A CREATIVE upcycling project has given a group of young people an insight into a career in the world of fashion.
The Bowes Centre for Art, Craft and Design, at The Bowes Museum, hosted a free five-day junk fashion project last week which was open to those aged between 11 and 18.
The workshops included a fashion design masterclass, demonstrations from experienced sewing machinists, pattern cutting, retail administration, designing a retail space, basic bookkeeping and marketing.
Those taking part also got to create their own garments. The week ended with a talk on career pathways into fashion and retail.
The project was funded by Teesdale Action Partnership and the Youth Social Action Fund.
It was jointly run by The Bowes Centre for Art, Craft and Design and the museum’s education department.
Durham County Council’s waste management team also donated Bag 2 School clothing.
Education co-ordinator, Julia Dunn, said: “The idea is to develop machine skills, sewing skills and enterprise skills. The project is very much learner-led. It is all about them developing their skills.”
All of the upcycled products made during the workshops will be on sale this weekend at a pop-up shop on Barnard Castle’s high street.
The project will use the former Beauty Box unit, in Horsemarket, with the youngsters setting up on Friday, August 31, ahead of a launch party that night and a day’s trading on Saturday, September 1.
Ms Dunn said: “It is an opportunity for the young people to show and sell the items that they have made this week.
“It is also about telling the important message of recycling and how to upcycle and use materials in a sustainable way.”
