Four School of the Arts students show the Textile Institute they mean business

Four graduating students from the University’s School of The Arts attended the Textile Institute’s Design Means Business event at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in Westminster earlier this month.

BA Fashion Students Emma Parker, Mia Felce, Hannah Podbury and Kirandeep Bassan were given the opportunity to show the visiting designers what they can do and promote business enterprise through the work they have achieved.

The event, which was led by Professor Clare Johnston of the Royal College of Art, invited graduates and post graduates from the country’s leading fashion/textile colleges and universities to showcase their most innovative work to senior representatives from the industry, by using new techniques, new technologies and industry focused design skills.

After the University’s success at Graduate Fashion week, the four students were able to meet and mingle with some of the UK’s best designers in the industry. Previous shows have helped forge strong connections for colleges and graduates with businesses, leading to new partnerships, placements and projects.

Emma Parker commented: “It was a really great opportunity to be invited to the Textile Institute event. I met some really talented designers, and the contacts I made even helped me get some work on a freelance basis. It was a great afternoon and I thoroughly enjoyed being part of such a wonderful event.”

Lord Haskel, a past president of the Textile Institute, hosted the event which was also attended by prominent Members of Parliament in an aim to keep them informed of the work of the fashion and textile colleges and their interaction with the industry.