The purpose of this thesis was to find out if 1970s-inspired British ladies’ fashion printed textiles evoked nostalgia and how. I looked at research from my own memories, archives, contemporary designs, literature and a confirmatory focus group with five participants. My research focusses on the visual and cultural meanings that are addressed through the colours, patterns, imagery and fabrics that were popular during the 1970s. Also, how they could be represented within 1970s-inspired contemporary prints. This thesis contributed to knowledge in this area as it highlighted which colours, patterns, imagery and fabrics people associate with the 1970s. The research methods used were qualitative and practice-based where a series of questions were asked and discussion facilitated relating to the colours, patterns, imagery and fabrics individually and as a whole. The emphasis of this study was floral, animal and paisley motifs. I found that paisley, brown florals, psychedelic swirls and florals, plus birds and florals were the key patterns that evoked the 1970s. Butterflies, poppies and chintz print designs were not as evocative. The colours that were popular included browns, yellows, oranges, purples and lilacs, alongside reds, especially burgundies, pinks, blues and black/white. Printed opaque fabrics such as cotton, satin, and silk sensation were recalled more than printed translucent fabrics such as polyester chiffon. The 1970s colours found were compared with current research into colours relating to general nostalgia. The designs were encoded through a semiotic framework and read by the participants to see if they evoked similar outcomes. I found that Hippie and Bohemian subcultures were a focus for this study. This research is useful for other students and researchers but also commercially within design companies, especially when creating 1970s-inspired collections and the structure could be related to other decades. The designs were contextualised within the history of design and where they fitted in relation to modernism, postmodernism, retro and vintage.
| Date of Award | 10 Nov 2025 |
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| Original language | English |
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| Supervisor | Helen Ryall (Main Supervisor) & Andrew Hewitt (Co-Supervisor) |
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