The interaction of textile and fashion design museums with sustainability

This thesis aims to examine how textile and fashion design museums interact with the concept of sustainability. Today, the fashion and textile industries are among the sectors most associated with environmental impacts, social responsibilities, and economic sustainability. The fast fashion model has led to the widespread production of low-cost, short-lived products, resulting in the depletion of natural resources, an increase in textile waste, and labor exploitation. In this context, sustainability has become a priority not only in the production but also in the presentation practices of fashion. Fashion museums are not only institutions that preserve garments and cultural heritage of the past but also act as carriers, educators, and transformers of the sustainable fashion movement. This thesis explores how fashion museums contribute to sustainability through a wide range of practices, including collection policies, exhibition formats, the use of digital technologies, and educational roles. Furthermore, the use of eco-friendly materials, recycling practices, and alternative production models in fashion design are examined, along with the critical role of the fashion designer in these processes. Within the scope of the thesis, retrospective exhibitions of designers such as Alexander McQueen, Christian Dior, and Gabrielle Chanel are analyzed in terms of their relationship to sustainability. The curatorial strategies, thematic structures, and technological infrastructures of these exhibitions are examined. In addition, innovations provided by digitalization and interactive technologies in fashion museums are evaluated in terms of visitor experience and accessibility. This study argues that fashion museums not only preserve the past but also serve as cultural platforms that shape the future and actively contribute to the dissemination of sustainability principles. It concludes that for sustainable fashion to develop effectively, museums must be addressed with an integrated approach in terms of their artistic, cultural, and educational functions. This thesis was prepared based on qualitative research methodology. Literature review and case study methods were employed to analyze the relationship between fashion museums and sustainability through theoretical sources and contemporary exhibitions. The exhibitions of designers such as Alexander McQueen, Christian Dior, and Gabrielle Chanel were addressed as case studies, with a focus on digital technologies, exhibition design, and educational approaches. The study aims to reveal the role of fashion museums in the field of sustainability through a descriptive and interpretive approach.