Beginning My PhD Journey: Exploring Smart Textiles for Emotional Wellbeing

I’m really excited - and a little nervous, in the best way - to share that I’ve officially started my PhD at De Montfort University.

This research feels like a natural next step for me, bringing together everything I’ve learned in fashion, design, and industry practice with something I care about deeply - emotional wellbeing.

My project explores a simple but powerful question:

What if the clothes we wear every day could help us feel calmer, more grounded, and more connected to ourselves?

I’ll be researching how garments might gently respond to changes in the body linked to stress and emotional regulation. The aim is to explore how soft, unobtrusive textile systems could be integrated into everyday clothing so that it feels completely normal - just with subtle support built in.

What matters to me most is that these garments don’t feel clinical or tech-heavy. I want them to feel comforting, like something you would instinctively reach for on a difficult day.

The broader goal is to investigate how clothing might support emotional awareness and preventative wellbeing in a way that feels embodied rather than external.

Over the next few months, I’ll be diving into textile electronics, emotional psychology, and interdisciplinary collaboration - sketching, prototyping, and testing ideas. I’ll share reflections here - small wins, challenges, and everything in between.

Thank you for being here and coming along with me. This is the beginning of something new, and I’m genuinely excited to see where it leads.

— Ashley