Year 12 Textiles students realise their historical costume visions in Royal Opera House Design Challenge

Yesterday our Year 12 Textiles students were realising their visions for historical costumes in the Textiles Studio. This was part of the Royal Opera House’s prestigious annual Design Challenge, aimed at the next generation of aspiring set and costume designers and makers. The programme gives students practical insights into opera and ballet, allowing them to experience what happens on the Royal Opera House’s stage and the creative processes that go into producing the whole theatrical experience.

This year’s challenge focuses on Peter Grimes, Benjamin Britten’s opera about a fisherman ostracised by his community. Working with half-scale dummies, the students are creating costumes for three different characters in the opera, using the director's historical, eighteenth-century vision as an inspiration.

The skills students are gaining through their draping techniques are invaluable for fashion students. The art of manipulating fabric directly on a dress form is an essential part of the design process, as it allows students to understand the material and visualise how their creations will look, fit and move with the body. This method also enables students to learn how to convert their two-dimensional design ideas on to three-dimensional pattern making. The experimental process of draping allows students to come up with a new, creative and improvised design ideas and solve any practical problems for the user. 

In this way, this project also encourages students to use HPL skills like meta-thinking, analysing, and creating. You can read more about the new Textiles Studio here.