The two-week project took place at the start of the academic year. Students customised donated tailored jackets using sustainable fashion techniques.
Using garments supplied by Barnardo’s, students transformed the jackets into festival-inspired creations. Each design reflected different aspects of Dolly Parton’s life, fashion and public image.
Fashion tutor Angela Loftus was inspired by a social media trend popularised by Digital Creator Sian Thomas, creator of the ‘Charity Shop Disco Cape’. After seeing similar embellished jackets online during the summer, Angela developed the idea into a creative brief for students, encouraging them to create a collection of one-off upcycled designs.
The project builds on a longstanding relationship between Bradford College and Barnardo’s Refashion Hub. The hub gives unwanted clothing a new lease of life. Garments that cannot be sold in their original form are transformed into new creations by volunteers and students. This helps helping to reduce textile waste while promoting sustainable fashion.
Angela explained:
“We wanted the students to create something fun and celebratory as they returned after the summer break. Each student started with a donated tailored jacket, but they were free to choose their own fabrics, embellishments and details. Although the jackets were designed to work together as a collection, each one reflects the personality and creativity of its maker.”
The finished designs featured sequins, tassels, crowns, distressed denim and vibrant fabrics. With each student drawing inspiration from Dolly Parton’s fashion, music, philanthropy and larger-than-life public image.
Student Zara created a vibrant pink design inspired by Dolly’s femininity.
“I only really knew her music before this project,” Zara said. “I liked being able to go all out with the design. It was really enjoyable to create.”
Sakari’s design incorporated black sequins, tassels and a crown motif to reflect Dolly’s status as a cultural icon.
“She’s associated with pink, so I added light pink flowers to the back,” Sakari explained. “It’s exciting that the jacket will be sold, but it’s nerve-wracking too because you hope people will look after it and appreciate the work that’s gone into it.”
For Rylie, the project offered an opportunity to connect Dolly’s story with their own design interests.
“My inspiration came from Southern American fashion and Dolly’s childhood,” Rylie said. “I wanted to show that you don’t have to fit a stereotype to enjoy someone’s music. I like working with denim and patchwork, so I combined what I enjoy creating with elements of Dolly’s story.”
Falak focused on Dolly’s love of sparkle, incorporating an abundance of sequins in her creation,
“I knew some of her songs before but that was it. Then I researched her and saw that she wore so many sparkles and sequins.”
The completed jackets will now return to Barnardo’s, where they will be professionally photographed and sold online to raise funds for the charity’s work. Rather than creating commercial fashion pieces, the students developed one-off wearable artworks intended to celebrate creativity, individuality and sustainability.
Angela believes the project has given students a valuable opportunity to apply their skills in a real-world context.
“The outcomes are fantastic. Even though every student started with the same brief, each jacket feels completely different. You can really see their personalities in the finished pieces.”
The project brought together sustainable fashion, creative design and charitable fundraising. It gave students a chance to showcase their talents and support the community.
The Dolly Parton collection shows how collaboration, creativity and sustainability can add new purpose to unwanted garments. It also gave students valuable experience of designing for a real audience.
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