Wednesday, January 12, 2011

Showtime Profile

Showtime is a website hosting online portfolios of all graduates from all colleges within University of the Arts London.
These are:
London College of Fashion
Camberwell College of Art
Chelsea College of Art and Design
Wimbledon College of Art
London College of Communication
Central St Martins College of Art and Design

Students and their online portfolio can be found by searching for their name, course  or college through Showtime.
The cohort of MA graduates  2011 have just completed their studies and all current profiles are in the process of being updated in the run up to the exhibition and events throughout the first week of February.
My research has explored the ways in which young people are educated about sustainable fashion and how they can learn skills and find inspiration to create, mend or alter their own clothing. By producing the student textbook and teacher resource guide I aim to raise awareness of the main environmental and ethical issues relating to the fashion and textiles industry. By connecting young people to how and where their clothing is made and the damage such production can cause, it is hoped our young generation will develop a more responsible, unique and creative approach fashion consumption.

TRAID: Primary School Workshops


Working in primary schools with the Recycle Fashion workshops with TRAID, I have been volunteering to help young people gain hands on experience with textiles and learning techniques to change the shape of the garments. I have included some photographs of the drawings from the workshops here as I find them appealing and quite funny sketches of clothing seen from a  childs point of view.

  





Tuesday, January 11, 2011

Atmosphere @ the Science Museum

Atmosphere is a new permanent exhibition on the 2nd floor of the WellcomeWing at the Science Museum, London. The exhibition opened in December 2010 and is an interactive and inviting rescource for visitors to learn more about the science behind climate change and greenhouse gases. The exhibition demonstrates a clear and informative approach to the ways in which science and technology are developing in order to document the changes to our planet and atmosphere. By mapping and logging such changes, we are able to more accurately predict the effects an increase in carbon emissions will have on the planet. 
Exhibition Promotion

Science and Technology are also crucial for us to develop solutions and provide opportunities to reduce our impact on the planet - not just through carbon emissions but also by reducing waste and pollution. I would highly recommend this exhibition to everyone as it is a great example of environmental communication. It raises awareness of the issues whilst also inspiring and reminding us of the urgent need to discover and invent new, improved, more responsible ways of living.
Carbon Cycle Installation
Atmosphere Exhibition Introduction
Exhibition Layout
Global Warming Exhibit
The Exhibition

Monday, January 10, 2011

BBC Blast Fashion @ the V&A


The BBC Blast Fashion Festival was held at the V&A museum on the 2nd October 2010. Bringing together over 1000 young people at the Sackler Centre, the day was filled with free fashion workshops and lectures.


I was facilitating the fashion recycling workshop along with two other great fashion recyclers from Beyond Retro. The recycling workshop and the day in general was a huge success, and I was grateful to be given the work experience opportunity by the BBC Blast team to plan, promote and help to manage the event.


From  pom pom and ruff making to assisting young people with their own projects or school work, the BBC Blast Fashion Festival was only available to young people aged 13-19. This was great research for my MA project and it is a shame that BBC Blast has been cut and thier fantastic work has come to an end. The website is still online, although no further content will be added in the future. I hope many more young people can continue to be inspired by the great BBC Blast online platform archive and continue to attend other events and workshops to further their creative talents and develop hands on, practical skills.

Saturday, January 08, 2011

Friday, January 07, 2011

Education Workshops - In Schools


A few images from my MA research - working with young people in schools to promote the values of sustainable fashion and the importance of learning where our clothing and accessories come from. Focusing on the end-of-life scenarios for clothing enables young people to gain hands on experience of upcycling. Encouraging young people to explore the ways in which clothing can be transformed and manipulated into other shapes provides skills that are transferable to other clothing items and can be passed on to friends and family.
 

Thursday, January 06, 2011

Junk: Sustainable Fashion in Manchester

A visit over the Chrismas holiday to Manchester led to the fantastic shop that is Junk: Sustainable Fashion Made in Manchester. Junk sells vintage clothing and small collections made or upcycled by local designers. The shop layout was quirky and inviting, with lots of unusual and interesting objects and garments to see and buy. My friend bought a leather jacket that, with a few adjustments by the machine technician at Manchester University, would become a perfect fit for only £35.
'Junk is more than just a retail space, it's a place to imagine and create' (www.junkshopuk.com)

'It ain't refuse if you re-use'
Another great aspect of the Junk shop concept is that they offer workshops and sewing classes to encourage the community to make, remake or alter their own clothing. The Fashion Courses at 'School of Junk' can be found on their website Junk Website and up to date info can also be found on their twitter account. In my opinion they are 100% worthy of their recent title of 'Best Independent Shop in Manchester' - next time you're in the centre of Manchester Junk is definately worth a visit!



Wednesday, January 05, 2011

Living and Giving Primrose Hill

The new Mary 'Queen of Shops' Living and Giving shop for Save the Children in Primrose Hill is gorgeous! The shop was previously inhabited by the fabrics and business of Ian Mankin, a natural and organic fabric shop, selling fabrics woven in Lancashire, where I still work part time (now relocated to expand our other shop in Fulham).

The transformation of the shop is stunning and I was amazed to see the fantastic change that has been created.

Well worth a visit: 109 Regents Park Road, London.