Businesses management software firm The Access Group has launched a competition with Loughborough University, inviting fashion design and technology students to submit designs for a new capsule workwear wardrobe. The winning design will be available for purchase and will be “eligible for a cash prize”.
The brief asks students to design garments that are “cool, comfortable, and, importantly, make staff feel good while wearing them”. Aligning with this ethos, the brief asks students also to design garments that importantly, make staff feel good while wearing them.
Students have been asked to ensure that the collection encapsulates the business's ethos, which is translated throughout its offices: a people-first aesthetic that is functional and design-led, instilling a real sense of pride in staff regarding where they work.
A collection that suits hybrid working is an element they have also been asked to consider as Access has a hybrid working policy where its people work from home and in its offices depending on their role and location.
The competition forms part of the Loughborough student's first-year degree course and they will spend 12 months working through three stages of the project: design the collection; create one complete workwear outfit; reveal the design in a runway fashion show early next year.
The first stage of the competition, which closes in May, asks the students to design a collection that includes up to 10 garments of their choice, including up to five complete outfits. In addition, the collection must include one workwear T-shirt featuring The Access Group logo.
The students must showcase “their knowledge of the history of workwear, the inspiration behind the designs and technical drawings to support this”.
The winner’s design will be created and made available for purchase at the Access Wear employee store, with all proceeds of this will go towards the Access Charity of the Year.
Jenny Prendergast Fhea, programme leader for fashion design and technology at Loughborough University, added: “The opportunity to collaborate on a creative project with a local business… is fantastic for our students and integral to their learning and development on the course. It also gives them the opportunity to experience what working with a large corporation could be like and develop their employability skills.”
The competition brief will also be rolled out with fashion design students in The Access Group’s other key markets including Romania, Australia, the US and Malaysia.
At the end of the project, one winner will be chosen, and their design will be created and made available for purchase at the Access Wear employee store. All proceeds of this will go towards the Access Charity of the Year.
The competition brief will also be rolled out with fashion design students in Access’ other key markets including Romania, Australia and Malaysia.