University News Last updated 03 July
A bold, new exhibition exploring the themes of climate change, colonisation, and textile waste has opened at Birmingham Botanical Gardens (BBG).
Redefining the way students, educators, and the public engage with sustainability, creativity, and community, Fashion in Nature: Aesthetics and Activism features the work of first year Fashion Design students at Birmingham City University (BCU).
BBG chief executive Sara Blair-Manning praised the flourishing partnership with BCU and said she hoped the exhibition would “enact meaningful change”.
She added: “This is the third consecutive year BBG has partnered with colleagues and students from the BCU Fashion module to support investigations into how nature and plants can offer viable alternatives to current approaches in the fashion industry.
“We love working with the University and seeing how the students’ work can change the dialogue and connections between fashion and plants.”
The ongoing collaboration between BCU and BBG allows students to move beyond the classroom and engage directly with a living environment, in this case using BBG’s unique collection of plants and landscapes as both inspiration and critical context.
Sian Riley, Fashion Design Lecturer at BCU, said the partnership with BBG continues to be extremely beneficial for students.
By immersing themselves in the Botanical Gardens, Sian said students had been “inspired to develop garments that consciously balanced creative aesthetics whilst maintaining an ethical and environmental philosophy”.
The garments on show made with zero-waste techniques and upcycled materials to concepts inspired by natural forms and systems thinking.
Each piece on display embodies personal and collective responses to the challenges facing both the fashion industry and the planet.
Khadija Shehu Aliyu, one of the students whose work is being exhibited, said: “The Botanical Gardens reminded me that everything in nature exists in cycles. It made me view fashion as an ecosystem, where nothing should be discarded but rather reshaped or reused.”
She added: “The Botanical Gardens inspired so much of my design process so having my work shown there feels really personal. It makes me proud to share something that reflects both creativity and sustainability in a place that celebrates natural beauty.”
The exhibition is located in the Gallery Space at BBG and runs until September, 10am to 6pm daily. Entry to the exhibition is free with Gardens Entry or Membership.
For more information and to book tickets, click here.
On Monday 14 July (11am-3pm), BCU and BBG will also host a Sketch & Stitch Community Day, a free drop-in event open to the public.
Visitors of all ages can take part in creative activities celebrating nature through making, stitching, and drawing. All materials are provided.