ASK Scandinavia's Founder & Creative Director, along with ASK's Design & Sustainability Director, both hold Master's degrees from the London College of Fashion, where Kate Fletcher served as the Professor of Sustainability, Design, and Fashion until 2022. She is currently a Research Professor at OsloMet and a Professor in Design-based Research in Sustainability at the Royal Danish Academy.
Kate Fletcher is a pioneer in the field of sustainable fashion and textiles, and her work involves research, teaching, and developing innovative approaches that challenge the conventional fashion system. Through her role, Fletcher has influenced both the academic community and the broader fashion industry, helping to shape future generations of designers, brands, and researchers committed to sustainable and ethical practices. Her contributions are always deeply intertwined with her broader mission of advocating for more-than-humans, systems thinking, and a reimagined, responsible approach to design and consumption.
How the unique perspective of Kate Fletcher inspires us at ASK:
Kate Fletcher’s emphasis on Slow Fashion and her critique of the systemic issues in the fashion industry—like overproduction and misleading sustainability claims—has significantly empowered our approach. Her insistence that sustainability must be more than an afterthought, and instead woven into the core of fashion’s processes, empowers us to prioritize purpose and integrity in every design decision.
The key ideas from Kate Fletcher that resonate with our vision:
Fletcher’s critique of designing for durability and repairability — as something that needs to result in reduced production, not just more durable projects — aligns with our commitment to creating products that last. The idea that products should be more than just disposable items—that they should have a longer life, a purpose, and a story—aligns perfectly with our goal of fostering thoughtful consumption and meaningful relationships with what we wear.
Our lessons from Kate Fletcher and how they have impacted our approach to design:
Fletcher’s work energizes us when we rethink the entire lifecycle of products, pushing beyond conventional sustainability to consider everything from material choices to the end-of-life phase. Her advocacy for systems thinking and localized, adaptable strategies encourages us even further to innovate in ways that respect both people and the planet, it also encourages us to embrace smaller, yet impactful, changes that can add up to significant transformation.
How Kate Fletcher’s philosophy bring influence to our projects:
Fletcher’s insistence on questioning the norms of the fashion industry and her dedication to more plural forms of fashion beyond what 'fashion as shopping' deeply empower our design philosophy at ASK. We are inspired by her values of sustainability in every piece we design, staying true to her vision of fashion that respects both the wearer and the world around us.
To learn more about Kate Fletcher and her work, visit her website: https://katefletcher.com
Kate’s new book is just out - Fletcher’s Almanac: Nature Encounters and Fashion Systems Through the Year. Find out more here.
