Sewing Success at New College Swindon

Normally the busy and bustling home of over 4,500 Sixth Form and Further Education students, New College Swindon presented an intimate showcase of this year’s AS/A2 textiles work in their Phoenix Theatre as part of their Fashion Week 2014. Bold prints moved on and off the catwalk in a well-choreographed and professionally presented show.

Before the show, guests were able to browse through a selection of student sketchbooks in the foyer. These told the story behind the garments and showed the development of the student’s responses to the themes and how they discovered the work of textiles designers and artists through to designing, creating samples and prototypes. Staff and students mingled with guests over a glass of wine from the bar happy to discuss the work before the show commenced.

New College always do prints really well, it’s their trademark, and this year was no exception. The catwalk showcased an abundance of designs including; teacups and cupcakes, florals, sea life, confectionery and biscuits to keep our eyes engage and our minds engrossed. The backdrop, with its cream drapes, was reminiscent of a 1950s Paris Atelier - with music student Lucy Fry at the grand piano providing live music to accompany the event.

Hand drawn motifs had been carefully placed by their designers onto coloured backgrounds and overprinted to emphasise and develop shape and line. The audience were treated to a huge variety of bright screen prints, sophisticated digital images and woodcuts embellished with appliqué and beading. The intricate designs were beautifully bestowed on aprons, A-line skirts, simple summer dresses, capes and jackets. These colourful creations were worn by the textiles students themselves and by students from the various dance courses taught at New College. 

Cheeky and cheerful and with great use of colour, the printed products touted some serious talent. Alongside the creative textile ensemble, Media Makeup students created the make up for the show and “upcycled” wedding dresses using watery and rusty dye work. Their full length taffeta skirts swished onto the stage with just a hint of sparkle in a very dramatic and magical moment inspired by “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” – the art of rococo is not dead!

And the finale?  Shirley Bassey singing “diamonds are forever” and garments using white and silver fabrics showing sophisticated fabric manipulation to create textural effects – truly the jewels of the show.

Organiser Kate Gale commented: “We work as a team here at New College drawing on the experience and expertise of a range of staff within the Art and Media Departments not just the Fashion tutors – I’d like to thank Philomena Liston the media and make up tutor, dance tutors Nikki, Nicole and Sam.  We were especially pleased to have on board the new lighting technician who has used digital close ups of our textiles pieces projected on the backdrop throughout the show.  The audience could really see the detail and work our students put into each of their pieces, the hours of stitching that makes each piece so special”.

Students and staff had obviously worked hard to present the very best of New College.