Maureen Selina Laverty
About
I am a fashion designer and product design engineer exploring sensory nourishment through clothing in a practice-based PhD. More specifically I am researching how the sensory engagement of wearers on the autism spectrum can inform design practices to develop clothing that enables more positive and meaningful interactions.
My PhD is motivated by observations in my masters project that for some wearers on the autism spectrum, with heightened sensory responses, the sensations of their clothing’s materiality can be overwhelming. In other words their immediate environment has the potential to disable their interactions. However, I also observed through participatory design that the same sensitivity is resourceful in seeking comfort and stimulation in pleasurable sensations as an effective means of emotional regulation.
I wish to continue exploring this loop of shared experiences, understandings and inspirations in my PhD. On a personal level I am interested in how the sensory experience of others can inform my design practice. On a universal level my goal is to empower the disabled voice within the fashion system, advocating that through empathy for different sensory experiences the fashion industry can better design sensory nourishment for all consumers. At the same time, through more considered design, we can enable a greater opportunity for self-expression through clothing for those often excluded from participation in fashion.
My research is informed by my experience working in the London fashion industry as a bespoke tailor on Savile Row and menswear designer at Alexander McQueen, followed by 5 years in wearable technology in my native Ireland and a short stint in the Netherlands.
I hold a Bachelors in Fashion Design (NCAD, 2007), an integrated MSc in Product Design Engineering (NTNU, 2020).
Publications
2023
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Laverty, Maureen Selina.
(2023)
SENSORY NOURISHMENT CONSCIOUSLY
CRAFTING SENSATIONS IN CLOTHING
DESIGN TO SUPPORT DIVERSE SENSORY
NEEDS.
Non-fiction chapter
Part of book/report
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Laverty, Maureen Selina.
(2023)
SENSORY NOURISHMENT CONSCIOUSLY
CRAFTING SENSATIONS IN CLOTHING
DESIGN TO SUPPORT DIVERSE SENSORY
NEEDS.
Non-fiction chapter
Outreach
2023
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Lecture
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Lecture
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LectureLaverty, Maureen Selina. (2023) Sensory Experience Exchange: Clothes & Materials. Sensory Experience Exchange: Clothes & Materials
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Interview
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LectureLaverty, Maureen Selina. (2023) Workshop on autistic clothing and shopping sensory needs. Autscape 2023
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Conference lectureLaverty, Maureen Selina; DOLBNIAK, Monika. (2023) Sensory Practices in Fashion Design Workshop. De-Fashioning Education
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Conference lecture
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Conference lectureLaverty, Maureen Selina. (2023) Sensory Nourishment Consciously crafting sensations within fashion practices to support diverse sensory needs. CA2RE, Aarhus
2022
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Conference lectureLaverty, Maureen Selina. (2022) Consciously crafting sensations in clothing design to support diverse sensory needs. CA2RE+
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LectureLaverty, Maureen Selina. (2022) Sensory Nourishment: Crafting clothing design to support neurodivergent sensory experiences. HCD Week @ AICOS
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Conference posterLaverty, Maureen Selina. (2022) Sensory Nourishment: Exploring inclusive design methods in fashion practices. Include 2022: Unheard Voices
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LectureLaverty, Maureen Selina; Dolbniak, Monika. (2022) Sensory Practices in Fashion Design. State of Fashion 2022 Biennale
2021
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Conference lectureLaverty, Maureen Selina. (2021) Capturing sensory experiences of everyday clothing: a methodological review. IFTTI 2021
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Conference lectureLaverty, Maureen Selina. (2021) Sensory Nourishment: what fashion can learn from the inclusion of the autistic experience. Fashion Tales 20