WSA and The Clothes Show
Fashion students from Winchester School of Art (WSA) are preparing to showcase their design talent on the catwalk at the world's largest fashion event.
This year's Clothes Show Live event at the Birmingham NEC on 3 - 8 December is likely to attract an estimated 250,000 visitors. Outfits designed by seven WSA students will feature in a 15-minute catwalk fashion show to be held four times a day over the six-day event. Fashion students from the Surrey Institute of Art and Design and the University of Portsmouth are also involved in the show.
All three institutions are taking part at the invitation of the South East England Development Agency (SEEDA). The regional body is attending the show as part of its ‘Make Your Mark' initiative, which aims to inspire a more enterprising culture amongst young people and encourage them to use their creativity to make their mark in life. During the show SEEDA will be actively promoting enterprise in the fashion, textile and design industries.
As well as taking part in the south east college catwalk show, WSA will be represented on one of SEEDA's kiosk-style pods, from which staff will hand out information about courses on offer.
John Hopkins, Fashion Programme Leader at Winchester School of Art, commented: ‘It is fantastic for our students to have the chance to show their designs in an arena like the NEC in front of so many people and alongside major fashion names. The event also provides us with an opportunity to actively promote our degree courses to 16 to 25 year olds who might be considering a career in fashion design or a related creative industry.'
WSA merged with the University of Southampton in 1996 and already has links with SEEDA through Professor Bill Wakeham, Vice-Chancellor of the University. Professor Wakeham takes his place on the SEEDA board on 14 December. He already chairs SEEDA's Science and Industry Council: SESETAC (South East Science, Engineering and Technology Advisory Committee).
For more information about the involvement of SEEDA and WSA at Clothes Show Live visit http://www.clothesshowlive.com/