Published:
A Belfast fashion graduate and blogger who recently earned a coveted award for her politically motivated creations has been selected to feature in an international campaign, promoting the very best in British designers.
Aoife Malone, a graduate in Fashion Communication at Heriot-Watt University's renowned School of Textiles and Design, is one of 12 up-and-coming designers specially chosen for the GREAT Britain Campaign.
The most valuable thing I learned during my time at university is that when creating an image, the story and narrative is everything.
The UK Government video was released this month to showcase and celebrate the enormous wealth of fashion talent nurtured by UK universities
Aoife said: “I was so delighted to be asked to be part of the GREAT Britain Campaign alongside such talented young creatives. The directors of the video are renowned for their work and being in Westminster was such an amazing experience!”
Earlier this year, Aoife graduated from Heriot-Watt University before moving to New York.
The 24-year-old also won the Fashion Styling and Creative Direction award at Graduate Fashion Week (GFW) held in London in October for her collection that explored the contemporary politics and issues affecting young people living in Northern Ireland. Titled '3 Miles Wide', the project used a selection of fashion images to shine a light on same sex marriage rights, abortion rights, the peace wall, the 12th of July celebrations, segregated schools and paramilitary attacks.
After earning her award, Aoife said: “The most valuable thing I learned during my time at university is that when creating an image, the story and narrative is everything. The narrative is always what comes first and then you can build the styling/overall image around the story you're telling. My lecturer always put a huge emphasis on the narrative of shoots and after we had all completed our final major projects, we realised how important this was."
Heriot-Watt's School of Textiles and Design works with some of the biggest brands on the planet and counts Dame Vivienne Westwood and Zandra Rhodes, who has a cameo role in the near two minute-long video, among its Honorary Graduates.
The GREAT Britain Campaign is being run across 144 countries and is an ambitious UK government initiative to promote the very best the nation has to offer. Its aim is to encourage the world to visit, study and do business.
The video was shot in the iconic Locarno Suite in the Foreign & Commonwealth Office in London, and featured some of the country's top young designers, models, stylists and hair and make-up artists.
Craig McManamon
Communications Officer
E: c.mcmanamon@hw.ac.uk
T: 0131 451 8099