‘The beautiful game’: Fashion designs showcased at football and art exhibition

15 April 2019

Fashion students' work is on display in the National Football Museum



University fashion students have shown that football is the ‘beautiful game’ at a new Manchester exhibition.

Six Fashion Design and Technology students from Manchester Fashion Institute at Manchester Metropolitan University designed garments for the National Football Museum’s ‘Football is Art’ exhibition.

‘Football is Art’ (open until October 27) demonstrates how artists from Paul Nash to David Hockney have depicted the beauty, drama and passion of football. Many of the 70 exhibited pieces of artworks and sculpture, including Banksy’s Football Terrorist, are displayed for the first time in a museum in the UK.

Fashion students were asked to choose a piece of artwork from the National Football Museum’s collections to inspire their sportswear design.

Using works ranging from a line drawing from French poet, filmmaker and artist Jean Cocteau to a 1950s London Transport poster, the students investigated the history of the work, how it was designed and the social and political context in which it was made.

Rachel Man, one of the exhibiting students, said: “The Football Is Art project was a great challenge where I learnt a lot about the community, football itself and the passion behind it. It has been a brilliant opportunity to work with the National Football Museum.”

Another, Kristina Candy, said: “It was an amazing experience to see people look at my garment in the Football Is Art exhibition and to be alongside other artists such as David Hockney.”

Both students were inspired by by Norman Jaques's work Goal, with Candy's outfit demonstrating a clean aesthetic with highlights of colour aimed at women footballers, particularly for indoor training.

Man's concept explores the effects of body movement and how they create new shapes which could be utilised in garment construction or pattern cutting. 

The Football Is Art project was a great challenge where I learnt a lot about the community, football itself and the passion behind it. It has been a brilliant opportunity to work with the National Football Museum.

Other students exhibiting are: Maisie Bowler, Aimee Smith, Christian Hudson and Antalya Todd. 

Emma Hadley, Art Research Officer at the National Football Museum, said : “We’re keen to show that football goes beyond what happens on the pitch, we’re delighted that the students have responded to the artworks in such a creative way.”

Sarah Collins, Senior Lecturer in Fashion Design and Technology at Manchester Metropolitan University and Sportswear pathway leader, said: “Working with the National Football Museum provides a unique learning experience and an opportunity for Fashion Design and Technology students to showcase their practice to a wide and diverse audience.

“The museum’s archive collection has inspired original and contemporary garments in direct response to a range of artworks that explore historical, political, social and cultural influences.”

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