Fashion Show 2010

BOOM, BOOM, POW...by the Black Eyed Peas resonated around the Street as the opening music for the Fashion Show which yet again impressed all! Students from all areas of the College signed up to delivering a successful event. 

 Models, helpers back stage, technical theatre students, dance students, & art & design students – at least 400 students involved.

 

They worked on various themes such as Space Age, 50’s Skirts, Make Do & Mend, Organic Forms, Cyber Floral and Ugly Bug Ball. Insects were made out of wire and paper, bodices out of papier-mâché, embroideries on simple lace tops, powerful photographic images and decorative and embroidered panels were created on t-shirts. There were appliqué designs, fun slices of pretty 3D cloth cakes and ‘upcycled’ funky reworked shirts and ties.

Gifted and talented students, Alicia Cox, Priya Launahewage, Clara Lockyer, Jemma Moore and Arti Patel, created exquisite sculptured birds and hats, made of wire and feathers. The ‘Knit Wits’ group were commissioned to create hand knitted scarves to go with ‘impressionist style’ hand painted umbrellas and wellies. The ‘on trend’ finale collection ‘Tribal’ was created by textile students following their trip to see The Lion King, where they were invited to meet the cast and have a back stage tour to see the costumes first hand.

We were exceptionally pleased to invite three ex-students to exhibit their work in collections, Rebecca Griffin, Jessica Greene and Toni MacFarlane. Rebecca Griffin studied BTEC National Art & Design and Foundation Diploma at Gateway. She progressed to Northampton University where she gained a degree in Textiles/Fashion, and had a work placement with Alexander McQueen. Her collection which she donated the Fashion Show premiered at the London Graduate Fashion Week, last summer. The Emerald City collection of garments the colour of jewels opened with a show stopping creation by Jessica Greene who is now at Warwick University.

Local costume designer Josephine La Vey, who has created pieces for Nicole Kidman in the film Moulin Rouge, was invited to run an intensive one day workshop for A2 textiles/Fashion and BTEC National Year 2 students in corsetry. This resulted in a dramatic collection of red and black corsets and skirts. The collection complemented the beautiful red jacket created by Toni MacFarlane who progressed from Foundation Diploma to Nottingham Trent University in 2010 to study Fashion.

Local costume designer Josephine La Vey, who has created pieces for Nicole Kidman in the film Moulin Rouge, was invited to run an intensive one day workshop for A2 textiles/Fashion and BTEC National Year 2 students in corsetry. This resulted in a dramatic collection of red and black corsets and skirts. The collection complemented the beautiful red jacket created by Toni MacFarlane who progressed from Foundation Diploma to Nottingham Trent University in 2010 to study Fashion.

The event took place in a new venue, the College’s ‘Street’ which brought new challenges. Theatre Tech students planned a professional runway style staging, with portable sound and lighting system, towers, seating, back projection and much more. BETC National Dance students performed on and off stage, in and around, and above the audience. Their pieces were choreographed and structured for the catwalk by the students performing.

“The Fashion Show was stressful working under pressure, making outfits and helping back stage, but with time and effort it all worked out and I enjoyed it. It’s given me a great insight into fashion and I was very proud to see my designs on the catwalk. I would definitely get involved again and would love to come back next year to help out.” Caroline Thompson

“On the night it was brilliant. Dr Angela Lennox, Deputy Lord Lieutenant of Leicester, rushed back from a meeting in London to see the show that she had heard so much about. She was thrilled. All the necessary elements of the show came together…music, lights and costumes. However, the real stars were the staff and students…Students who would probably never have the opportunity to be on stage were put on a pedestal. Proud friends and family cheered them on. The memories have once again been effectively captured by the DVD crew, so we can all revisit the night whenever we like. “ Naz Mistry, Assistant vice Principal

Affixius Productions filmed the event and DVD’s are now available for £4. Any queries email Jo Marlow Arts Co-ordinator This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Money raised by the audience from loose change donations went to The Laura Crane Youth Cancer Trust.