In June, our 21 Fashion Futures finalists took part in an intensive Summer School at the University of East London. With only 5 days to produce their final garments for London Fashion Week, the pressure was on.
The week had its highs and lows, with days filled with excitement, stress and a good few learning curves! The challenge was tough, but with plenty of help on hand from FAD volunteers and each other, the finalists perfected their pattern-cutting skills and learnt to sew on industrial machines. They painted, beaded, quilted, laced, fringed and embroidered until their garments were complete, ready to be showcased at Fashion Scout on Monday 19th September.
We caught up with finalist Emily Guest about her Fashion Futures experience so far.
Why did you apply for Fashion Futures?
“I applied because I didn’t get to do textiles in sixth form so I wanted to get more experience. I wanted to learn more about fabrics, making and construction.”
Tell us about your design and how it was inspired by the brief.
“I was inspired by pattern; I wanted to do embroidery because I thought it was quite a traditional art form.”
How has your week been at our Summer School at UEL?
“My week’s been really good actually; I’m quite surprised because I’ve not been that stressed.”
What has Fashion Futures taught you so far?
“Fashion Futures has taught me not to get too stressed, it is a stressful process but there’s no need to get overwhelmed. It’s also taught me to be less stubborn and take other people’s opinions on board, so I’ve had to open up to people and that’s good.”
What’s next for you?
“I want to go to university and do a foundation course, then I want to go travelling. I want to do a fashion course at university but I don’t know what specifically, I really like construction.”
What challenges do you think young people face when trying to get jobs in the fashion industry?
“I think young people struggle with gaining experience in order to get placements and jobs.”
Fashion Futures would not be possible without our sponsors at Natwest and George at Asda.
