On this page we have sorted the Worlds – 100-word outlines of fictional fashion cultures and systems – into groups according to various factors.
These Worlds are created in Stage 1 of Fashion Fictions. Each outline offers a brief sketch of an alternative fashion culture or system, including an explanation of the historical juncture – genuine or invented – which caused this parallel world to split off from our own.
You can get a sense of the variety of topics explored in the fictions via this visual map, which is based on an analysis of the first 120 Worlds.
Mixed sets of Worlds
We have created these selections of six Worlds for use in workshops. Each set includes a range of speculative ideas and contributions from different cultural contexts.
Set 1
World 159
in which clothing designers and suppliers must be licenced
World 124
in which city-dwelling sheep provide an abundance of wool fibre
World 121
in which a fashion-based curriculum is mandatory throughout school education
World 80
in which wearing the same outfit for a month is considered normal
World 45
in which all textiles are used initially as curtains before being remade into clothes
World 27
in which Cuba leads a post-capitalist heirloom-chain economy
Set 2
World 120
in which clothing libraries foster an appreciation of ‘wearing stories’
World 76
in which genderless school uniforms are made from locally grown undyed cotton
World 63
in which lockdown seeds new human-nonhuman communities
World 36
in which professional menders, like tattoo artists, help to tell stories
World 9
in which learning to sew is a teenage rite of passage, like learning to drive
World 3
in which community laundries are thriving social hubs
Set 3
World 198
in which every household sustains one traditional artform
World 178
in which footballers lead the transformation of consumer culture
World 106
in which each citizen receives 20kg of silk yarn as their birthright
World 92
in which mending skills abound on a land mass forgotten for 500 years
World 55
in which cities have shared community wardrobes and fashion is a party
World 2
in which chemical dyes have been banned worldwide
Set 4
World 224
in which clothes and ornaments are living beings
World 207
in which people wear textural sculptures made from textile waste
World 107
in which garments are exchanged like money
World 79
in which brands must manufacture all garments within their own postcode
World 46
in which a city is famous for its network of municipal clothes libraries
World 30
in which sewing becomes an unstoppable trend among young people
Worlds that have been built on
Worlds that have been remixed
World 250
in which local fashions thrive as the internet never existed
World 241
in which people can buy only 100 garments in their lifetime
World 223
in which waste garments become raw materials for housing
World 218
in which images cannot be shared on the internet and there is no social media
World 207
in which people wear textural sculptures made from textile waste
World 167
in which traditional handmade costumes are worn across the world
World 166
in which each year, a school alternates female- and male-gendered uniforms
World 150
in which a free and open-source fashion movement thrives
World 131
in which clothes are embellished with mantras, ideas, thoughts, and feelings
World 122
in which a revolution has taken place regarding garment waste
World 109
in which fashion designers become repair artisans in every area
World 95
in which Kim Kardashian and fellow influencers promote sustainable clothing use
World 87
in which clothes start to tell their owners the stories of their own production
World 74
in which textiles are used to grow food from seed before being remade into clothing
World 63
in which lockdown seeds new human-nonhuman communities
Worlds that are remixes of previous worlds
World 277
in which garments are designed to be rapidly unsewn and remade
World 276
in which people focus on inner authenticity rather than external expression
World 275
in which clothes are living entities worn on the human body
World 274
in which natural dyes are widely used and people play with their clothes
World 273
in which children curate social guidelines of fashion, changing widespread norms
World 272
in which garments demonstrate lineage and evolve over time
World 271
in which garment narratives become part of cherished family lore
World 270
in which wardrobes are created from sculpted and embellished textile waste
World 269
in which garments are precious and radical innovations
World 268
in which British people are renowned for their eccentric dress tradition
World 254
in which local fashion cultures celebrate artisan crafts
World 253
in which thriving community centres make construction materials from textile waste
World 252
in which a global law bans the production of new clothing
World 251
in which influencers compete to showcase eco-friendly fashions
World 250
in which local fashions thrive as the internet never existed
Worlds that have been taken forward into Stage 2 Explorations
World 239
in which customizable suits are integrated with digital technology
World 209
in which a thriving art school has a community ethos dating back to 1845
World 208
in which bodies don’t exist; we are our thoughts, feelings and opinions
World 207
in which people wear textural sculptures made from textile waste
World 203
in which everyone has a doll of themselves, complete with matching wardrobe
World 201
in which Syonan Island is influenced by Japanese culture
World 200
in which a five-piece mandatory wardrobe is issued by the government
World 199
in which China becomes the epicentre of the global fashion system
World 198
in which every household sustains one traditional artform
World 197
in which the Covid pandemic reshapes human-nature connections
World 196
in which social media is replaced by artificial intelligence
World 194
in which people live in a simulated world due to environmental devastation
World 193
in which customisable uniforms reflect the wearer’s profession
World 192
in which synthetic dyes were never discovered
World 191
in which clothes are built for functionality rather than aesthetics
World 190
in which the Earth Day movement gives rise to an eco-anarchist subculture
World 189
in which Malay culture undergoes an influential renaissance
World 188
in which pantheism is a popular religion and faith is expressed through dress
World 187
in which an annual fashion week celebrates South Asian textile heritage
World 171
in which clothes become part of the extended household
World 165
in which a hopeful mindset emerges after a thirty-year pandemic
World 164
in which body modifications are a mandatory marker of identity
World 163
in which odour-colour synesthesia is triggered by natural dyes
World 162
in which pollution alters both human skin and notions of beauty
World 161
in which metaverse-dominated life prompts a return to cultural heritage
World 160
in which an international unified educational syllabus leads to gender equality
World 159
in which clothing designers and suppliers must be licenced
World 158
in which a multi-ministry taskforce promotes Singaporean style
World 157
in which obstructive censorship of sexual identity does not exist
World 156
in which individuals can possess only thirty heirloom garments at a time
World 155
in which a hybrid fashion language emerges in 19th century Singapore
World 153
in which a pandemic causes everyone to see only in x-ray vision
World 152
in which clothes are perceived as mediums of spirituality
World 146
in which insecticides are banned and clothes-eating bugs are valued
World 145
in which digital clothing must be worn in images posted on social media
World 144
in which refugee communities generate a revolutionary fashion system
World 132
in which the making of clothes is a spiritual healing process
World 131
in which clothes are embellished with mantras, ideas, thoughts, and feelings
World 124
in which city-dwelling sheep provide an abundance of wool fibre
World 121
in which a fashion-based curriculum is mandatory throughout school education
World 120
in which clothing libraries foster an appreciation of ‘wearing stories’
World 114
in which a society hides underground for 500 years to avoid colonisation
World 113
in which coloured clothing, changed every ten years, identifies the wearer’s age
World 112
in which Thailand’s self-sufficiency philosophies gain global influence
World 111
in which body imperfections and modifications are celebrated via clothing
World 110
in which new fabrics can no longer be produced
World 109
in which fashion designers become repair artisans in every area
World 108
in which clothes are made from scent-infused yarns, supporting well-being
World 107
in which garments are exchanged like money
World 106
in which each citizen receives 20kg of silk yarn as their birthright
World 105
in which a countercultural movement resists exploitative corporations
World 103
in which Japanese, rather than Western, culture dominates Southeast Asia
World 102
in which a pandemic has caused everyone to see only in grayscale
World 101
in which garments are designed and produced in clear view of consumers
World 97
in which wearing stained and soiled clothing signifies style and prosperity
World 95
in which Kim Kardashian and fellow influencers promote sustainable clothing use
World 91
in which a Sewing, Theatre, Ecology, and Mindfulness curriculum guides learning
World 90
in which crinoline-like clothing forms are worn by all
World 89
in which ‘dandy grannies’ are key fashion influencers
World 80
in which wearing the same outfit for a month is considered normal
World 79
in which brands must manufacture all garments within their own postcode
World 77
in which intimate knowledge of garments’ material inputs leads to a culture of gratitude
World 72
in which wild one-night-only rented assemblages are worn at speakeasy clubs
World 62
in which clothes are sold via Teletext, increasing garment literacy
World 55
in which cities have shared community wardrobes and fashion is a party
World 54
in which adults can own only 10 items of clothing at any time
World 50
in which people connect via unique signatures sewn into each others’ clothing
World 48
in which talent competitions and Nobel Prizes reward textile resourcefulness
World 47
in which radical fashion students transform the industry and design training
World 46
in which a city is famous for its network of municipal clothes libraries
World 45
in which all textiles are used initially as curtains before being remade into clothes
World 44
in which members of a niche movement personify a book for a year via their clothes
World 43
in which blue clothes, which cannot be sold, are traded at community hubs
World 41
in which usable elements of damaged garments are traded as spare parts
World 40
in which fabric making is located on and integrated with the body
World 36
in which professional menders, like tattoo artists, help to tell stories
World 35
in which digital fashion marketplaces limit the need for physical clothing
World 31
in which disposal of clothes is illegal and makers have ongoing responsibility
World 30
in which sewing becomes an unstoppable trend among young people
World 28
in which wartime ‘digging for victory’ leads to widespread natural dyeing practices
World 27
in which Cuba leads a post-capitalist heirloom-chain economy
World 24
in which secondhand-only editorial styling turns fashion upside down
World 19
in which the purpose of the fashion ‘season’ is turned on its head
World 17
in which young men become obsessed with sewing
World 14
in which subsidised clothing factories are accessible to local people
World 12
in which every high street has a repair salon, each with its own unique style
World 10
in which making by hand is a quasi-devotional act and path to ‘enlightenment’
World 9
in which learning to sew is a teenage rite of passage, like learning to drive
World 7
in which the WWII Utility Clothing Scheme continues to the present day
World 5
in which clothes rationing has led to local distinctiveness
World 4
in which eye-catching fashion statements are constructed from foliage
World 3
in which community laundries are thriving social hubs
World 2
in which chemical dyes have been banned worldwide
World 1
in which the buying and selling of clothing has long been illegal
Worlds that have been taken forward into Stage 3 Enactments
World 263
in which wool becomes a primary material for modular garments
World 262
in which a ban on petroleum products leads to a culture of local rope production
World 225
in which clothing workshops provide space for creation and customisation
World 224
in which clothes and ornaments are living beings
World 223
in which waste garments become raw materials for housing
World 221
in which people connect with mythical beasts through dress
World 220
in which people embrace an endless variety of stains
World 219
in which a Law of Social Responsibility of Clothing shapes consumption
World 205
in which all clothing belongs to the community, rather than individuals
World 171
in which clothes become part of the extended household
World 131
in which clothes are embellished with mantras, ideas, thoughts, and feelings
World 127
in which climate change drives an inventive umbrella recycling culture
World 91
in which a Sewing, Theatre, Ecology, and Mindfulness curriculum guides learning
World 62
in which clothes are sold via Teletext, increasing garment literacy
World 54
in which adults can own only 10 items of clothing at any time
World 45
in which all textiles are used initially as curtains before being remade into clothes
World 43
in which blue clothes, which cannot be sold, are traded at community hubs
World 36
in which professional menders, like tattoo artists, help to tell stories
World 27
in which Cuba leads a post-capitalist heirloom-chain economy
Worlds with responses relating to the real world
World 87
in which clothes start to tell their owners the stories of their own production
World 63
in which lockdown seeds new human-nonhuman communities
World 58
in which hyperlocal production is coupled with a culture of virtual worlds
World 54
in which adults can own only 10 items of clothing at any time
World 50
in which people connect via unique signatures sewn into each others’ clothing
World 49
in which waged labour is abolished, creating a convivial, ludic society
World 46
in which a city is famous for its network of municipal clothes libraries
World 45
in which all textiles are used initially as curtains before being remade into clothes
World 25
in which a popular uprising leads to worldwide policies for clothing durability
World 24
in which secondhand-only editorial styling turns fashion upside down
World 22
in which radical influencers exclusively dress from their parents’ wardrobes
World 12
in which every high street has a repair salon, each with its own unique style
World 4
in which eye-catching fashion statements are constructed from foliage
World 3
in which community laundries are thriving social hubs
World 2
in which chemical dyes have been banned worldwide
Worlds that include translations in different languages
You might also like to check out the translations section, which includes an overview of Fashion Fictions translated into several languages.
Arabic
World 224
in which clothes and ornaments are living beings
World 207
in which people wear textural sculptures made from textile waste
World 107
in which garments are exchanged like money
World 79
in which brands must manufacture all garments within their own postcode
World 46
in which a city is famous for its network of municipal clothes libraries
World 30
in which sewing becomes an unstoppable trend among young people
Chinese
World 198
in which every household sustains one traditional artform
World 178
in which footballers lead the transformation of consumer culture
World 106
in which each citizen receives 20kg of silk yarn as their birthright
World 92
in which mending skills abound on a land mass forgotten for 500 years
World 55
in which cities have shared community wardrobes and fashion is a party
World 2
in which chemical dyes have been banned worldwide
French
World 224
in which clothes and ornaments are living beings
World 207
in which people wear textural sculptures made from textile waste
World 182
in which fashion focuses on the vicarious consumption of historical garments
World 146
in which insecticides are banned and clothes-eating bugs are valued
World 107
in which garments are exchanged like money
World 93
in which intergenerational teaching and learning supports resourcefulness
World 79
in which brands must manufacture all garments within their own postcode
World 46
in which a city is famous for its network of municipal clothes libraries
World 30
in which sewing becomes an unstoppable trend among young people
German
World 250
in which local fashions thrive as the internet never existed
World 241
in which people can buy only 100 garments in their lifetime
World 176
in which an island has enjoyed a shared wardrobe for decades
World 159
in which clothing designers and suppliers must be licenced
World 124
in which city-dwelling sheep provide an abundance of wool fibre
World 121
in which a fashion-based curriculum is mandatory throughout school education
World 80
in which wearing the same outfit for a month is considered normal
World 45
in which all textiles are used initially as curtains before being remade into clothes
World 37
in which everyone on the planet is restricted to a capsule wardrobe
World 27
in which Cuba leads a post-capitalist heirloom-chain economy
World 1
in which the buying and selling of clothing has long been illegal
Hebrew
World 252
in which a global law bans the production of new clothing
Polish
World 261
in which people build and dissolve their clothes to suit changing trends
Spanish
World 224
in which clothes and ornaments are living beings
World 223
in which waste garments become raw materials for housing
World 220
in which people embrace an endless variety of stains
World 120
in which clothing libraries foster an appreciation of ‘wearing stories’
World 76
in which genderless school uniforms are made from locally grown undyed cotton
World 63
in which lockdown seeds new human-nonhuman communities
World 36
in which professional menders, like tattoo artists, help to tell stories
World 9
in which learning to sew is a teenage rite of passage, like learning to drive
World 3
in which community laundries are thriving social hubs
Turkish
World 263
in which wool becomes a primary material for modular garments
World 227
in which clothes mediate communication between diverse societies
World 167
in which traditional handmade costumes are worn across the world
World 152
in which clothes are perceived as mediums of spirituality
World 123
in which a focus on nature makes trend forecasting obsolete
World 12
in which every high street has a repair salon, each with its own unique style