Molly Talbot

Profile

I am a first year PhD student characterising colour and tactile properties in 3D fashion products.

I have a first class BA (Hons) in Textile Design from the University of Leeds with a woven textiles specialism. My final year textile design work received funding from the Society of Dyers and Colourists. The collection examines the interaction of interior fabrics with light sources through translucency or smart material colour changes, and the dynamic qualities of obscure yarns like steel and Z-twist wools. My artistic and sculptural work explores time and environment as material, mainly working with metals, fabrics, and chemical solutions for crystal growth or surface weathering. In my undergradute dissertation, I undertook an ambitious and novel approach to fashion sustainability research, integrating my background in STEM disciplines to explore how the application of theories in New Materialism could strengthen the relationship between humans and fashion products for more sustainable futures. Ultimately, my interests lie in material investigation at the intersection of science, technology, engineering, art, and maths. 

I am now advancing my material knowledge and research methods through PhD study. My most recent research in colour forecasting and metaverse virtual fashion lays a future-focused foundation to explore the objective characterisation of physical fashion products for the increasingly digital fashion industry. 

Research interests

My current research interests include:

• Colour and tactile measurement 
• The metaverse and virtual fashion
• Sustainable human-product relationships 
• New Materialism 
• 3D modelling for digital fashion
• Mixed-, extended-, augmented-, and virtual reality

Qualifications

• BA (Hons) Textile Design [woven textiles], University of Leeds