The theme of the 2021/22 Wool4School competition was ‘Design for your Hero’, in which we invited students to choose their hero and design a wool outfit for them that embodies their interpretation of sustainability.
Eva Hayes from Invicta Grammar School in Kent was the winner of the senior category for her fantastic designs for her hero, singer-songwriter Harry Styles.
The winning design has been recreated into a digital avatar.
We caught up with Eva and asked her about her experience of the Wool4School competition.
What made you enter the competition?
I entered the competition alongside the other students in my Fashion & Textiles A-level class as one of our many Year 12 projects that were aimed to benefit our personal statements and CVs. Instead of this feeling like homework, I really enjoyed working on my entry as a break from the rest of my schoolwork. Winning the competition and the amazing prizes was something I never expected so that was a wonderful surprise!!
Can you please explain your design?
Since the design brief was to create a design for your hero, naturally I chose Harry Styles, as anyone who knows me, knows that I’m a big fan of his, and have been since his X Factor days. Styles has a rather unique fashion sense, so it was really interesting to research this and put together a moodboard that showed off a range of outfits that he has worn in the past.
Therefore, after drawing inspiration from garments previously worn by Harry, I designed four pieces of clothing that could be combined in numerous ways: a top, trousers, a skirt and a blazer. Each item has carefully considered design elements to them - with the ‘Love On Tour’ logo making up the pattern of the trousers, and the elaborate ruffles of the top and skirt portraying femininity. All of the garments are made up of wool, yet the type of wool and how much of it is used depends on each piece’s functionality.
What was your favourite part about the competition?
My favourite part about the competition was designing something that I am really proud of and being able to share it with others. However, I also really enjoyed creating all of the slides that made up my entry, doing the drawings, crochet samples, designing a pattern and learning all about wool. I feel that I now have a much better understanding of the processes involved in making yarns and fabrics out of wool, and the considerations that must be taken when designing woollen garments.
What are your thoughts about your win?
I’m still very much in disbelief about winning the competition but am so so pleased! I’ve been enjoying celebrating with friends who saw me working on my entry for such a long time and with my family who kept getting updates of how the design was coming along (even if they had no idea what I was talking about). I’m really grateful to my two brilliant fashion teachers who really helped me in the past year as I would not have done it without them!
Do you have any advice for students who are thinking of entering next year?
For any students considering entering the completion, I would advise them to give it a go and see what they can learn from the experience. Not only did creating an entry challenge my designing skills, but it also taught me lots about wool, its properties, uses and sustainability.
Check out Eva's winning entry
