Press Room - Archive
A cut above the rest for Preston fashion student
March 2007
Following a seven month search, Simon Jersey has revealed the winner of its student fashion competition.
The leading work wear designers challenged fashion students across the country to create a collection for the bar and café industry, with an unprecedented prize of £1, 000, work experience, and the chance to be featured in the new catalogue for the winner.
Rea Sutton, a final-year student of Art and Fashion at the University of Central Lancashire submitted the winning design which centred around a simple asymmetric apron attached to a t-shirt with epaulettes. It was set apart from its competitors by a combination of useful pockets for pads and pens, hook to hold a serving cloth, a metal clasp to attach keys and even space for a company web address. Completing the look was an easy-to-wear high-neck white t-shirt and comfortable black trousers.
Vicky Miles, from Northampton University was named as the runner-up. Her black shirt and apron with contrasting white piping was felt to have a chic brasserie feel, with a distinctive and impactful style.
Six students were short-listed for the final stage of the judging process where it was agreed that Rea's understanding and interpretation of the brief coupled with her ability to add fun and fashion to her design, exceeded that of her fellow contestants.
Rea will see her design produced and featured for sale in Simon Jersey's next catalogue, a major boost for a fashion student looking to break into the world of fashion design. She will also spend a month working alongside Simon Jersey's head of design, Helen Harker, during an invaluable work placement and to complete the prize, Rea will receive a very useful grand in the hand!
Helen Harker was delighted with the final decision: "With her simple, modern design, Rea has managed to effectively combine some of the key elements we look for in work wear. Practicality and functionality must always be a priority, factors which have clearly driven Rea's thinking, but through creativity and innovation, she has also managed to keep the piece very stylish.
"Rea's design is the most contemporary and commercial and really works as a uniform so I'm confident our customers will love the finished article."
The judges, Lotte Debell, Assistant Editor of Company Clothing magazine, Helen Hipkiss, Marketing Manager at The Lowry Hotel, Stuart Coope, Head of Housekeeping at The Lowry Hotel, Heiko Rees, Managing Director of Simon Jersey and Helen Harker agreed that all the designs were of a very high standard, but that some of the students displayed a more commercially minded rationale than others.
Heiko Rees, managing director of Simon Jersey, comments: "I am thrilled that Rea's design was selected and I am sure it will prove to be a great success when it is made available to customers. As a company we embrace the opportunity to see the talent that is entering the industry and to give students the opportunity to gain some valuable experience of their chosen career. I am already looking forward to next year's competition!"
Notes to Editors:
- Simon Jersey is a global specialist in the design, manufacture and distribution of clothes for people to work in, supplying more than 2.3 million garments each year.
- The Accrington-based company has an annual turnover of over £20 million and serves approximately 50,000 customers each year.
- Simon Jersey specialises in creating bespoke uniform solutions for corporate clients including Avis, Emirates, Vision Express and Hertz. Other big-name brands Simon Jersey works with include: Pets at Home, Asda cafes, Dollond & Aitchison, Costa Coffee, Holland & Barrett, Whitbread and Millie's Cookies.
For further information, please contact the press office:
Best Dressed PR
East Park Lodge
East Park Road
Blackburn
BB1 8DW
Tel: +44 (0)1254 295 588
Fax: +44 (0)1254 295 581