Synne Skjulstad

Synne Skjulstad is a Professor at Kristiania University of Applied Sciences, specifically within the Westerdals Department of Creativity, Storytelling and Design at the School of Arts, Design and Media. She holds a Ph.D. from the Department of Media and Communication, University of Oslo and teaches across various programmes including design communication with an emphasis on fashion as artistic cultural expression.

Her educational background includes a doctoral degree from the University of Oslo's Department of Media and Communication, providing her with a strong foundation in media theory that informs her interdisciplinary approach to fashion, design, and digital media studies.

Professor Skjulstad's research spans the intersection of media aesthetics, platform studies, design studies, and fashion studies. Her work focuses on visual communication, the relationship between communication and design in the arts and wider cultural field, and Norwegian independent fashion practice. She has a strong interest in artistic research methods and incorporates these into her work. Her ongoing research seeks to unpack Norwegian fashion history, contributing significantly to the understanding of fashion as cultural expression. Her research demonstrates how fashion brands engage with contemporary internet cultures and social media platforms, particularly examining the role of internet memes in fashion media.

Her publications in journals such as Fashion Theory, International Journal of Fashion Studies, and Kunst og Kultur demonstrate her expertise in the evolving landscape of fashion media in the digital age, with particular attention to how fashion brands like Vetements leverage social media platforms to create participatory fashion experiences.

She was the lead researcher for the project 'Norwegian Fashion: Cultural Production and Aesthetic Media Practice,' which investigated the relationship between fashion design, aesthetics, and social media practices in Norway. Her work bridges theoretical frameworks from media studies, fashion theory, and design research to create a comprehensive understanding of contemporary fashion media practices.

Professor Skjulstad collaborates with institutions such as the Oslo National Academy of the Arts and has contributed significantly to the development of design research methods at the Master's program in Design at Kristiania. Her approach integrates artistic research methods with traditional academic inquiry, creating innovative pathways for understanding the complex relationship between fashion, media, and digital culture.