How fashion shapes UX: Beyond surface design
Exploring the emotional and sustainable connections between fashion and UX design.
ShreeyaVRokade
Published in Bootcamp
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5 min read
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Nov 29, 2024
In a previous reflection, I shared my struggle to fully appreciate art in galleries. Fashion has always evoked a similar sentiment for me. For the longest time, I viewed it as little more than keeping up with trends — a task I often opted out of. In fact, my parents probably had a better fashion sense for me than I ever did. I remember the first time my mom suggested I try on ripped jeans — something I thought was surprisingly cool of her at the time. Fashion seemed so arbitrary, so fleeting.
For me, clothing was about maintaining a constant — nothing too bold, nothing that would draw confused stares. Some outfits, like my trusty grey hoodie, even became a part of my identity. I wore that hoodie to the point that people began associating it with me. And though I don’t wear it as much anymore, it still hangs in my closet, comforting in its familiarity. I pull it out on occasion, not out of necessity but out of nostalgia.
I wonder if others feel this way about technology — clinging to older tools or frameworks despite newer, shinier ones that promise greater efficiency. Is it resistance to change, or is it an attachment to comfort?
The parallel between fashion and UX
In any field, staying current is often a matter of survival. Take JavaScript, for example — an intuitive and versatile programming language with advanced frameworks like React, which makes building dynamic user interfaces incredibly efficient. Despite this, some developers still prefer doing backend work with Python frameworks like Django, even when Node.js with Express.js offers a more seamless integration with JavaScript for full-stack development.
Why do they stick to older habits? It’s not just resistance to learning something new. There’s an inherent comfort and trust in what’s familiar, much like my attachment to my grey hoodie. This emotional connection resonates strongly with users too, especially in UX design.
At first glance, fashion in UX might seem purely aesthetic — a matter of creating visually appealing interfaces. But the more I dwell on it, the more I realize fashion isn’t just about appearances. Fashion influences how people feel, think, and connect with things. Isn’t UX about evoking emotion and fostering connections too?
Take Kate Fletcher’s idea of emotional durability in sustainable design. She argues that durability isn’t just about physical longevity but also about fostering meaningful connections. Could the same idea apply to UX? When we redesign or update systems, we risk breaking the emotional bonds users have formed with the older versions. How do we innovate without alienating users?
Balancing trends and timelessness in design
The challenge lies in balancing relevance with emotional connection. Crocs, for instance, were once celebrated for their uniqueness and comfort but later became a divisive symbol in fashion — praised by some and criticized by others. Yet, they’ve made a remarkable comeback by embracing collaborations with high-fashion brands and influencers, showing how reinvention and cultural relevance can coexist with timeless functionality.
This resonates with the principles of repair, reuse, and rework discussed by Pan, Roedl, and Blevis (2012), who highlight how fashion’s cyclical nature can inspire sustainable design in HCI. Much like Crocs’ ability to remain functional while reimagining their aesthetic appeal, UX designers can innovate by layering modern trends atop existing systems without sacrificing familiarity. This approach helps preserve emotional bonds with users while staying relevant.
For UX designers, this balance is crucial. Embracing fleeting trends without thought risks alienating users who rely on and feel at home with our designs. Ignoring trends entirely, however, can leave us behind in a competitive market. Crocs’ story offers a valuable lesson: sustainability in design is as much about preserving the essence of what works as it is about reinvention.
Sustainability in UX: A dual perspective
Sustainability in UX doesn’t just mean environmentally conscious practices but also designing emotionally durable systems. Users value the connection they feel with interfaces that understand their needs and habits. As designers, our role is to balance these emotional bonds with the necessary evolution of the product to meet modern standards. This dual perspective — honoring the past while embracing the future — lies at the heart of sustainable design.
The ethical dilemma of fashion in HCI
There’s an ethical question here: How do companies with small teams of designers, often doubling as researchers, keep up with trends while staying true to their core values? For larger design teams, staying ahead of trends is more feasible, but smaller teams face the challenge of balancing relevance and timelessness.
One solution is to prioritize incremental updates, making small, thoughtful adjustments that incorporate trends while maintaining core functionality. This approach allows smaller teams to remain agile, focusing on user needs without overextending resources. Drawing inspiration from non-tech industries like furniture design can also help; for instance, mid-century modern styles stay timeless by evolving materials and colors to suit current tastes. Similarly, UX design can refresh older systems while preserving their essence.
Ultimately, the key lies in prioritizing comfort and connection over novelty. Malcolm Barnard’s idea of fashion as communication reminds us that design conveys identity, values, and culture. By focusing on these principles, even small teams can create user experiences that resonate deeply while staying relevant.
Final reflections
As I reflect on my journey with fashion and its parallels to UX, one thing becomes clear: Fashion is not surface level. It’s deeply rooted in comfort, connection, and identity — qualities that matter just as much in design. The next time we think about introducing fashion into UX, we should ask ourselves not just how it looks but how it feels. Are we fostering connections? Are we respecting the emotional bonds users have formed with our products?
In the end, I believe the key is to stay mindful. As designers, we’re not just chasing trends or clinging to the past. We’re navigating the delicate balance between staying relevant and honoring the comfort our users find in the familiar. If we approach design with this balance in mind, I think it’s possible to create experiences that are both meaningful and enduring. And isn’t that, after all, what great design is all about?
References:
Barnard, M. (2002). Fashion as Communication. Routledge.
Fletcher, K. (2012). Durability, Fashion, Sustainability: The Processes and Practices of Use. Fashion Practice, 4(2), 221–238.
Pan, Y., Roedl, D., Blevis, E., & Thomas, J. (2012). Re-conceptualizing Fashion in Sustainable HCI. In Proceedings of the SIGCHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (pp. 1005–1014). ACM.