OUR COLLABORATIONS
Heart-warming words from Charlotte Smith of The Charlotte Smith Fashion Collection
(formerly The Darnell Collection)
Fashion Talks and Collaboration
I first worked with Sarah when she was at TAFE Bunbury, WA in March 2013.
Sarah introduced herself to me after my talk at Fashion Talks of 2012 at the Fremantle Arts Centre, and asked if there was a way we could collaborate so that her students could benefit from the use of my collection as a resource and from my input as a fashion historian. We then worked on four consecutive South West Fashion Festival events until 2016. We’ve been in touch and inspiring each other ever since.
Coming from an historical side to fashion rather than a construction/manufacturing angle, I appreciate how Sarah is interested in giving her students a background to the history of fashion. Knowing how something was made and why it was made in a certain way or why it was fashionable at a certain time, is not only educational, but also inspirational.
I believe the history of fashion is an important element to being a better designer or pattern maker or textile designer or whatever aspect of fashion a student chooses to follow. Being interested in and learning about the past adds a richer understanding of how to problem solve as well as design.
I remember being so impressed with how caring and nurturing Sarah was with her students. How she gently encouraged them to explore not only their own design aesthetic, but also the art of fashion in general.
Sarah’s ‘inspiration board’ was always full of colour, textures and shapes, a visual resource that always surrounded her students.
A supportive teacher like Sarah brings the best out of her students as well as finding and then nurturing their talents. Without doubt, Sarah will encourage our next future fashion creatives.
Sustainability at the Core
Sarah’s interest in and passion for sustainability was and continues to be impressive. Understanding how to be sustainable is the key to a successful fashion career.
Historic construction, dyeing, pattern making techniques, to name just a few, are essential to understanding how, especially during particular centuries and decades, fashion practices were sustainable.
Using this knowledge and using it as a foundation to contemporary techniques is vital for any designer who strives to be sustainable, especially now, at a time when the fashion industry needs to continue incorporating ways to be more ethical in how to deliver ‘fashion’ in our multi-faceted clothing industry.
Learning Online
Every student who learns through Sarah’s ‘Learnsewing.online’ platform will be a more confident designer.
Learning through this online platform, ‘Learnsewing.online’, is as impactful as learning face to face. Online learning is the 21st century’s advancement of in-room learning and Sarah continues to be a leader in this format.
The fashion industry is multi faceted. The more knowledgeable a designer is, the more rewarding and impactful he/she will be. Sarah is an excellent educator with her strong background in sewing, teaching, and sustainability knowledge.
To anyone taking Sarah’s online courses, I wholeheartedly encourage you to immerse yourself in everything ‘Learnsewing.online’ and Sarah’s offers.
The Sew and Save Project
I can’t wait to see you inside the course and get you feeling confident as a maker and mender. There are so many benefits to sewing as well as being a fulfilling hobby!
