The author owes a tremendous debt of gratitude to the many people who
made this dissertation possible. For any good thing about this thesis, he is but
one to credit. For every idea, initiative or project, a large group of fantastic
people, communities, organizations, institutions, galleries, material and ma-
chinery are to be appraised. The full multiplicity of them cannot be acknowl-
edged here. Some of them are mentioned at the end of the thesis, but the hope
is that the people involved recognize themselves in this work. The author is
very happy to have come in their way, share ideas and practices, and experi-
ence some of the world through their work. Without all their devoted efforts
and fantastic enthusiasm this thesis would never have been.
Despite the author’s love for collaborative ventures, the reason there is only
one author’s name on this thesis is because someone had to put all these expe-
riences into the format of a thesis. That someone also has to take responsibil-
ity for the shortcomings. That someone is the author. But he is just anyone
among many contributors.
This work is fully dedicated to all the committed and energetic participants in
the projects cited throughout this publication; the anonymous amateur, the
peripheral fashionista, and Everyman engaged in fashion and social develop-
ment.anyone