Ricarda Bigolin

Associate Professor Ricarda Bigolin is a practice-based researcher, educator and designer. Ricarda’s research, teaching and design practice is recognised internationally with ongoing collaborations in research and education with some of the best Fashion, Design and Art Universities in the world. She is regarded as one of the establishing practitioners in the niche fields of critical and expanded fashion practice after completing a practice-based PhD on this area in 2013. For over nine years they have been active in Fashion Design Discipline and Program leadership as the Associate Dean of Fashion and Textiles Design (2019 - 2024) and Program Manager for Masters and Honours degrees (2016 - 2018). They are a recognised leader of advancing design practice and advocating ways to break systemic injustices, supporting the inclusion of all diverse and marginal groups and the relationship between design, diversity and sustainability.

Their practice research explores critical tactics and interventions to challenge how fashion is produced and consumed using arts-based and material methods, wearing and performing to reveal relationships between fashion, value and use. They have been an associated partner on European research grants, research networks and have been PI on innovative contract research grants and collaborations with industry partner Nike. Since completing their practice based PhD in 2012 in expanded and critical fashion, their practice work as ‘D&K’, has won international awards and acquisitive prizes producing garments, performances, exhibitions, texts and films in leading art and design museums, galleries, publications and universities globally. 

Ricarda has ongoing collaboration on teaching and research projects with the Swedish School of Textiles, the University of Borås since 2013, where Ricarda is a visiting Professor participating in research projects as part of the Body and Space research program as well as co-convening conferences, examining Masters and PhDs, giving seminars, workshops and teaching. Ricarda also has since 2015 given lectures, studio visits, program accreditation and examinations and is part of the learning community of the MA Critical Fashion Practices, ArtEZ, University of the Arts, Arnhem, the Netherlands. Ricarda also from 2022 - 2024 was a member of the AHRC funded International Upcycling Network with De Montfort University and currently one of five practices selected for the AHRC funded Practice Based Fashion Research Network led by Parsons and Northumbria University.