Outfits constructed entirely of paper, dresses inspired by the natural world and clothes made from recycled materials. These were some of the amazing examples of work I saw at the 8th Leicestershire Schools Fashion Show which took place in March at the Athena Theatre, Leicester.
This was a fashion show with a difference though. All the outfits had been produced by GCSE and A Level students from across Leicestershire as part of their Design and Technology Textiles courses. They were modelling the results of months of work which brought together the skills they had developed in areas such as research, design, understanding the target audience, knowledge of fabrics and production techniques.
Organisers, Leicestershire Education Business Company (LEBC), welcomed over 300 students from 15 schools across the city and county to perform their choreographed routines on the catwalk. The opportunities to showcase and develop skills went further: local students were involved in every part of the production of the event, from lighting to sound and from compering to filming.
This was a fantastic event to attend and a great opportunity for students to show their innovative textiles designs and fantastic performances. The impressive creative and technical skills demonstrated give us a taste of the huge talent we have in the schools and colleges of Leicestershire and Leicester City.