Teachers learn about the fashion industry
5th July 2010
Eight teachers were recently given a rare opportunity to attend a textiles workshop held at Leicestershire Education Business Company (LEBC) where they were given demonstrations and learnt about textiles, dress design, recycling projects and decorative techniques from award wining designer, Seema Izaiah Managing Director of Izzi Izaiah Brides. This industry input is vital to their teaching in the classroom to give students a better understanding of the realities of the workplace.
Seema offers couture design services to brides via her shop in Ipswich and the teachers learnt how modern technology and 16th century embroidery techniques are combined to produce exotic hand beaded wedding dresses and boned bodices finished to the highest standards. The workshop also focused on recycled fashion and how to create something new from unwanted clothes. The teachers will be taking this back into the classroom and over 2,000 students will benefit from an enriched curriculum that relates the theory to relevant working practices.
The teachers also had an insight visit to Boden, the online clothes shop and mail order catalogue fashion company, based on Meridian Business Park. Michaela Abbott and Peter Hutton, both Customer Service Managers at Boden welcomed the group and gave the teachers an overview of all departments including the call centre, product control, tailoring and warehouse. The international aspect of Boden gave the teachers a fantastic insight into another textiles business in this creative industry.
Michelle Aylott a teacher from The Samworth Enterprise Academy commented on the day: “The placement gave me the opportunity for practical skills to be developed and learnt. It has also given me ideas for projects for students using different techniques and combining them to produce a finished piece.”
The day was set up by LEBC in partnership with Seema Izaiah with the aim of supporting teachers to relate the theory of lessons to the working world. To discuss how your company or organisation could host a visit from a teacher please contact Odette Wells at LEBC on (0116) 240 7000 or email odette.wells@leics-ebc.org.uk.
Photo Caption:
(L-R) – Seema Izaiah, giving Mary Lachman guidance on draping a bodice.