Building a greener and more ethical future one collection at a time
Today, the Faculty of Creative and Cultural Industries graduates will be taking to the stage, celebrating their hard work and resilience at their ceremonies. We introduce just a handful of 2022 grads who have made the most of their time at Portsmouth.
BA (Hons) Fashion and Textiles Design graduate Jade Hunt will be graduating alongside her cohort today. Her time at University has taught her to be resilient, sustainable and confident and the future looks bright. She has great accomplishments under her belt as she was nominated and shortlisted for three awards.
Her passion for sustainability and creating a brighter future within the industry is inspiring. We hear from Jade below:
Why did you choose to study at Portsmouth?
I chose to study at Portsmouth because I wanted both fashion and textiles in one course. This was a huge factor in choosing Portsmouth.
I’m sure most current students will agree, but our time as students hasn’t necessarily been the most idyllic. We only had six months in person during our first year and then returned to campus and emerged as final year students. It has been a struggle but I feel as though the whole experience has made me more resilient and appreciative of the time spent within the studios and facilities.
The highlight of my time at Portsmouth has been the support from my peers and tutors, especially within the last few months of my final year. This has truly made my whole University experience and allowed me to be more comfortable within myself.
Whilst I didn’t win the awards, the whole interview and judging process was invaluable. I gained confidence and got the chance to meet amazing, like-minded people.
Tell us more about the three national awards you’ve been nominated for.
Graduate Fashion Week takes place every year nationally and gives us grads an opportunity to showcase our work. I was nominated by University tutors for three awards!
I was in complete shock after seeing I had been shortlisted for the awards, after having a rocky start at the beginning of the year, it was so fulfilling to have been nominated let alone even shortlisted for one! The awards were called the Zandra Rhodes Fashion Textile Award, Sustainable Trailblazer Award and Considered Fashion Award - which I was further shortlisted into the top 12 nationally for.
This involved our garments featuring in a professional photoshoot, hosted by Graduate Fashion Week, remaining on site. It was incredible to see my work displayed like that and hearing the judges speak about the display was a huge pinch-me moment.
Whilst I didn’t win the awards, the whole interview and judging process was invaluable. I gained confidence and got the chance to meet amazing, like-minded people.
I have always been conscious of my environmental impact and since starting university this has only developed. We were encouraged to practice sustainability within our course.
Tell us more about your collection?
My collection, Sinking In a Crumbling Climate was made using upcycled materials. The most challenging item was a donated historic steamboat sail (provided by Ankledeep Studios at the Historic Dockyard). It was in a sorry way when I collected it but the historical detail was so unique, that I couldn’t let it sit there and gather dust, be unloved or end up in a landfill! It was used to construct a jumpsuit.
It was also an essential item to help communicate the environmental crisis we find ourselves in. This concept particularly looked at rising sea levels and the effects it has on those most vulnerable. The project didn’t come without its difficulties and it was labour intensive, but it was important to me to share this concept.
Have you always been so passionate about sustainability?
I have always been conscious of my environmental impact since starting university. We were encouraged to practice sustainability within our course. This has aided my knowledge in ethical garment and textile production as well as sustainable sourcing. This has been hugely beneficial from the course and something I will carry into my future practises and employment.
Graduation and next steps
Graduating has always been the end goal for me. I’m feeling both nervous and excited and I think it’s going to be quite surreal. It will be emotional too, I now can’t imagine not being surrounded by such amazing people and tutors as I have been the last few months.
Within the next five years, I hope to settle in a creative space utilising all the ideas and tools I’ve learnt throughout my university journey. I want to continue creating clothes whilst reducing textile waste within the industry and work alongside the designer Bethany Williams, or develop my sustainable techniques in future ventures.
If I could offer my advice to students, it would be this: Do not be afraid to get it wrong sometimes. Always ask for help and immerse yourself in good people.
You can visit Jade’s Instagram page here.