On the Proper Aesthetic Appreciation of Nature in Design

I will defend a thesis about the proper way to aesthetically appreciate instances of design that incorporate natural elements. My main case studies will be drawn from the work of fashion designer Alexander McQueen, such as a bodice incorporating mussel shells from the Voss collection (Spring/Summer 2001). I will defend a version of cognitivism about the proper aesthetic appreciation of nature incorporated in these design elements, according to which a certain amount of knowledge about one’s object of appreciation is necessary for its proper aesthetic appreciation. The knowledge I will suggest is necessary concerns whether something is natural or artificial, knowledge of natural kinds, as well as an awareness of the contrast between the appearance of something and its nature. This account of the aesthetic appreciation of design incorporating natural elements can be developed to specify what is aesthetically praiseworthy in certain instances of sustainable fashion.