I respectfully acknowledge the Wurundjeri people as the traditional custodians of the unceded lands, waters and skies where my studio is situated, and pay respects to their elders past and present and emerging and the stolen generations.
Doctor of Philosophy Examination: Oral Presentation, Exhibition and Thesis
After examination for the Doctor of Philosophy, Fashion and Textiles, in December 2025 my degree was conferred.
Doctoral Citation:
Dr Kuzmycz explored design for maximum wearing, focusing on dresses, an underutilised garment. The research produced a model of open fashion design that incorporates wearing feedback to inform garment designs. It demonstrates that wearing feedback can be transformative for sustainable fashion practice, garment design, and enhances understanding of wearing behaviours.
If you are interested in reading the thesis:
Kuzmycz, Alicja (2025). Open Dress-ing: Design Explorations Through Making and Wearing. RMIT University. Thesis. https://doi.org/10.25439/rmt.30938435
After examination for the Doctor of Philosophy, Fashion and Textiles, in December 2025 my degree was conferred.
Doctoral Citation:
Dr Kuzmycz explored design for maximum wearing, focusing on dresses, an underutilised garment. The research produced a model of open fashion design that incorporates wearing feedback to inform garment designs. It demonstrates that wearing feedback can be transformative for sustainable fashion practice, garment design, and enhances understanding of wearing behaviours.
If you are interested in reading the thesis:
Kuzmycz, Alicja (2025). Open Dress-ing: Design Explorations Through Making and Wearing. RMIT University. Thesis. https://doi.org/10.25439/rmt.30938435
The New Brief
Dresses make up of a quarter of Australian wardrobes, the largest quantity of any item, and yet they are the least worn of any item (Khan, Shaw & Bandara 2022).
The Dress Audit Survey was the first phase of my PhD project – a digital wardrobe study – that asked participants about their most and least worn dress. The findings helped to formulate a new design brief that could helpd to increase the active life of dresses.
I presented these findings at PLATE 2025 (Product Lifetimes and the Environment) conference.
You can read the paper here:
Kuzmycz, A., & McCorkill, G. (2025). Idle and Active Dresses: Design Briefings from the Wardrobe. Proceedings of the 6th Product Lifetimes and the Environment Conference (PLATE2025), (6). https://doi.org/10.54337/plate2025-10427
Dresses make up of a quarter of Australian wardrobes, the largest quantity of any item, and yet they are the least worn of any item (Khan, Shaw & Bandara 2022).
The Dress Audit Survey was the first phase of my PhD project – a digital wardrobe study – that asked participants about their most and least worn dress. The findings helped to formulate a new design brief that could helpd to increase the active life of dresses.
I presented these findings at PLATE 2025 (Product Lifetimes and the Environment) conference.
You can read the paper here:
Kuzmycz, A., & McCorkill, G. (2025). Idle and Active Dresses: Design Briefings from the Wardrobe. Proceedings of the 6th Product Lifetimes and the Environment Conference (PLATE2025), (6). https://doi.org/10.54337/plate2025-10427
Zero Waste Festival - Panel Talk 2024
Talking on a panel at the Zero Waste Festival about my research findings in relation to low utilisation of fashion garments and how to more sustainbly use your clothes.
Talking on a panel at the Zero Waste Festival about my research findings in relation to low utilisation of fashion garments and how to more sustainbly use your clothes.
Snap Dress Prototype 02
An experimental dress designed to be infinitely changeable for the wearer.
Boxy and oversized so that can be worn by many body shapes and sizes. The dress is covered with snaps that can connect to each other to change the shape and allows other pieces to be attached. Made from deadstock lyocell, or hemp and silk with metal snaps.
Five of this iteration of the dress were made and were sent out to participants who wore them in their everyday lives for three months. Titled the ‘Wearing Challenge’ the participants kindly shared feedback with me each week about their wearing experiences. This wearing activity was part of PhD research project.
An experimental dress designed to be infinitely changeable for the wearer.
Boxy and oversized so that can be worn by many body shapes and sizes. The dress is covered with snaps that can connect to each other to change the shape and allows other pieces to be attached. Made from deadstock lyocell, or hemp and silk with metal snaps.
Five of this iteration of the dress were made and were sent out to participants who wore them in their everyday lives for three months. Titled the ‘Wearing Challenge’ the participants kindly shared feedback with me each week about their wearing experiences. This wearing activity was part of PhD research project.
Digital Prototypes
Prototype exploration in Clo3D
Prototype exploration in Clo3D
