Lincolnshire student makes clothing from leftover tents

A fashion student from near Bourne in Lincolnshire has created a gender-neutral dress from tent fabric, inspired by a visit to a festival.

Grace Reeves is a final year Fashion Design student at Nottingham Trent University, who was motivated to create the piece when she witnessed a large number of tents being left over after a festival.

The 22-year-old, who is a vegetarian, created the dress to promote sustainability and inclusiveness in fashion and designed her branding in braille. She has tried to create the clothing to fit every size, calling it size U or Universal, and wants to limit the usage of plastic in her art and life.

Grace (centre) wants to change people’s perception of second-hand items. | Photo: Pushpita Chatterjee

It is also detachable so it can be transformed from high-end fashion clothing to a normal jacket, which Grace said gives “you more freedom”.

She said: “My concept is that life is a game, you can go to a party and later decide to climb a mountain in the same clothes. I really like versatility.”

Grace was inspired to create the piece when she saw a large number of tents being left over after a festival. | Photo: Pushpita Chatterjee

Grace’s work is on show for Nottingham Trent University’s art and design Student Showcase. This involved graduating artists and designers displaying their work as part of a public exhibition.

After her studies, she is hoping to set ups her own upcycling business with a focus on green design and minimal usage of virgin materials.

She said: “I want to change people’s perception of second-hand items by creating something technical and different.

“During my internship, it was sad to hear women complain that many clothes wouldn’t fit them due to their body size.

“It’s a shame that people don’t learn textile crafts in school and that’s the reason they throw away clothes, because they don’t know how to fix them.

“One of my goals is to make sustainable clothing more affordable. It makes me really happy that my clothes can fit anyone, regardless of their size or gender.”

Grace wants to promote sustainability and inclusiveness in fashion. | Photo: Pushpita Chatterjee

Emma Prince, Fashion Design course leader at Nottingham Trent University, said: “The design community is increasingly keen on making designs kinder to the planet.

“It is great how Grace includes a personal touch in her upcycling from waste textiles and highlights the importance of inclusivity within her practice.”