As part of Wakefield’s upcoming Rhubarb Festival, the Art & Design Department at Wakefield College has teamed up with the Community Foundation Wakefield District to create an upcycled rhubarb-themed fashion exhibition.

Level 3 Fashion & Textiles students were tasked with transforming clothes which were donated through the charity’s Community Give Box, designing pieces that resonate with the rhubarb theme.

Year 2 students started the creative process with mood boards and samples that inspired the designs of their garments, which they had to make for a range of dress sizes.

Research started with observations of the leaves and stems of rhubarb followed by further exploration into what can be created from the vegetable, with the students inspired by its textures, colours and how it is used in recipes.

Year 1 Fashion & Textiles students also used pre-loved materials and donated items to make dolls and their clothing, utilising a range of textile techniques including dyeing, printing and embroidery. The students then further enhanced their display by introducing rhubarb stems, leaves and soil.

This comes following the success of its previous Community Give Box project, which saw the students create fashionable garments using clothes donated to the charity shop.

Sally Poskitt, Lecturer in Art & Design at Wakefield College, said:

“Given the success of last year’s project, the students were really keen to work with Community Foundation Wakefield District again to showcase how pre-loved clothes can be upcycled to create garments which are on-trend."

"It’s been fantastic to see how the students have used their creativity and expertise to transform donated materials into artful pieces which resonate with our local heritage, celebrating both sustainability and Wakefield’s beloved rhubarb.”

Lisa Milburn, Executive Director at Community Foundation Wakefield District, said:

“Fast fashion is one of the greatest contributors to global warming and at the heart of our partnership with Wakefield College is our mission to raise awareness of sustainability. We’re delighted to be able to bring this exhibition to the public with the support of Wakefield BID and Woodhead Investments.”

The exhibition will be on display at Community Foundation Wakefield District in Cross Square in Wakefield from Thursday 13th February until Monday 24th February 2025.

The Level 3 Fashion & Textiles course is designed for those who have a creative mind, want to develop their design knowledge and skills and have a real passion and desire to work in the creative industries.