Fashion in Schools: Between Theoretical Inferences and the Experience of University Extension

Abstract

This study is connected to the area of concentration “Cultural Processes and Manifestations” and the research track “Languages and Teaching.” The study aims to promote reflection on gender equality and sustainable development in the school context through the use of educational games as a pedagogical tool. Through the memory game “Women in Art and Fashion,” developed as part of an extension program, adolescents gain access to artists who have been rendered invisible by history, recognizing women’s trajectories in textile and artistic creation. Within the practical scope of university extension programs, we adopt what we call “cartographies in fashion,” which track the creative and subjective processes of the participants. The initiative contributes to shaping critical and socially conscious citizens regarding consumption, diversity, and social justice. The results point to the transformative potential of university extension as a space for theoretical-practical learning, aligning with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG 5: Gender Equality and SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production). Furthermore, the study reinforces the inseparable link between teaching, research, and extension, which is evidenced by the formation of critical citizens capable of questioning consumerist patterns, valuing diversity, and acting for social equity, thereby contributing to an emancipatory education that intertwines fashion, gender, and sustainability.