A fashion statement to protect the environment

Nottingham School of Art & Design student Martha Morgan, 21, created a dress that transforms into a pullover in order to save materials and help the environment.

‘Sustainability shouldn’t be about box ticking and making things out of bamboo,’ said the former Ladies’ College student.

She said helping consumers develop an emotional bond to clothes makes people want to wear certain items more often and less likely to throw them away, meaning less clothing going to landfill.

‘Making clothes multifunctional allows the same garments to be worn in different ways for different occasions, and by creating different silhouettes it can make them feel like entirely different items of clothing,’ said Miss Morgan.

Made from knit ribbing and sports neoprene in order to be physically durable and withstand frequent use, the prototype can be worn as a maxi dress, a midi dress or a jumper.

It has three openings for the wearer to place their head, with openings for the arms. When worn as a full-length dress, the sleeves of the jumper hang down to give the garment a mermaid silhouette.

The jumper can be worn six different ways, suited to all seasons.

Miss Morgan’s designs are set to go on public display at the 2022 Nottingham Trent University art and design student showcase – one of the largest exhibitions of graduating art and design talent in the UK.

Senior lecturer in fashion design Lee Mattocks said her design could help minimise fast fashion waste.

‘Martha has shown how creative design can revolutionise the way we use clothing, by making garments multifunctional and in turn more fun to wear. This will allow people to develop an increased emotional bond with their clothes, increasing the likelihood of people keeping them for longer, and helping counteract the culture of fast

fashion which is so bad for the planet.’