Last week the 26th annual interschool St Chris Recycled Fashion Show took place in the School Theatre.

Over 60 entrants from The Knights Templar School; PHC Hitchin; St Chris Junior School; St Chris Senior School and Whitehill Junior School took to the stage to show their incredible costumes, which pupils had spent many weeks designing and making.

This year’s theme was Truth to Power and entrants took inspiration from a variety of sources, from the climate crisis to the role of the traditional media in society.

Between one and four students formed the design team for each costume, and there were a huge variety of materials used- from newspaper and crisp packets to delivery packaging and live plants!

An expert judging panel picked a selection of winners from different age categories. This year’s panel comprised: Fashion designer Bella Freud; communications design consultant Jonathan Miller;  freelance costume maker, designer and Old Scholar Laura Rose Moran-Morris; and Old Scholar Fujiko Rose, a decorative artist who recently won the 2019 Sky Arts series Landscape Artist of the Year.

On the day the students put together hair, make up and accessories to complete the finished look for the show, which was accompanied by live music in the St Chris theatre.

The category winners were:

  • Junior class winner: Ben Gaze (St Chris, Year 5) with special mention to Olivia Pospisil (St Chris, Year 6)
  • Lower School class winner: Alfie and Dylan Willer-Watson (St Chris, Year 8) with special mentions to  Neve Skinner, Scarlett Somerville and Hannah Hayes (St Chris, Year 9)
  • GCSE winner: Victor Addo (Knights Templar, Year 10) Model – Emily Poku
  • A level winner: Tilly Lomax and Hattie Stonor (St Chris, Year 12) Models – Freya Goodchild-Bridge and Izzy Stafford
  • Best Overall Use of Recycled Materials: Immy Fraser-Williams (St Chris, Year 11)
  • Best Overall Design: Dominic Jenkins (Knights Templar, Year 10) Models – Dominic Jenkins and Skylar Whitehead

All of the costumes are on display in an exhibition in Letchworth town centre until Sunday 15 March from 11am to 5pm.

Exhibition: 30A Leys Avenue, Letchworth Garden City, SG6 3EW (Next door to Cultivo Lounge)

All proceeds from the Recycled Fashion Show are donated to a charity nominated by St Chris pupils. This year’s charity is Extinction Rebellion.

Image credit:  Nick Gibbons, Reel Photography