York fashion and art students to display designs in Bedern Hall

The first year BA Fashion Design and Garmet Technology students were set the brief to design and make robes that would be fit for senior members of the York Guild of Media Arts to wear.

The exhibit of their work, which is free for members of the public, will be staged in Bedern Hall, in St Andrewgate, on Tuesday, June 20, from 11am to 4pm.

Rachel Clowes’ gown design, inspired by York’s ghost shop signs (Image: Supplied)

The 14th-century building was originally used as the dining hall of the Vicars Choral of York Minster, and also once served as the premises for William Wright's pork pie factory. It is now home to three of York's ancient guilds.

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Owen Turner, Master of the York Guild of Media Arts, attended a preview event at the college, where the students individually presented their work and explained the concept behind their creations.

3D Creative Practice student Claire Brown’s pottery depicting York’s famous snickelways will be on display (Image: Supplied)

He said: "The enthusiasm and the passion of the students throughout the whole project has been inspiring, as has been their commitment to completing the brief in the most creative ways that they could.

"It will be great to see the students’ family and friends at the exhibition, as well as members of the public, to show off what media arts can be and the talent that we have in this city."

Other pieces of art, created by the University’s BA 3D Creative Practice and BA Graphic and Communication Design students, with the brief of depicting a “York Story”, will also be on view at the exhibition.

Owen Turner, Master of the York Guild of Media Arts, tries on Emma Hogg’s gown for size (Image: Supplied)

York became the UK’s first UNESCO City of Media Arts in 2014, and the Guild is committed to bringing media arts into the lives of the city’s residents, as well as projecting the best of York’s media arts scene to a global audience.

Rebecca O’Leary, the York College University Centre BA Fashion Design and Garment Technology award leader, said: "We try and embed as much professional practice as we can, but this has been a particularly good example of us engaging with local industry and organisations such as the Guild to simulate real-life scenarios and act upon a working brief.

"The final presentation is such a huge part of our industry whether that be the catwalk, a fashion video or, for this project, curation in an exhibition scenario - it’s what our students live for.

"In York, we have this beautiful scenario where we are surrounded by culture, and it will be great to present these young, conceptual ideas within a historical building like Bedern Hall."