Club members from Cornwall College Art&Design Saturday Club began their Masterclass with Finisterre with a tour of the Wheal Kitty workshops in St Agnes. The tour included Finisterre’s design studio, admin/buyers/marketing office, sample store room, on-site shop, and repair workshop.
After the tour, the Finisterre team introduced themselves and their roles, including their route into the fashion industry. Throughout the introductions, Club members learned about Finisterre’s B Corp Certification, which measures a company’s social and environmental impact. The group also discussed ethical and sustainable fashion with good work practices, considering that ‘the most sustainable product is the one you already own’.
Once Club members were familiarised with Finisterre’s core values, they were presented with the first part of their Masterclass brief: to create a mood board for a customer. Club members considered their customers’ hobbies, favourite brands, where they live and other lifestyle elements. The mood boards and colour palettes created consisted of collaged elements from lifestyle, surf and outdoor magazines.
The group was then presented with the second half of their brief: to design a product for the customer their mood board represented.
Using sample Finisterre fabrics, magazines and pens, Club members designed garments with purpose and function. For example, if their design included a pocket, what would the pocket hold?
At the end of the Masterclass, Club members presented their designs, which ranged from an outdoor reversible jacket, swimwear, necklaces for keys and other items for surfers. The garments considered all body types, unique fabrics, and innovative design.