Fashion and textiles students at Penryn College have been shown that they can earn a living doing something they enjoy.

Year ten students were set the task of choosing a career direction that excites them and shown how they could work towards it within their GCSE coursework. To help them achieve their visions, they received instruction and feedback from industry professionals who have already turned their dreams into a reality.

Fashion design students Lily Cockwell, Chloe Martin, Izzy Hopkins, Esme Sibert, Harriet Dickens-Williams and Emily Neild worked alongside Nomad Clothing’s design director Vicky Jackson. The students were required to design outfits which would merge the couture design that appeals to teenagers, with the decorative bohemian elements and Fairtrade organic values of the company.

Their creations were modelled at Trebah Gardens in a collaborative project that not only provided the students with images for their portfolios, but also the experience of a professional photoshoot. Lily's work was branded the most commercially viable product” followed by close runners up Chloe and Izzy. The students all received goody bags and detailed feedback on their portfolios.

Andrew Todd, the lead product designer for Finisterre, met with student Mitchell Green to give feedback on his sports and casual range for men. They discussed the similarities between his work and the renowned White Project run at Central St Martins in London.

Evie Hyde’s brief was to re-design the interior of the the Chainlocker in Falmouth. Creative director of 3i Dogs interior designers gave feedback on her work.

Tilly Homes was asked to design a costume for Rogue Theatre which had to be suitable for either their Wild Woodland Summer Ball, their Dead of Night production or both.

“Great consideration was shown in her approach to design and she clearly understood the purpose and context in which the designs would be used,” said the theatre’s artistic director Angelina Boscarelli. Tilly’s notes included considerations for fastenings suitable for quick costume changes and even reversible costumes.

“Practical consideration is as essential to a theatre costume designer as the vision and skill to create evocative and highly visual pieces, and it is clear that Tilly has both," added Angelina.

“Tilly's practical work demonstrates her ability to apply herself when working with different materials and disciplines and shows that she can be versatile, a quality that will help her to excel as a costume designer for theatre and rise to the challenges that theatre design can present.”