Fashion Fictions for Children: pinboard by Amy Twigger Holroyd

Instructions

amytwiggerholroyd2 — 2024-04-17 18:25:29 UTC

To share your highlights:

Drag and drop an image onto the pin board to create a new post (or click the plus sign and use image search).
Add a title to tell people what you are sharing.
Write a few words about the image and the activity it resulted from.

Please add as many posts as you like!

Welcome!

2024-10-22 16:24:17 UTC

This pinboard is a space to find inspiration and share the outcomes from your Fashion Fictions workshops and projects. It's a place to celebrate the fantastic activities that you have run and the fabulous work created by the children involved.

We can't wait to see the work you have to share!

Important note about image consent

2024-10-22 16:46:46 UTC

We really love to see images of the work that children have created. If you wish to share images in which children’s faces appear, you will need to have secured consent from parents/guardians in advance – for advice on image sharing return to the main pinboard page.

By submitting images to this pinboard you confirm that you have the necessary consent in place to do so.

Useful links

2024-10-22 17:03:18 UTC

Fashion Fictions is run by Amy Twigger Holroyd at Nottingham School of Art & Design.

The Fashion Fictions for Children resource pack can be found here.

To contact the Fashion Fictions team email: sally.cooke@ntu.ac.uk

Stage 2 prototypes: natural dyeing

2024-10-30 09:31:52 UTC

Stage 2 prototypes from a world where stains are good. These mini garment mock-ups were made by a year 6 class who experimented with natural dye stuffs (coffee, turmeric, cabbage etc.) and then used the colours they had created to make individual designs.

Stages 2 prototype: a memory cloak

2024-10-30 10:05:51 UTC

A memory cloak made by year 6 pupils as a prototype for a world where clothes are used to celebrate friendships and memories. The cloak was created by the whole class and presented to children from other schools at a Bulwell Arts Festival event. The children also made sashes that represented their fictional world and wore them on the day of the event.

Stage 3 enactment: the drying tree

2024-10-30 11:55:37 UTC

An enactment from a world in which clothes express their wearer’s emotions. During this project year 5 pupils wrote their own fictional worlds, worked in pairs to upcycle t-shirts as prototypes for their chosen world and then came together to hang their ‘emotion t-shirts’ on this specially decorated drying tree which was an aspect of the written fiction they were working from.

Stage 2 prototype: animal skirt

2024-10-30 12:13:07 UTC

A skirt inspired by a world where people are much kinder and more respectful to animals. Having been introduced to some of the environmental impacts of fashion, this year 4 group created a prototype expressing how people in their chosen world feel about animals and the environment. The children learnt sewing and sculpting skills, stitching their felt designs and making a torso from mod roc.

Stage 2 prototype: celebrating what makes us happy

2024-10-30 12:22:14 UTC

A prototype for a jumper from a world where clothes express our strengths and interests. This piece was created by children in year 4. Each child decorated a wooden circle with things that make them happy, before the pieces were joined in the shape of a garment. On the reverse of the circles letters spell out the words ‘Be brave and stay strong’.

Stage 2 prototype: signature rainbow

2024-10-30 12:27:23 UTC

From a world where signatures create memories and are used to celebrate events. This piece was inspired by friendship quilts and signature cloths created hundreds of years ago. The year 4 class used running stitch to embroider their names onto fabric for this collaborative piece, creating their own small piece of history. Many of the group were inspired to continue their sewing at home.

Stage 3 enactment: preparation for a coronation carnival

2024-10-30 12:55:17 UTC

An umbrella decorated to reflect the importance of pollination. This umbrella was made by year 3 pupils for the enactment of a world where recycled umbrellas are used to celebrate special occasions (in this case the King’s coronation) and to send messages about the things that are important to us.

Stage 3 enactment: preparation for a coronation carnival

2024-10-30 12:55:42 UTC

An umbrella from a world where recycled umbrellas are the most important fashion accessory, used to celebrate special occasions. This umbrella, which illustrate the problem of plastic pollution in our oceans, was created by pupils from Moorlands Primary School for a carnival parade to celebrate King Charles’ coronation and highlight his environmental concerns.

Stage 2 prototype: a waistcoat of strengths

2024-10-30 14:20:18 UTC

This waistcoat is a prototype for a world where being able to decorate your clothes with things that make you feel strong and happy is seen as a superpower. The children in this year 5 group used lots of different sewing and textile skills to each creating a patch depicting something that makes them feel happy or unique.

Stage 1: a world where sewing is more popular than football

2024-11-28 16:17:05 UTC

Picking up a ‘What if?’ prompt about a world where sewing is more popular than football, Elsa (year 6) writes that ‘people gradually came to like and enjoy “feminine” and “girly” things regardless of gender’. This world, written on an early version of the ‘World-writing’ worksheet, is one where people sew and knit for each other and no-one is bullied for it.

Stage 1: a world where clothes made of plants and leaves

2024-11-28 16:21:54 UTC

This lovely drawing from Ian in year 4 illustrates a ‘What if?’ prompt suggesting a world where all clothes are made from plants and leaves.

Stage 1: imagining a non-judgemental world

2024-11-28 16:27:41 UTC

Several of the children involved in the schools pilot project wrote about a non-judgemental worlds where people could wear whatever they wanted without being judged. This drawing from a child in year 5 suggests particularly harsh penalties for those who break this rule!

Stage 1: a world with limits on the colour of clothes

2024-11-28 16:38:40 UTC

On this worksheet Elsie (year 5) writes about a world where people have voted to limit the colour of clothes and the number of outfits that can be worn in a week. She links these decisions to fewer clothes being made and reduced chemical waste in the environment. Interestingly, the limits in Elsie’s world make people more colourful in the way they choose to wear their clothes, which sounds like a fun!

Stage 1: imagining a better world for animals

2024-11-28 16:43:40 UTC

Many of the children involved in the Fashion Fictions for Children pilot project were inspired to write and draw worlds in which people are kinder to animals, no animals are harmed in the making of clothes, and/or the environment is cleaner and better for everyone. Keiven, Daniel & Joel (year 5) created this fantastic illustration of one such wild and wonderful world.

Stage 1: Did you know?

2025-05-12 21:53:28 UTC

Sorting the cards from bad to better proved tricky for the students and brought up many discussions and debates !

No group had the exact same order .

Stage 1: Did you know?

2025-05-12 21:56:40 UTC

Did you know cards ? brought up many debates . We wrote some extra information next to some cards to explain our thoughts and reasoning .

Stage 1: circle maps and thinking maps

2025-05-12 22:00:43 UTC

At the very start we discussed what we already know about the fashion industry and 'fast fashion'. We added more notes from videos shown and information given. Students really engaged with the 'Timeline of a T-shirt ' on TED talks.

Stage 1: What if prompts

2025-05-12 22:04:50 UTC

Stage 1: Clothes are designed to be worn for at least 20 years

2025-05-12 22:09:25 UTC

Stage 1: Every-one is given 30 metres of fabric at birth to make all the clothes they will wear in a lifetime .

2025-05-12 22:15:49 UTC

Stage 2: Drawing: a world in which clothes show your emotions

2025-05-20 20:56:51 UTC

In this world, everyone wears bracelets which measure your emotions through your heartbeat and thoughts. The bracelet then send waves to your clothes to change colors depending on the (mix of) emotions you are feeling. In this way, people learn to understand both others and themselves better. These clothes, made of plant-based materials, also help you deal with these emotions: for example, when you are angry, your shirt will tickle you.

Stage 2: Drawing: a world in which clothes are made from and return to nature

2025-05-20 21:08:23 UTC

In this world, clothes are mainly made from biological products such as bananas and shells, but also discarded plastic. What cannot be used to make clothing, can be used to construct bricks, roofs or daily life objects such as flower pots. When clothes are no longer worn, they are returned to nature: for example, clothes made of shells return to the sea and help the growth of coral.

Reflection

2025-05-20 21:25:58 UTC

During our reflection activity, children presented the worlds they came up with and answered questioned from their curious classmates. Here, our discussion connected back to how these fictional worlds are better for humans, other species, and the environment; what they learnt during the project; and in which way parts of some fictional worlds may already exist in alternative fashion practices of our current world. All children said they would want to live in their fashion fiction world.

Stage 1: Year 5 Textile Brainstorm

2025-05-23 10:03:16 UTC

At the start of the session we thought about what textiles are used for in all areas of our lives and places / spaces we've seen on TV, film and gaming.

Stage 1: Year 5

2025-05-23 10:06:55 UTC

Following a class discussion about textiles, then group discussions around a What If provocations, they explored their own "What If" ideas.

Stage 1: Year 5

2025-05-23 10:07:42 UTC

Following a class discussion about textiles, then group discussions around a What If provocation, children explored their own "What If" ideas.

Stage 1: Year 5

2025-05-23 10:08:17 UTC

Following a class discussion about textiles, then group discussions around a What If provocation, children explored their own "What If" ideas.

Stage 2: Prototypes

2025-06-05 22:01:57 UTC

Starting points: 'what if ?' card from the following:

Re-use is considered cooler than newness
Clothes are decorated with people's ideas, thoughts and feelings.
Making, mending and altering clothes is more popular than watching football.

Students worked in groups to produce garments from fabric scraps. The techniques used were moulage, pinning and wrapping materials onto the mannequins.

Stage 2: prototype

2025-06-05 22:10:57 UTC

visible mending, threads, pinning to a mannequin

Stage 2: Re-use is considered cooler than newness

2025-06-05 22:17:27 UTC

using scraps of fabric to create a garment on a mannequin in groups

stage 2: Visible mending Techniques

2025-06-05 22:18:16 UTC

Making, mending clothes is more popular than watching football.

Feel good by embarking on a 'mending life' : Students explored visible mending techniques whilst also finding mindfulness and enjoyment in the the actual process

Stage 2 Prototypes : There are talent competitions and international prizes for outfits styles from waste materials

2025-06-05 22:24:19 UTC

Students worked in team sot create fantastical garments form news paper . Some were on mannequins and some were made directly on the body so the students could create a catwalk parade in the classroom.

Stage 2: Newspaper fashion catwalk

2025-06-05 22:26:01 UTC

Students worked in groups to create a newspaper catwalk

Stage 2: There are talent competitions and international prizes for outfits styled from waste materials: Prototypes: Newspaper Dresses

2025-06-05 22:32:18 UTC

Students explore origami, weaving, and pleating whilst making garments for their catwalk.

Stage 1: Redesign Hack

2025-06-12 10:00:11 UTC

The students were divided into six groups, and each group was assigned a different garment of their school uniforms to discuss: tote bag, summer dress, jumper, hat & scarf, overall, and shoes.

The students discussed the garments based on a set of reflective questions such as: “What do you think about this school bag?”“What is it like to use?”“Have you ever washed it?”“Is it getting holes in it?”“What will you do with it when it is too tatty or small to use anymore?”

Stage 1: Redesign Hack

2025-06-12 10:02:12 UTC

The students used the information and action cards we prepared, to explore how the items could be redesigned to be lower in environmental impact and longer lasting, imagining new features or changes that would address these two different themes.

Stage 2: Heat Press Workshop 1

2025-06-12 10:11:26 UTC

The students used dry flowers to create some unique heat press print on their old school scarves. This workshop aimed to let students experience textile transformation through hands-on practice, and help they to understand the possibility within the materials.

Stage 2: Heat Press Workshop 2

2025-06-12 10:16:15 UTC

The students reused the left over paper from the other heat press workshop, to over print the reclaimed blouse from a local charity shop.

Stage 1: A Talk at Assembly Hall

2025-06-12 11:07:05 UTC

This talk aimed to introduce students to the basic concept of sustainability by starting with textiles—what they are, where they come from, and how their production and use impact the environment, by focusing on their school uniforms.

We also showed the remake projects we had done using their school summer dresses, hats, and scarves. This part included a small fashion show.

2025-07-09 14:10:10 UTC

Imagining a world where... stylish grannies and grandads are the biggest fashion influencers

2025-07-09 14:10:49 UTC

Imagining a world where... Clothes are designed to be worn for at least 20 years

2025-07-09 14:11:29 UTC

Imagining a world where.... Clothes can only be coloured using what can be found in nature

2025-07-09 14:12:09 UTC

Imagining a world where.... Everyone is given 30m of fabric at birth

2025-07-09 14:15:16 UTC

An artefact from a time when fabric can only be reused

2025-07-09 14:15:28 UTC

Showing a world where only natural dyes can be used

2025-07-09 14:17:31 UTC

An artefact from a world where it is a horror to waste anything!

2025-07-09 14:18:04 UTC

An artefact from a time when all our resources are valued

2025-07-09 14:18:34 UTC

An artefact from a different world showing how waste can be turned into something new.