Fashion students at Teesside University have been recognised in an international campaign to highlight a serious message about violence against women.
The BA (Hons) Fashion Enterprise students were awarded third place in a competition run by the United Nations Trust Fund and London College of Fashion.
The aim of the competition was to create a campaign to engage and connect the issue of violence against women with new audiences through a series of creative activities. The competition categories were beauty, design, illustration, journalism, photography and film.
Students at Teesside worked towards a two-week deadline to create an image which conveyed a positive message and incorporated the campaign’s orange colour. Entries were posted on social media with links to the campaign. Around 150 entries were submitted by universities and institutions across the country.
Teesside University was judged in joint third place in the photography category, alongside German institute Lette Verein in Berlin. Second place went to Pearl Academy in Delhi, India and the overall category winner was Ryerson University School of Fashion in Canada.
The team from Teesside involved second year BA (Hons) Fashion Enterprise students Lil Hewes, Jhestry Familara, Sue Gamesby, Yin Yi Gan, Jenn Parker, Chanel Kabwebwe, Neesa Din and Sarah Walker.
Their winning visual, which states Fashion Says No to Violence Against Women, includes first year BA (Hons) Fashion Design student Mariam Kuna who posed for the photographic shoot.
Jhestry said: “There is a really important message behind the campaign and it is a real honour to be recognised in this way. Our aim was to help to raise awareness of a serious issue.”
Yin Yi added: “I came to Teesside from Malaysia to complete this degree and I really enjoy the practical, hands-on nature of the course.”
Lynne Hugill, Senior Lecturer in Fashion Enterprise in the University’s School of Design, Culture & the Arts, said: “Our image, represents great teamwork from our students, who also worked with senior media resources technician Aaron Blenkin.
“The students worked to a very short deadline as we were keen to provide them with the opportunity to have experience of creating work for an international competition. They were really motivated as it was a meaningful project with an important message.
“Projections were used to create striking visual effects. They are the first cohort of this degree and have really helped to put Teesside on the international map.”