Selby College Student Project

Earlier this week we welcomed a group of Textiles students back to the mill as part of an ongoing community project between Hainsworth and Selby College.

Late last year we were asked to participate in a project to support local textiles students and provide a brief for the students to work towards and produce finished garments for their end of term fashion show.

We decided to focus our brief around the Battle of Waterloo which played a large part in the History of Hainsworth. Hainsworth is renowned for the scarlet fabric used in the red tunics of military soldiers and it was due to this striking red cloth that the military tactic known as “the thin red line” was named. We are also due to celebrate the anniversary of the battle this year so what better way to involve the students in our rich history!

After a mill tour and brief history lesson we presented our brief. The students were given the brief to take away with them and start planning their designs. They had lots to consider, time scale and budget to name a few, but they sketched out their garments then presented us with their final designs.

Then came the fun part – choosing the fabrics! The group were given a selection of different fabrics to choose from in a range of weights, colours and finishes. Having the chance to touch and feel the cloth inspired some of the group to change their designs slightly, maybe selecting a different colour or weight of fabric than their original plans. However, at the end of the session they all left with smiling faces and armfuls of fabrics and we can’t wait to see the finished designs go down the catwalk this summer!

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