Dr Francesco Mazzarella
Reader in Design for Social Change
Francesco is a design researcher, educator, and activist, striving to plant seeds of hope and change, especially working with marginalised communities. Francesco's work aims at exploring ways in which design activism can be used to create counter-narratives towards sustainability, in and through fashion. He is a member of the Design Council Experts Network, Fellow of Advance HE, Co-founder of the DESIS Cluster on 'Design from the Margins' and of the Cumulus Working Group on 'Design Education for Social Change'.
Current projects
Publications
Mazzarella, F. & Mirza, S. (2024). Decentring Fashion – Participatory practices for shifting narratives and regenerating cultures. Discern: International Journal of Design for Social Change, Sustainable Innovation and Entrepreneurship, 5(1), 1-10.
Mathew, N. & Mazzarella, F. (2023). Up-skilling Marginalised South Asian Women Based in the United Kingdom through a Home Decor Social Enterprise: A Collaborative Training Framework. DISCERN: International Journal of Design for Social Change, Sustainable Innovation and Entrepreneurship, 4(2), 22-41.
Mazzarella, F. & Mirza, S. (2023). Textile Autobiographies: Crafting Shifting Identities with Refugee Communities. In: Proceedings of IASDR 2023 Conference 'Life-Changing Design', 9-13 October 2023, Politecnico di Milano, Milan, Italy.
Mazzarella, F. (2023). Fashion Activism and Design for Social Change – The Making for Change: Waltham Forest Project. In: Earley, R. & Hornbuckle, R. (Eds.) Design Materials and Making for Social Change – From Materials we Explore to Materials we Wear. London, UK: Routledgde.
Mazzarella, F. & Black, S. (2022). Fashioning Change: Fashion Activism and its Outcomes on Local Communities. Fashion Practice: The Journal of Design, Creative Process & The Fashion Industry. 15(2), 230-255.