SPONSORING FUTURE DESIGNERS

The Arts Society Falmouth (TASF) sponsored prizes awarded to outstanding students of the Fashion and Textiles Academy, an after-school club that fosters creative design, at Penryn College.  Mason, who chose not to be photographed, cited Danielle Levi, (Kim Kardashian’s stylist) as the inspiration behind his designs, drawing on the ability of fashion to create a form of self-expression and identity. 

Both the iconic Coco Chanel and the eccentric Vivienne Westwood, dared to ‘put a spoke in the system’, are the choices of Year 9’s Lily.  These designers created clothing for the modern age – the post-war Chanel trademark was of youthful ease, liberated physicality, and unencumbered sportive confidence; Westwood was largely responsible for bringing the 1970s punk and new wave fashion into the mainstream.  Understanding the back-stories of these women helps in ‘seeing’ the clothing they created.

The youngest winner (year 7’s Esther) is drawn to colour, movement and … shoes, (which lead to a conversation including Christian Louboutin, Jimmy Choo and Manolo Blahnik and, perhaps, the cordwainer course at the London School of Fashion).  Her inspirations come from her friendship groups, pop stars and digital influencers.  The Academy has exposed her to a wide range of designers, new methods and materials from which she’s developing her unique fashion style.

Commenting on this initiative to make fashion illustration resources easily accessible to young people,  Young Arts Representative, Maggie Letch, said: “TASF has been delighted to support this initiative; all the students should be very proud of their achievements. They are our fashion designers and illustrators of the future.”