FASHION DESIGN

COSTUME, WEARABLE ART, CULTURAL – (ONE-OFF GARMENTS)
This category concentrates on one-off outfits designed with a specific theme or purpose.  Your design may be either male or female or unisex.

Costume includes designs to be worn in specific productions within the performing arts.

Wearable Art is most easily defined as an outfit that is inspired by fantasy rather than as a costume designed for a specific role in a production. 

Cultural garments are those which draw inspiration from specific ethnic groups and interpret cultural elements or motifs into a wearable form.

Your brief is to design a one-off outfit to fit one of the above classifications; costume, wearable art or cultural.

All entries should be based on the generic brief mentioned on pages 6, 7 and 8 of this document.

Your design must be able to fit through a standard doorway and be robust enough to withstand repeated wearing and packing for freight. 

COSTUME DESIGN
Costume Design should clearly represent the role it is designed for and your submitted research, concept development and design development should include the following information:

• A clear description of the production and the role for which the costume is designed (eg a fire juggler in the Cirque de Soleil)
• Any physical requirements such as quick changes, freedom of movement for dance etc
• Period (eg 1920s), climate and country settings if appropriate
• The need for more than one version of the costume (eg ragged or dirty after a shipwreck or kidnapping) if part of your chosen production
• Specialist make-up or prosthetic design if needed to complement your outfit
• The problem-solving process you took to overcome any technical challenges (such as building pieces in fibreglass or making surfaces look wet and shiny, wings that move etc etc)

WEARABLE ART DESIGNS
Wearable Art Designs may be as fantastic as you wish.  Your research, concept development and design development should include the following information:

• Your source of inspiration and your research
• The problem-solving process you took to overcome any technical challenges (such as building pieces in fibreglass or making surfaces look wet and shiny, wings that move etc etc)

CULTURAL DESIGNS
Cultural designs may be as fantastic as you wish, but Your research, concept development and design development should include the following information:

• Your source of inspiration and your research
• The problem-solving process you took to overcome any technical challenges (such as building pieces in fibreglass or making surfaces look wet and shiny, wings that move etc etc)

EVENING WEAR
This category concentrates on either one-off outfits or those designed for commercial production which are specifically for eveningwear. 
Your design may be either male or female or unisex.  All entries should be based on the Pages 6, 7 & 8 of this document.

Your design must be able to fit through a standard doorway and be robust enough to withstand repeated wearing and packing for freight. 

EVENINGWEAR DESIGN
Eveningwear designs should clearly be fit for the occasion or environment it is designed for and your submitted research, concept development and design development should include the following information:

• The occasion or environment where the garment will be worn
• Details of any client requirements or special design features
• Reasons for your selection of materials
• Whether your garment is designed as a ‘one-off’ piece or for mass production and details of how this has affected your final design

HIGH ST FASHION & INTERNATIONAL BRANDS – (MASS PRODUCED GARMENTS SUITABLE FOR RETAIL)
This category concentrates on garments designed for commercial production either as high fashion boutique items or as part of a range for an international brand.  Your design may be either male or female or unisex.

All entries should be based on the generic brief mentioned on pages 6, 7 and 8 of this document.

Your design must be able to fit through a standard doorway and be robust enough to withstand repeated wearing and packing for freight. 

Your retail design should clearly be fit for commercial production and if it is to fit a recognised brand it should be faithful to the design ethic of the chosen brand. 

Your submitted research, concept development and design development should include the following information:

• Details of the type of retail store your garment would be sold in, or the brand for which it has been designed
• Details of how your design has been suited for commercial production
• Reasons for your selection of materials
• Comments about how your garment is fit for its purpose (eg comments about how a swimsuit allows freedom of movement to swim, the fabric will withstand salt or chlorinated water and sunlight etc)

CRAFT – NON-GARMENT SEWN OR HAND-CRAFTED PERSONAL ADORNMENTS AND SOFT FURNISHINGS
This category concentrates on fashion accessories and soft furnishings.  It is a wide category and allows students to submit designs for items that are not garments (eg quilts, cushions etc) and accessories (such as jewellery, handbags, hair ornaments etc).

All entries should be based on the generic brief mentioned in pages 6, 7 and 8 of this document.

Your design must be able to fit through a standard doorway and be robust enough to withstand repeated wearing and packing for freight. 

Your submitted research, concept development and design development should include the following information:

• Details of the intended use for which your entry has been designed
• Details of how you have used any special techniques to produce your design
• Reasons for your selection of materials

JUNIOR, INTERMEDIATE AND SENIOR

All students may choose from any of the above sections.

CATEGORY CRITERIA

• Comply with all Conditions of Entry and Presentation Criteria.
• There are no size restrictions, but the judges would prefer submissions to comply with size 12 for women and a man’s size of 101cm chest and 84 cm waist.
• Send design information as set out in the submission criteria.  Please DO NOT send the garment unless you are specifically asked to do so after your submission has been judged.
• Submissions to include four or more colour photographs showing the finished garment on a model or in the case of soft furnishings to show the item in a suitable setting.  Each photograph depicting a different view (i.e. front, back, right side, left side, close up of intricate work).   We encourage all models to wear the complete outfit including footwear where appropriate and to take close up photos of any intricate work complete with explanatory notes.
• Garments must be safe to wear.  
• Outside help with construction and patternmaking is allowed.