Unusual clients teach students valuable skills

This year's creations using Resene colours were featured at New Zealand Fashion Week. Photo / Chris Loufte

Kleenex Cottonelle, Resene and Fuji Xerox are much more commonly associated with decorating, printing and cleaning than fashion, however a group of New Zealand Fashion Technology students have used these products to create unique and innovative designs - securing their institute an Entrepreneurship in Education Award last month.

The idea for the project began in 2009 when Kleenex Cottonelle approached the institute to create clothing designs using their toilet paper. The designs were such a success that they were showcased in a television campaign for Kleenex, and also inspired other companies including Resene and Fuji Xerox to join the campaign this year.

Co-owner and managing director of New Zealand Fashion Technology Kevin Smith said the project aimed to give students the experience of creating designs based on a client's brief, no matter what that might be.

"Teaming up with Kleenex Cottonelle, Resene and Fuji Xerox has extended our students' awareness of the realities of receiving and responding to a commission brief from a client," Smith said.

Smith and his wife Val Marshall-Smith are joint owners and directors of the tertiary fashion institute. Last month the pair won the ITENZ/Excel Corporation Entrepreneurship in Education Award at the private tertiary education providers' 2014 awards, for their work with the brands. Marshall-Smith said the win highlighted the work the institute had been doing.

"It's validation of everything we've done in the past 20 years," she said. "Our philosophy at NZ Fashion Tech has always been to put real-life situations into our students' learning."

This year's creations using Resene colours were designed using silk saris from India. The designs were featured at this year's New Zealand Fashion Week, and the top 15 participants were awarded scholarships to travel to India for five weeks.