Cleveland College of Art & Design Student Sarah Hargreaves who created an outfit for intrepid explorer Mary Mouse
A TINY knitted mouse which embarked upon an epic crossing of the Antarctic was kept warm thanks to the talents of a North East student.
Mary Mouse
ARY Mouse, the seventh member of Sir Ranulph Fiennes’ 2,000 mile expedition The Coldest Journey was protected from temperatures of up to -70C by a miniature coat and scarf created by Cleveland College of Art & Design student Sarah Hargreaves. The 15cm tall mouse, made as a mascot for the journey, was handed over to Sir Ranulph and the expedition team members at a ceremony in London by pupils from St Mary's RC School, Newton Aycliffe, where Sarah’s mum Diane Hargreaves is a Year 5 teacher. “I became involved with the Coldest Journey almost two years ago when I created and trialled some teaching resources in school,” said Diane. “One of the books I used, Ponko and the South Pole, mentioned a mascot used by Herbert Pointing, the photographer on Scott's ill fated expedition of 1921-1913, which is now in the Maritime Museum London. “We’d made some links with the team so I suggested that our school provide a similar mascot for this journey and asked one of our pupils’ grandmothers if she could knit a mouse which the children named Mary, after the school.” Taking the small mouse home Diane asked her daughter Sarah, a costume design and interpretation student at CCAD, if she could make some suitable clothing for Mary for her trip.
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Sir Ranulph Fiennes and Mary plan their 2,000 mile Trek across Antartica. Insert: Ponko the mascot used by Herbert Pointing on Scott's ill fated expedition.
Mary Mouse has her own global following at Mary Mouse’s blog @The Coldest Journey.org
“I’d never been asked to make a costume for a knitted mouse before and it was a little bit fiddly,” said Sarah, 19, of Stockton-on-Tees. “It reminded me of when I used to make clothes for my dolls when I was younger.
“We are always encouraged by the tutors to do our own projects and it is incredible to think that my work is being seen by millions of people.”
back, I also made Mary a tartan scarf and a tiny pair of skis from ice lolly sticks. “Even though the clothes were for just for a 5in mouse I still used all of the techniques that I’d learnt on my course, just as I would with any garment, measuring, making the toile first then the actual coat itself.” The Coldest Journey, which is due to be completed in September 2013, is aiming to raise $10m for Seeing is Believing, an international charity tackling blindness. There will be a documentary and a book made following the expedition and it is hoped that if Mary Mouse does not get lost in the vast wilderness of Antarctica then she will also find a home with Ponko in the British Maritime Museum. Followers of the The Coldest Journey can also log on to Mary Mouse’s blog @The Coldest Journey.org which is regularly updated by the expedition team “It’s really exciting to be part of something so historic,” added Sarah. “We are always encouraged by the tutors here at CCAD to do our own projects and it is incredible to think that my work is being seen by millions of people on line and may also be seen by many more in years to come.” Costume design and interpretation will be holding catwalk shows of their work on May 22 and 23, at Church Square, Hartlepool and an exhibition of their work in the Hartlepool Art Museum from June 7 to 29.
Sarah Hargreaves CCAD Student Sir Ranulph Fiennes with Mary Mouse
“As well as making the tiny blue felt coat, embroidered with St Mary’s school logo on the
For more details please contact (01642) 288888 or visit www.ccad.ac.uk.
Cleveland College of Art & Design textile and surface design student Laura Moscrop, 22, of Newcastle, whose designs have been chosen by a Spanish fashion house
A NORTH East design student is forging ahead on the international fashion front after having her work scooped up by a top Spanish label.
ALENCIA-based fashion house Sidecar, which sells in more than 450 outlets worldwide, has chosen a culture clash print by Cleveland College of Art & Design student Laura Moscrop for one of its cutting edge t-shirt designs. The fledgling designer, of Longbenton, Newcastle, is in her final year of BA (Hons) Textiles and Surface Design course at the college’s Hartlepool campus.
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“It was such a buzz knowing that my work had been chosen from thousands of prints on display, especially when they were up against designs from professionals and graduates from all over Europe,” Laura Moscrop “My heart flew into my mouth when I saw my design online,” said Laura, 22. “I couldn’t believe that one of my prints was actually out there on t-shirts being sold all across the world.”
Laura’s design has been used by Sidecar for one of their t-shirts
Laura was one of four CCAD students to sell their designs at the Indigo Trade Fair, Paris, which the college attends each year and which attracts textile buyers from some of the world’s top fashion
More of Laura’s designs can be seen on Facebook at Laura Moscrop Design.
For more information on courses at CCAD contact (01642) 288888 or log on to www.ccad.ac.uk.
houses, including Gucci, Dior and Valentino. “It was such a buzz knowing that my work had been chosen from thousands of prints on display, especially when they were up against designs from professionals and graduates from all over Europe,” said Laura. “But I was also aware that many companies cut up the prints to use just tiny samples of the design or never use them at all, so my expectations weren’t too big.” Checking the Sidecar website to find out more about the company, Laura put her successful sales to the back of her mind to concentrate on her final major project. “I was browsing online one day and thought that I’d add Sidecar to my Linked-In details,” said Laura. “I was having trouble finding them so I logged on to its Facebook and Twitter accounts and then on to their website and nearly fell off my chair when a t-shirt popped up with my print on it. They hadn’t changed it at all; it was exactly as I’d designed it. “I immediately texted all my friends and put a link to my professional Facebook page and got loads of lovely comments from people liking my work, including my CCAD tutor Claire Baker. In fact I spent the rest of the day replying to all of the messages.”
As well as selling two of her prints to Sidecar and one to Spanish company Caleo, Laura has also undergone a placement at Hallmark cards, been published in the world-renowned design forecaster Trend Bible and is hoping to secure work experience at a trend company based in Amsterdam. “CCAD has opened up so many opportunities for me,” added Laura, who now hopes to inspire others by becoming a trend forecaster. “Not only have they given me the confidence in my own ability and talent, they have given me a great head start through the knowledge and skill of their tutors and their incredible links to the design industry.”
Cleveland College of Art & Design textile and surface design student Ashley Wilson, 22, of Newcastle
A MATERIAL girl is enjoying shades of success after her designs were used by high street giant White Stuff.
LEVELAND College of Art & Design student Ashley Wilson, 22, of Newcastle, was stunned to see her nature-inspired textile prints turned into two dresses, three tops, two skirts and a scarf by the London-based fashion house. A major retailer in casual and lifestyle clothing for men and women White Stuff sells its designs through its own global website as well as high end stores including John Lewis and House of Fraser. “I sold one of my prints at the Indigo trade show in Paris last year,” said Ashley, a third year textile and surface design student.
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Ashley Wilson with one of her nature inspired designs
“I couldn’t believe it when one of my friends rang me to say my design had been chosen by White Stuff, especially when there was work on offer from professional designers from all over the world. “ Ashley Wilson “I love nature so I created the piece using a repeat pattern of moths with intricate hand and machine embroidery in autumnal colours of red, brown and
cream, with metallic highlights in blue. “CCAD arrange the visit to Paris every year but unfortunately I couldn’t afford to go so I just sent my work to be displayed on the college stand instead. “I couldn’t believe it when one of my friends rang me to say my design had been chosen by White Stuff, especially when there was work on offer from professional designers from all over the world. I still knew the chances of them using it for one of their collection was very slim.” Checking the White Stuff website every day Ashley found no trace of her work and, pre-occupied with her final major project,
stopped her search. “I thought that they mustn’t be going to use it or that they may keep it for years before turning it into something so I gave up looking,” said Ashley. “It wasn’t until last month, when I was browsing the web on my i-Phone and thought I’d take another look, that I saw my print on their site.
“CCAD has great links with the design industry so I’m hoping to get as much experience as possible.” “To be honest it was all a bit of a blur and because it was so small on my phone I rushed to find my laptop just to make sure. “I really like the way they have interpreted the design and now I want to go into one of their outlet stores just so I can see them for myself.” As well as using her print in their latest collection White Stuff has also offered her work experience when she completes her course at CCAD in the summer. “It’s quite a scary though leaving college,” added Ashley, who has already set up her own web-based professional pages for commissioned pet portraits, home interior artwork and tattoo design – on twitter @Ashley Jennifer Wilson, Facebook Ashley Jennifer Wilson Design and at ashleyjenniferwilson@hotmail.co.uk. “CCAD has great links with the design industry so I’m hoping to get as
much experience as possible before travelling to Australia which I hope will inspire me even more in my work.”
For more details please contact Cleveland College of Art & Design (01642) 288888 or visit www.ccad.ac.uk.