Community sewing their way to success
Third year BA (Hons) Fashion Studies students are expected to take part in free sewing sessions and lend their expertise and support to the community, which will allow them to gain valuable support for their own academic studies. Photography students will help document the project.
Normally, high quality African clothes - such as the Senegalese Boubou dress made from Bazin-riches and stunning embroidery, would cost around £60 on the UK High Street.
However, our University has teamed up with community group Voice of Congolese Women to start a series of free sewing workshops, giving the chance for local residents, with the help of our students, to create similar styles of clothing, without any cost, apart from their own labour.
The £4,000 initiative has been funded through a Derbyshire Community Foundation Grassroots grant and has helped pay for material including sewing machines. The sessions began with a launch event at the Arboretum Park Building, Normanton, Derby on Saturday 17 January.
A further six sessions will follow at the Arboretum Park Building concluding with a showpiece finale, a celebration fashion show and presentation of certificates.
They will learn traditional African textile skills such as using African Wax, as well as improving their English and French skills.
Betty Phoba, Chair of the Voice of Congolese Women group said: "This initiative enables our community to become active and we appreciate the support of the Derbyshire Community Foundation.
The bid impressed the Derbyshire Community Foundation, who said: "We liked the fact that sewing skills would be passed on to others in the community and that after the initial set up costs this project would be a sustainable project. The final event was an excellent idea."
