New designer-in-residence: Maureen Selina Laverty

credit: Anders Myklebust

Maureen Selina Laverty is a fashion designer and action researcher from Northern Ireland, based in Norway, specialised in inclusive sensory design. For the last three years she has been co-creating knowledge with people on the autism spectrum about their lived sensory experiences with clothing and how it shapes their experiences of the world. Through a PhD project she has prioritised the tactile, sonic and kinaesthetic senses to understand how we can design clothing for, and with, people who are neurodivergent and have amplified sensory needs. 

Her design residency at Lottozero is an extension of this work, inspired by research participants that report being overwhelmed by the sound, texture and movement of plastic rainwear. Through the development of a small collection of rainwear Maureen explores how the sound and weight of clothing affects how these sensations connect, or disconnect, us with our environment.

Her embodied way of working is informed by a bachelors in fashion design from NCAD, training as a tailor on Savile Row and Alexander McQueen, 5 years developing medical wearable technology, and a masters in product design engineering at NTNU with a particular focus on participatory and inclusive design.