Wool4School is an annual student design competition encouraging budding fashion designers to show the nation what they’re made of.
Two of our Fashion & Textiles students have celebrated their success as finalists in the National Wool4School competition where their tutor also came out on top by winning the teacher award for the second year running.
Wool4School is an annual student design competition encouraging budding fashion designers to show the nation what they’re made of. First launched in 2012, the competition invites students to design an outfit using a minimum of 80% wool where the students learn the fundamentals of fashion design but also exploring the benefits and versatility of wool and fabric it creates.
Students Louisa Redelsperger and Sophie-Jo Maggs were successful with their entries that demonstrated innovative multi-functional designs through their entries of a mood-board, creative illustration board, technical flat drawing board and creative statement.
The Fashion & Textiles year 1 class also welcomed Louise Campbell, Professor Sheila-Mary Carruthers and Ellie Bogwood in from the Woolmark Company for an intensive workshop on the production and innovative use of wool as a design material. The workshop was awarded to the class as part of the teacher prize won by Emily Streatfeild for the second year running.
Sheila-Mary Carruthers said: “The Woolmark team had a great afternoon at West Suffolk College. The work that was on display was exciting, fresh and inspiring – of a high standard. It is very positive to see the creativity of young people, and hope that by helping them understand the marvel that is Merino Wool with all its natural benefits, they can use these skills to develop new fashion ad design businesses for tomorrow.”
Derek Johnson, Director of Art and Design said: “Wool4Schools have consistently shown an outstanding commitment to collaboration with creative education. Investment in the new generation of creative designers is critical for the thriving UK Creative Industries. Their work with us is hugely valued by our staff and students.”
Emily Streatfeild, Fashion & Textiles Course Director, said: “It has been so exciting to have a design competition where we can integrate from an FE level. To have won teacher of the year was such an honour but to have won for a second year running it really shows we are obviously doing something right! We have a great team here at the college and we are dedicated to being innovative in our approach to teaching.
Emily continued: “To have a competition looking at positive design and the effects of using wool as a design material has been fantastic. It is environmentally friendly and as a college we want to be committed to inspiring the next generation of designers to consider the impact they have on the environment.”
