Passion for better fashion knows no borders
A GCU student is threading together a career in sustainable fashion after taking inspiration from an exciting new initiative.
Third year International Fashion Branding student Bethany Wade played a key role in the Erasmus + Project - Sustainable Fashion and Employability Skills (SFES), which saw students and staff from GCU team up with their counterparts at Universidade da Madeira, Universitat Politècnica de València, Universidad Villanueva (Madrid) and EDHEC Business School (Nice).
The aim of the three-year project, which started in 2020, is to develop a wider societal understanding of sustainability and help the new generation of fashion industry workers realise the employability skills needed to help make the necessary changes.
Bethany said: “Last summer, I got an email from my lecturer Aileen Stewart offering me the chance to become a Sustainability Champion, and it was all building towards this trip. We spoke about how they needed a communications leader to work with all the different universities, which led to me taking part in calls every month for the last year with industry reps, professors and other like-minded students.”
Social media, more specifically Twitter and TikTok, has provided Bethany and the other communication leads with the perfect platform to promote the Erasmus + Project, which has been developed in partnership with Harris Tweed and specialised fashion retailer, Tendam.
Bethany and Co. were required to practice what they preached at the end of June when students and staff from around Europe descended on Cowcaddens Road for their very own tour of Scotland, which was specifically designed to allow them the opportunity to experience what organisations are doing to tackle the climate crisis and changing attitudes of consumers.
Bethany said: “It had actually been quite nerve-wracking being on the calls with these people but I found that it made things better when I finally got to meet them in person – it was great to give them a big hug!
“There were 45 students and staff involved overall and everything started on Monday 27th June.
“We got a bus from GCU in the morning after being sorted into six different groups and completing our very own clothes swap as an ice-breaker. My group had lecturers from the Spanish universities, as well as some Portuguese students.
“Our first stop was at Eurocentral to visit ACS Clothing, which is the second biggest sustainable factory in the UK. They started off as a formal menswear company but now they’re leading the way when it comes to fashion, which is really cool. They told us all about the work they do and how they also support the local community around them.
“We then had a quick stop for food at Fort William, before heading to Portree in Skye for the night.”
Tuesday saw the group catch an early ferry to the Isle of Harris, where they visited Essence of Harris, Harris Tweed and Knitwear, and a local distillery.
The following day was another early rise with a trip to Lewis, where students and staff learned more about the Harris Tweed brand before heading to Ishga Skincare and Shawbost Mill.
There was also an academic element to the day, with a stop off at West Highland College (University of Highland and Islands), which also has their own fashion design courses.
Bethany explained that despite the hard-work, there was the opportunity to relax and enjoy more of what Scotland had to offer.
She said: “We visited Luskentyre Beach and the Callanish Standing Stones, which was just amazing. Everyone loved it!
“We did this activity where one of the Spanish students got us to take our shoes off and walk all the way from the bus to the beach, where we stood in a circle and danced with our feet in the sand. At first, everyone was refusing but we then just decided to go for it and it was really nice. In saying that, we did it for about ten minutes and then got back on the bus because it was really cold!”
Bethany added: “The whole trip was amazing, it’s difficult to pick out one highlight! Each day was different because we were seeing new, interesting things.
“We even had a Cèilidh on the Wednesday night at UHI, where local musicians came and played for us. It was fun to teach the international students how to do all the dances. They had a fabulous time – it was nice to see how happy they all were!”
Dancing shoes were quickly replaced by comfy trainers on Thursday morning, as it was finally time to head back to Glasgow. A mammoth eight-hour bus ride provided ample opportunity for each of the six groups to compile their presentations, which they would make the following day.
Bethany said: “My group focused on how each industry we visited had such an emphasis on taking care of the community that was around them. I remember someone saying that so much of sustainable fashion focuses on caring about the people in your supply chain, but it’s equally important that you care for those that live and work in your local community; that really stuck with me and it was something we were keen to highlight.”
The presentations officially concluded the first international visit of the Erasmus + Project.
A barrage of hugs and selfies soon followed, clearly highlighting the new friendships that had been formed over the course of the week.
Thankfully, those involved don’t have long to wait until they’re reunited.
September will see staff and students travel to Madeira to experience the best of what Portugal has to offer when it comes to sustainable fashion.
Bethany said: “I’m really excited to meet up with everyone again. They’re all really sweet and were showing me lots of photos of what to expect there. It looks really cool and I’m already planning my outfits.
“We’ll basically be doing the same thing and they’ll be taking us around the coastline – it looks really beautiful! They’re also going to show us their version of ceilidh dancing as well, which is definitely something to look forward to!”
With fourth year just around the corner, Bethany has embraced being part of the Erasmus + Project and is well aware her experience will benefit her beyond university.
She explained: “I feel like being involved in this has given me a lot more confidence to talk to people in professional industries; the intergenerational aspect of the project definitely played a big part in that.
“It’s all just made me really excited for what’s to come, both in terms of the research project and my own future.
“it’s given me a lot of motivation and ideas - I now know what I want to do with my life and that’s something that I didn’t really know before.”
By Ross Clark
Got an SHLS or GSBS story? Email me at Ross.Clark@gcu.ac.uk or message me on Twitter