Fashion students at Fareham College will have their unique designs with recycled materials on display in four Naomi House shops.
Vintage fashion
Eight Fareham College students – including Darby Stewart, Beth Luker, Abigail Mattingley, Solara Dring and Kerry Wheeler - will be displaying their concepts focused upon recycling.
The students worked with recycled materials and men’s suits donated by the charity to create ball gowns and costumes inspired by an London 2012 exhibition of ball gowns and Hollywood costume.
They worked with Visual Merchandiser Sarah Jones, who freelances for Fat Face and John Lewis among other brands, in a one-day workshop to develop their concepts.
The winning concepts were Vintage, Wizard of Oz, Vogue and Alice in Wonderland. They will be on display in the Fareham, Leigh Park, Cosham and Waterlooville shops until tomorrow (March 14).
Kerry, 17, from Titchfield will have her Vintage design on display in the Cosham shop.
She said: “It’s a brilliant opportunity to get real work experience and an insight into the retail industry. This collaboration gives your future employers more confidence in you that you have succeeded in something.”
The Fashion Department at Fareham College has been working with Hampshire-based children’s hospice Naomi House, their local charity to support.
Alice in Wonderland themed fashion
Simon Owen, manager of the Fareham shop, Sarah Jones, a freelance visual merchandiser and staff from the department, judged and chose the designs that would be on display.
Mr Owen said: “As a charity shop we are recognised as an unofficial community centre. It’s great exposure for the students and fantastic to see those recycling items. They have created concepts that are fun and ethical.”
Sarah Hudson, Community Fundraiser for Naomi House said: “It is fantastic to have the opportunity to display the culmination of the students’ work in four of our shops for this week and hope that members of the community will take the time to come and see the results and pop into our shops too.”