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A note from Mrs Arhagba;

Ms Cooper and I had the pleasure of taking a group of KS4 and KS5 students interested in careers within Textiles, Fashion, and Art & Design to the annual Upstart Careers Festival: Schools Day at the Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A), South Kensington. This year’s theme, “Future Thinking in Fashion,” offered an engaging and inspiring experience for our students, showcasing the dynamic possibilities within these industries, from creative and technical roles to entrepreneurial pathways.

Our students participated in a series of bespoke workshops, demonstrations, and activities, including:

• Fastenings in Fashion Workshop: Led by Adobe Creative Resident Jacqui Ramrayka, students explored crafting unique fastenings, buttons, and toggles using clay.

• Knitting the Future Workshop: Hosted by Sicgmone Kludje, Co-Founder of Black Girl Knit Club (BGKC) and a textiles lecturer at UAL, students experimented with hand-knitting techniques and sustainable materials.

• Textile Conservation Session: Students toured the V&A’s Textile Conservation Studio, learning about techniques and materials used to preserve historic garments and artefacts for future display.

• Designer Talk and Q&A: Emerging fashion designer Aissata Ibrahima, shared insights into her journey, career inspirations, and the realities of the fashion industry, moderated by Sheila-Mary Carruthers.

The festival concluded with a visit to the Naomi Campbell Exhibition, an immersive experience celebrating the supermodel’s 40-year career and iconic contributions to fashion.

Some comments from our students: 

• Imani: “This trip gave us students a real insight into the fashion industry. I loved creating buttons, learning about knitting, and exploring the Naomi Campbell exhibition, which I’ll include in my textiles book.”

• Hazel: “The day was packed with creative workshops, gallery visits, and an inspiring designer talk. Seeing how sustainability is woven into fashion gave me new ideas for my A-level project.”

• Kristof: “Exploring textile conservation was a highlight for me. Seeing how surgical needles and fine materials are used to preserve garments was fascinating. The day truly inspired my creativity.”

• Storm: “The designer talk with Aissata Ibrahima was inspiring. She emphasised resilience and creativity, which really made me think about my own future in fashion.”

• Natali: “Learning to knit with the Black Girl Knit Club was so enjoyable, and the Naomi exhibition gave me so much inspiration for future projects.”

• Dante: “This trip nurtured my creativity and gave me insights into the realities of the fashion industry. Hearing Aissata’s story and seeing the conservation team’s work made me think differently about the possibilities in textiles.”

• Jerica: “The clay button-making workshop was so relaxing, and learning about textile conservation was an eye-opener. The Naomi exhibition was breathtaking and full of inspiration.”

• Angela: “The workshops and talk with Aissata Ibrahima were inspiring. Learning to finger knit gave me practical ideas to explore in my textiles projects.”

• Ece: “From learning conservation techniques to seeing Naomi Campbell’s incredible career celebrated, the day was packed with inspiration and insight into the creative industries.”

• Theo-Jay: “Finger knitting was engaging, and hearing directly from a designer gave me insight into the creative industry. I loved how each workshop emphasised creativity and sustainability.”

• Jowria: “This trip was a unique blend of historical insights and practical workshops. It inspired me to think differently about fashion and design.”

• Azra: “The trip opened my eyes to the many possibilities in the textiles and creative industries. The workshops and exhibitions were inspiring and educational.”