Nicole Dextras

The portfolio of work by Nicole Dextras entitled Weedrobes reminded me of the workshop we had with Tim Johnson last spring. (Thank you)

"My personal interest in the fashion industry stems from growing up in my mothers ladies clothing store where I learnt how to discern quality manufacturing and the importance of shopping local. in my teens, I witnessed the poor working conditions in garment factories and the effects of chemicals used in treating fabrics, while working in a non union sweatshop." "The weedrobes philosophy . . . is about creating ones own sense of style while also raising awareness about the impact of industry on our eco-system." Nicole Dextras

Aarhus Fashion Show I

Fiona McLennan, Susan McGregor, Yvonne Morrison and I have returned from Aarhus, Denmark, having put on a fashion show using clothes and accessories made by students during the Julian Roberts and Tim Johnson masterclasses.

We were there as part of a European funded Leonardo Project which allows students and staff from different colleges the chance to see each others colleges, working methods and share good practice and in this case work together to put a fashion show.

The show in Denmark featured work from Malta college of Art Science and Technology, Aarhus Tech and invited participants from TEKO (as Aarhus technical college does not have a fashion department.

Over the next few posts I will be sharing some of the images from behind the scenes and soon I hope to have a link to a film of the show made by Chris Goa Farrugia a media student from Malta.

Thank you to everyone who worked so hard to make this a great success.

WOW

WOW is an amazing annual event and competition for wearable art, in Wellington, New Zealand. Above is a winning piece (2007) The Weaver Finch Colony from NP Jayaraj a design student from New Delhi that I thought might be interesting to those of you who attended Tim Johnson's workshop.

Sporrans, Codpieces and necessary adornment.

Sea themed driftwood codpieces or sporrans.

Tim Johnson Master Class II

Thank you Susan, Louisa and Clara for taking the chance and time to see your projects to completion.

Tim Johnson Master Class

Today saw the long awaited master class with artist Tim Johnson. A treat for fashion students to learn how to make string, rope. Weave with grasses, reeds and willow, fabric and recycled materials, to learn ancient skills that can then be applied to modern fabric and fashion.

Time to go harvesting

Only a few weeks until the next amazing master class by Tim Johnson on February 24th, it's time to go harvesting I have storage space in under croft at college. What you need is natural materials, willow, drift wood, heather, hydrangea head's, pampas grass . . . and any others you can think of, get together and harvest you will need a lot of stuff x