A talented young fashion student will see her eco-friendly clothing and accessories go on sale at a ‘Green Shop’ at the college where she has just graduated.
Minna Watson uses recycled material that even charity shops have rejected to create stylish garments.
The 21-year-old from Cwmpennant, near Porthmadog, has gained a foundation certificate in the Visual Arts from Coleg Harlech and hopes to go on to university to study fashion and textiles.
First though she intends to take a gap year to work in the fashion industry in Birmingham: “I want to put myself out there and get work experience,” she said.
“I just want to be in the industry and learning all about it, even doing part-time work sewing, I just want the experience.”
Two of the items Minna produced for her course, a shimmering grey top and a handbag, are going on sale at Siop Werdd, the ‘Green Shop’ at the college in Harlech where she has studied for the past nine months.
She said: “I’ve always been crazy about clothes and fashion and I just buy things and change them.
“I go to charity shops and find things and alter them to suit me but the top was one of the first things I have made from scratch. It was my final piece for my course and was all about consumption and waste.
“I just dug into the rag basket, the material that even the charity shops reject and which usually goes to garages as rags, and I made it from that.
“The handbag was made from pond liner which I got from a skip and some fabric from Oxfam and the rivets came from an old unusable handbag – I just like using things that people think are useless.
“I wanted to show that things can be used again and re-made for the good of the community and any profit I make from their sale will go to charity.”
Visual Arts lecturer Miranda Edwards said: “Minna is very talented and imaginative and the top was the final piece for her project and it’s beautiful.
“She has worked very hard and gained a distinction in every module of her course and I’m sure she has an exciting future ahead of her.”
Coleg Harlech Principal Trefor Owen said: “Coleg Harlech really is a college of second chances, it’s never too late to come here and to get back on the learning trail.
“We provide a wide range of courses and educational opportunities, both here at Harlech and at venues and workplaces across North Wales and North Powys.
“Many of our students go on, like Minna, to university and there their life experiences make them a valuable part of the student intake and we’re just glad to have been able to help them fulfil themselves.”
Minna said: “My mum came here and did a music technology course and she said the place was really wonderful and I wanted to come here before but was too young so I just worked so I could commit to coming here every day.
“It’s been brilliant and the staff and students have been wonderful.”
For more information about the courses offered by Coleg Harlech contact the Student Admissions Officer, Julie Roberts, by ringing 01766 781900 or emailing [email protected]. You can also log on to: www.harlech.ac.uk
