Emily Brayshaw

Dr. Emily Brayshaw is a Honorary Research Fellow at the University of Technology Sydney within the Faculty of Design, Architecture and Building. Her work focuses on the visual culture of fashion and performance costume, with a particular interest in gender identities, sustainability, and costume design methodology from the 19th to 21st centuries.

• Research Interests:
  • Performance Costume
  • Fashion History (1890–1930)
  • Knitting and Textile Practices
  • Sustainability in Fashion
  • Aesthetics (including Kitsch)
  • Gender and Fashion Consumption
  • World War I Studies
  • Music Performance Dress
  • Footwear Research

Her publications explore topics like costume as psychological armor, Birkenstock's cultural impact, and vaudeville costumes. She has contributed to The Conversation and media commentary since 2020, reaching an audience of over 1 million. Emily also works as a costume designer for theatrical productions and as the principal viola of the Woollhara Philharmonic Orchestra.