an MSc in Ecodesign, both from the Politecnico di Torino in Italy. He has also been an exchange student at the University of Twente (the Netherlands) and at the Minas Gerais State University (Brazil). Francesco's work has been published in international peer-reviewed journals, conference proceedings, presented at PhD colloquia and won awards at academic poster competitions.
Francesco has experience in design research, education, and practice in the UK, Italy, the Netherlands, Hungary, Brazil, and South Africa. He is a fellow of the Royal Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce (RSA), a charity committed to find practical solutions to societal challenges. Francesco is also a member of Mode Uncut, an international network aimed at activating disruptive fashion modes and practices. Francesco's research spans the fields of design activism, fashion and textile artisanship, holistic sustainability, service design and social innovation. With his proactivity, systemic thinking, international network and sharp visualisation skills, Francesco defines himself as a social capital catalyst, having expertise in crafting meaningful social innovations with communities.