Mathilda Tham

While Mathilda originally trained as a fashion designer, today her work is concerned with the design of processes of change and shared learning experiences, the design of new research methods and the design of futures scenarios for new ways of engaging with fashion, and design in general. All this stems from her passionate interest in the opportunities for design to contribute to more sustainable futures.

Mathilda's PhD project Lucky People Forecast - a systemic futures perspective on fashion on sustainability - explored some of these opportunities. It resulted in methodological approaches for the implementation of sustainability in the fashion industry's mass-market segment. It also generated futures scenarios for fashion that challenge the division between producer and consumer, and which put the experience of fashion before the product. Her current research includes Metadesigning Fashion - from ownership to access, which explores the feasibility of implementing Product Services Systems - the manifestation of which may be rental, mending or styling services - in fashion.

As a consultant Mathilda has advised a variety of clients including fashion and design companies, advertising and pr-agencies, banks and investment companies and non-profit organizations on futures communication, consumption, lifestyles - in the context of sustainability. The consultancy includes lectures, moderating, facilitation and research.

As Visiting Professor in Fashion at Beckmans College of Design, Stockholm, Mathilda is developing the fashion programme together with the team in the fashion institution. She also leads the implementation of sustainability into the curriculum of the fashion, product and advertising degrees.

Mathilda is an associate of the Sustainable Fashion Academy, Stockholm; an initiative providing education for Nordic fashion industry professionals. Mathilda is also a lecturer in Design and Sustainability at Goldsmiths, University of London, where she teaches across BA, MA and PhD levels, and holds a fellowship in Education for Sustainable Development Teaching.

Mathilda Tham is a member of the board of Mistra (The Foundation for Strategic Environmental Research, Sweden) which has given her valuable insights into the most current and progressive science in sustainability, the policy dimensions of sustainable development - at regional and global levels, as well as experience of decision-making across academic disciplines, and across academia, industry and governance. She is internationally published in the fields of sustainable design and design research methodologies.