https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8708-8337
Reader in Design Anthropology, Aude is the Research Lead of the Mackintosh School of Architecture. From her academic background and first career as the keeper of the textile and fashion Museum of Cholet (France), Aude has developed a specific interest in the way the heritage informs our communities. As the Director of Fashion Studies at Heriot-Watt University (2013-2019), she has educated students to the creative potential of heritage. Specialising in Children’s material culture, she has completed a PhD addressing the socialisation of children through clothing in the Global North (Sorbonne University). Expert in her field, she has published extensively on this topic both in the UK and internationally. As a curator and consultant for the industry, board member of Designing for Children's rights, Aude explores innovative approaches to an inclusive, sustainable and participative heritage, with a specific interest in its creative interpretation and influence on cultural policies. Championing Public Engagement, Aude considers users and communities as the active catalysts of ground-breaking impact-led projects. This is pursued in her work tackling the Grand challenges faced by Scottish society as Co-Chair (2020-2023) and member of the Young Academy of Scotland (RSE). Advocating for innovative research impact, Aude is an assessor in the Research excellence Framework 2021 (UKRI) and a member of the RSE Award committee. Peer reviewer, Aude contributes as an expert, friendly and formative voice to the research community, including in her work as book reviewer for the peer reviewed journal Costume (EUP) and member of the Board of the Research Interest Group ACORSO (University of Lille). Experienced educator, Aude is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy.
Example of Aude’s impact-led research can be found in the following funded projects:
- “Dressed for School” is a European project developed in partnership with the French National Museum of Education (https://www.reseau-canope.fr/musee/nl/connaitre/les-expositions/exposition/shabiller-pour-lecole.html ). This interdisciplinary research questions the interactions between children and their clothes in the School environment from the 19th century onwards in the Global North. “Dressed for school” has seen the emergence of a series of sub-projects in partnership with the industry, such as “Dressed for Homeschooling”, where children’s voice has been conveyed to inform their approach and interpretation of clothing to influence the design processes; or “Tell me” based on 6-8 year old children’s interpretation of clothes as a communication medium. The research has appealed to French policy makers looking for insight into school uniforms in Europe, influenced the fashion industry in the way to approach children’s clothes, and demonstrated the importance of clothing as a learning tool. The outcomes of “Dressed for School” are currently presented in an exhibition at the National Museum of Education (10th June 2023 – 31st March 2024), in an edited book and in the up-skilling programme "Learning through clothes" for the French National Education Agency Canope.
