by Dawn Foxall | Jan 23, 2024
TEA ‘N CHAT – Future of Textiles Education Research Findings
An update on the findings of research undertaken by TSC into the current situation of textiles in the curriculum and future opportunities.
12 MARCH 2024
TIME: 7-8pm
FREE EVENT
REGISTER HERE
As you may be aware and even contributed to, the research we have been undertaking to better understand the current position and teaching of textiles education now, from time-tabling to subject content, as well as what you think needs to happen to ensure its place in a future curriculum.
This session is to show the results of the research which was took place through surveys, focus groups and talking with individuals and organisations, and give you another opportunity to contribute to the discussion.
The research was about obtaining a baseline of what is happening now, and what changes may be needed in the future. Your opinion and reflections are important to help us inform government, awarding organisations, professional associations and teacher trainers.
There are some big questions. If all young people are to get an opportunity to learn about textiles, how should schools plan and implement this? Textiles has been part of Design and Technology since the start of the National Curriculum in the 1990s; should it remain as part of this subject? Should it stand outside of D&T? Would textiles be better served if it sat with Art?
There are strengths and weaknesses in the different positions and plans that might be adopted by schools. But what will lead to a strong position for textiles education?
This session is to show the results of the research and give you another opportunity to contribute to the discussion.
RESEARCH LEAD: ROY BALLAM BA (Hons), MA, School Education Consultant
Roy Ballam works as a school education consultant, after leaving a leading charity as Managing Director and Head of Education.
He has been involved in numerous teaching and education programme, initiatives and publications, including those in the UK and internationally.
He is an experienced educational leader specialising in education management, training, resource development and research, and policy development and implementation. Throughout his career, he has used ICT to help bring subject-specific learning to life and support teachers through innovative, but pragmatic approaches. Roy originally trained as a food and textiles teacher and has been a GCSE moderator and A-level principal examiner.
The Textiles Skills Centre Associates are a team of volunteers that manage the social media platforms and website, and offer support, mentorship and advice to textile teachers and trainees. We organise free resource networking events each month (Tea ‘N Chat) and are always on hand to help and encourage when needed.
We are always looking for new Associate members, so if you would like to join this small team then do contact us at: info@textileskillscentre.com
At the moment all costs are met by our team and time is given freely. If you are able to support us with a donation, however small, this will help to enhance the work we are doing.
You can donate using the DONATION button below which will take you to the Paypal donations page, or select an amount when you book the event. All donations gratefully received.
DONATION
by Dawn Foxall | Aug 12, 2023 | Articles, News
What fashion student doesn’t love a corset, a favourite product with GCSE and A level students and their teachers. Where better to start your research than with the late Vivian Westwood. TSC were lucky enough to visit the Vivian Westwood Conduit Street store to see her ‘revolutionary’ corsets on show.
Vivienne Westwood’s contribution to modern fashion runs from punk to pearls. But the item that perhaps defines her legacy, the corset, is once again enjoying a moment in the fashion spotlight with shows like the Netflix series Bridgerton and its spin-off Queen Charlotte, at brands including Schiaparelli, Fendi and KNWLS, and worn by celebrities such as Adele, Billie Eilish and the model Bella Hadid.
‘Exploring the house’s subversion of corsetry from 1987 to the present day, ‘Vivienne Westwood Corsets’ examines Westwood’s approach to underwear as outerwear. The exhibition illustrates the intrinsic links of the corset to historical dress, culture and fine art — which continue to serve as a constant source of inspiration for Vivienne Westwood collections today.’
The designer reinvented the corset by updating a structure that dates to the 18th century.
Dolce Cioffi, a heritage manager who worked on the exhibition, said: “Vivienne literally revolutionised corsets; she did it with the eyes of the modern era.
“She was the first one who did underwear as outerwear. She revolutionised the way we perceive something that was repressive and that was made into a tool of female empowerment.”
Historical research was central to Westwood’s craft, Cioffi added: “By referencing the old, you create the new – this is what she used to say.”
Corsets for men have been gaining popularity – Bad Bunny, a Puerto Rican rapper, wore a corset hoodie while performing at the Coachella music festival – but they have been part of the Westwood repertoire since the 90s.
The exhibition’s highlight is two corset jackets embroidered with glass beads to represent the male torso.
Cioffi said: “Vivienne was a pioneer of unisex. Andreas came up with the idea of developing a corset that was made to fit the [male] body rather than readapting a female structure.
Dawn & Nicky 🙂
by Dawn Foxall | May 20, 2023
TEXTILES ACTION FOR A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE:
Making it Succeed in the Curriculum
DATE: Saturday 10th June 2023 TIMES: 9.00 – 13:30
EVENT FEE: £100 + Cademy Fees
Early Bird: £50 + Cademy Fees (Until 1st June)
BOOK HERE
Online Event Tackling Sustainability & Climate Change & How We Can Deliver This Through A Textiles Lens
Join the Textiles Skills Centre to focus on sustainability and climate change, and how textiles education can make practical differences, using case studies approaches from businesses, NGOs and teachers.
Contibutors include:
WAYNE HEMINGWAY (Hemingway Design)
REBECCA GRIFFITHS – MET OFFICE (Education Outreach Learning Consultant))
PRIMARK – (Director PRIMARK CARES)
MARKS & SPENCERS
JENNY HOLLOWAY – CEO Fashion Enter Ltd. – London, Leicester & Wales
AMELIA TWINE – (Fashion Roundtable/Sustainable Fashion Week)
READING UNIVERSITY – Dr Jo Anna Reed Johnson – (Climate Education & Sustainability ITE Framework)
ROS STUDD – (Repair What You wear)
HENRY GREENWOOD – Green Schools Project
RACHEL ADDY – D&T Textiles teacher and Sustainability Lead at Marlow School
KATE TURNBULL – HOD Fashion & Textiles at Headington School, Oxford
by Dawn Foxall | Dec 16, 2022
CAREERS WEEK!
Careers in the Fashion & Textiles Industry with Nicola Redmore & Nicky Simpson
Tuesday 7th March – Time 7-8pm
As part of CAREERS WEEK join Nicky Simpson and Nicola Redmore(Huddersfield University) for a chat about careers in Fashion and Textiles. We hope to vigorously promote this incredible industry within schools and have added to our existing resource of video journals by professionals and post graduate students in textiles and fashion and further developed the downloadable resources for you to use as part of your schools careers week events.
Nicola Redmore
Nicola is a Senior Lecturer and the Department Lead: Teaching and Learning, for the Fashion and Textiles Department at Huddersfield University.
She graduated from Huddersfield University with a BSc (Hons)Textile Design before embarking on a 15 year career in the performance textile industries based in the UK and Europe. Trained as a textile designer, she has worked internationally for a number of global automotive interior companies including, Courtaulds Textiles and Milliken in roles from advanced designer to design director. A weave specialist, with an interest in trend prediction, and advanced design development, she has an in-depth understanding of the requirements of woven and knitted fabrics for automotive interiors.
Nicky Simpson
Nicky is a contemporary textiles artist, who has 12 years teaching experience, heading up Fashion & Textiles at Hillview School in Kent. She has taught Art & Design Textiles at GCSE and A Level, AQA Design and Technology/Textiles at A Level and GCSE and BTEC Level 3 Fashion.
Her last set of grades were: A Level 100% A-A*; GCSE 70% A-A* (100% A*-B). She had a previous 22-year career as a print designer in the heart of London. For the past 6 years Nicky has been a workshop developer and leader for Textile and Art teachers on behalf of the Textile Skills Academy.
The Textiles Skills Centre Associates are a team of volunteers that manage the social media platforms and website, and offer support, mentorship and advice to textile teachers and trainees. We organise free resource networking events each month (Tea ‘N Chat) and are always on hand to help and encourage when needed.
We are always looking for new Associate members, so if you would like to join this small team then do contact us at: info@textileskillscentre.com
At the moment all costs are met by our team and time is given freely. If you are able to support us with a donation, however small, this will help to enhance the work we are doing.
You can donate using the DONATION button below which will take you to the Paypal donations page, or select an amount when you book the event. All donations gratefully received.
DONATE
by Dawn Foxall | Jun 16, 2022 | Articles, News
Future Sustainable Fashion Solutions
Dawn Foxall – Textiles Skills Centre, May 2022
“If you want to really learn textile and fashion skills and experience garment manufacturing in the UK, then come to Fashion Enter – this is now the ONLY place to visit and learn. We run regular school visits whereby we encourage students and pupils to have a go at the very latest technologies, both in print and manufacturing. It’s time to stop that negativity towards speed of response fashion!’ Jenny Holloway, CEO Fashion Enter Ltd.
Post covid and 2 years of PPE making, the fashion and textiles industry is back on track to push the climate change issue that is the elephant in the room of clothing manufacture.
The biggest problem is decades of fast fashion which has ingrained in our psyche, making clothes shopping a habit that needs kicking.
Perhaps this post covid recession and the onset of higher energy prices, will start to alleviate the stigma of not having a new top every time we go out, and instilling some real urgency from the industry into find new ways of more sustainable and less energy use in manufacturing.
Technology is definitely showing us the way, with ideas that began their infancy in the 1990’s. Innovative methods of manufacturing now include on-demand digital fashion and textile production technologies from companies such as a worldwide market leader Kornit Digital Ltd.
Watch video: https://vimeo.com/680325879
Kornit Digital recently joined forces with Fashion-Enter Ltd – a social enterprise in North London, which has manufacturing and an academy on-site – and announced a first-of-its-kind Fashtech Innovation Centre in London.
Aiming to bring on-demand fashion and textile mass customisation back to the UK, the Centre is fully supported by Kornit Digital’s revolutionary, direct-to-fabric and direct-to-garment digital production solutions.
30% of textile manufacturing is attributed to overproduction and 95% to water waste, Kornit’s technologies are transforming the industry with more efficient and sustainable processes. The Company’s systems boasting up to 95% less water, 94% less energy and 83% less greenhouse gas emissions, minimising the carbon footprint.
The systems in place at FashTec Centre include direct-to-fabric and direct-to-garment systems, as well as numerous graphic design and workflow tools to enable cut-and-sew operations. These machines enable a designer to print their chosen artwork/designs either as fabric, or a placement print, such as T-shirt printing and have the garments cut and manufactured on-site.
The Centre now serves as a prototype for brands and designers seeking to alleviate logistical complexities and long lead times, by bringing production nearer to the end consumer. This will ultimately eliminate overproduction, with the ability to produce on demand, contribute to local economies and remove transport-related waste.
“This Innovation Centre makes it possible to capture the full, end-to-end production process in one, single location. The beauty of having print on demand means there are no minimums, so we can make one garment, or we can make up to 30,000 garments a week from all locations at the same fixed cost. Here, we can also train future generations on the right way of producing garments for today, responsive to demand, with minimal waste—ethical and sustainable. This is the future of fashion and textiles.”
Jenny Holloway, CEO, Fashion-Enter.
If you’re interested in scheduling a visit to the Fashtec Centre located on
Crusader Estate, 167 Hermitage Road, London
N4 1LZ, please contact: education@fashioncapital.co.uk
https://fcfta.com http://www.fashion-enter.com
