Simulacra in Silk: Haraway’s Cyborg, Performative “Femininity” and the Aesthetics of the Automaton on the Margiela Runway
https://doi-org.libaccess.senecapolytechnic.ca/10.1080/1362704X.2026.2614117
O’Connell, M. J. (2026). Simulacra in Silk: Haraway’s Cyborg, Performative “Femininity”, and the Aesthetics of the Automaton on the Margiela Runway. Fashion Theory, 1–36.
This article reimagines the representation of “female” robots through the lens of fashion, exploring how the female-coded machine moves from fantasy object to theoretical agent. Anchoring the discussion in the Maison Margiela Artisanal 2024 show by John Galliano, where models emerged as porcelain-faced, sculpturally swathed automatons, it argues that fashion can be a powerful site for re-performing gender and identity. Drawing on Donna Haraway’s cyborg feminism, Judith Butler’s gender performativity, and Jean Baudrillard’s concept of simulacra, the article reinterprets iconic robotic figures from Metropolis, Blade Runner, and The Stepford Wives in comparative dialogue with Galliano’s live fashion theater. Rather than depicting women as programmable objects of desire, Galliano’s show performs gender as glitched: looped, over-coded, and unraveling. The garments mimic corrugated paper, retro silhouettes, and abraded lace, exposing the costume of femininity as artifice. The Margiela cyborgs walk not to seduce but to disturb, spectral remnants of a gender system collapsing under the weight of its own signs. Ultimately, this article proposes that the runway, like the screen, is a hyperreal stage for resisting visual regimes of conformity, and that the cyborg, far from being futuristic, is already here, dressed in porcelain and theatrical distortion, and moving (staggering) deliberately off-script.
The Role of Open AI in Fashion: Transforming Creativity Through Innovation?
- August 2024
The integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) into fashion design is transforming the industry by introducing tools that enhance creativity and efficiency. AI systems, particularly generative AI, enable designers to generate unique patterns, styles, and predict fashion trends by analyzing vast datasets, thereby enriching the creative process with new aesthetics and experimentation with unconventional materials. This article explores the growing influence of generative AI across various domains, including creative arts, fashion, education, business management, and software development. In business management, AI optimizes operations, automates tasks, and supports decision-making. Additionally, AI streamlines design processes, enabling real-time customization, sustainable fashion practices, and virtual try-ons, thus revolutionizing customer experiences. In the realm of fashion education, AI offers the potential to personalize learning experiences and fosters collaboration among students. This article also provides a literature review of current academic research in fashion AI and addresses the ethical considerations of AI adoption. The conclusion emphasizes the need for responsible innovation, as the full long-term impacts of this nascent technology which offers so much potential are still largely unknown.
The Quadruple Helix in Fashion Paradigms: Bridging Innovation, Sustainability, and Societal Impact for a Regenerative Future
- February 2025
This research explores the transformative potential of the Quadruple Helix model within fashion education, expanding upon the traditional Triple Helix framework by integrating civil society and environmental sustainability as critical drivers of innovation. While the Triple Helix model emphasizes the interplay between academia, industry, and government, the Quadruple Helix adds a vital dimension that addresses the fashion industry’s environmental impact, labour ethics, and the need for systemic change. Given fashion’s role as one of the most resource-intensive and polluting industries globally, this model fosters interdisciplinary collaboration among educational institutions, policymakers, industry leaders, and sustainability advocates to promote ethical production, circular economy principles, and policy-driven solutions. Through case studies and theoretical analysis, this article demonstrates how fashion education can evolve from focusing solely on design aesthetics to becoming a catalyst for sustainable innovation. By embedding sustainability into curricula, research, and industry partnerships, the Quadruple Helix offers a comprehensive framework for shaping future leaders committed to ethical and environmentally responsible practices within the fashion ecosystem.
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