Fashion students at Cheshire College – South & West’s Chester Campus participated in a huge collaborative project to promote sustainability in the fashion industry this month.
Students got involved at every level of creation, organisation and promotion for the event; deciding on the name, logo and tagline for the project (‘Unravelled: Pulling apart the myth of fast fashion’) and creating a themed Instagram account to spread the word about the occasion.
In the run-up to the main event on 20th March, Fashion students undertook an upcycling workshop on Tuesday 19th March, which was held across three classes. Teams of students had to work together to upcycle three garments in less than 3 ½ hours.
The finished products were then exhibited in the Campus’s main foyer where they could be seen and admired by all students, staff and visitors. Chester Campus’s Photography students collaborated with the event organisers, taking high-quality photos of the finished garments and models.
Level 3 Fashion Business & Retail student Scarlett said: “Putting the outfits together was my favourite part of the whole event! Working behind the scenes, deciding who needs to wear what, and helping to bring it all together was amazing.
“I’m thinking about a career as a fashion buyer and sustainability is a main part of the job, so the ‘Unravelled’ event will be really beneficial for my future.”
Chester Campus also played host to sustainability talks by prominent figures in the fashion industry, including a Q&A with the Director of Cheshire Fashion Week (CFW), Claire Namukolo Raven, who shared the various ways that CFW champions sustainability.
Also in attendance was a former Cheshire College Art & Design Lecturer Rachel Davies, who is now working as a freelance artist and makes frequent use of textiles for her work. Rachel demonstrated how to elevate and innovate items without creating the damaging textile waste of the fast fashion cycle.
Level 3 student Alex said of the talks: “The meetings with Claire and Rachel were so informative; they were giving first-hand advice for our dream lives!
“As the fashion community is forever growing, it is important to be ethical and sustainable when thinking of fashion, as it’s one of the top waste producers. We all need to recognise our contribution and combat the negatives to create change.”
The Campus also hosted a Swap Shop Clothing Exchange which encouraged students to bring in their unwanted clothing which they could then exchange for a different pre-loved item. All unclaimed clothing at the end of the day was donated to local charity providers, in line with ethical practices.
Cheshire College are now accepting applications for September 2024 for those interested in studying a diverse range of subjects, designed to provide students with combined skills and knowledge that will fully prepare them for the next exciting stage of their life.
www.ccsw.ac.uk