Events and fashion students to exhibit in Shenzhen

SIX students from Manchester Metropolitan University’s Hollings faculty have travelled to China to exhibit at the International Apparel Trade Fair in Shenzhen.

Events Management students were briefed to design the exhibition stand for the trade fair, and following a presentation in front of a panel of judges, three students were chosen to project manage the process of taking their stand idea to China. This year, the project team is Clare Armstrong, Lucia Garcia and Ursula Cooper, all MA International Events Management students.

Three Fashion Design and Technology students were also given the opportunity to show their collections in the catwalk fashion show which is part of the Fair’s opening ceremony. Their designs will also feature on the exhibition stand, and will be viewed by thousands of fashion industry professionals and businesses.

The three final year students from BA (Hons) Fashion Design and Technology are Sophie Halliwell, Emma Hunt and Lindsay Johnstone.

Defining experience

This is the fourth year that students have had this opportunity.

The six students will be alongside the China Team of Hollings academics - Barbara Shepherd, Paul Walters and Oana Cojocaru – until July 12.

For the second year, there are also three winning students from the Guangdong Industry Technical College based in southern China, working collaboratively with our six students on the exhibition stand.

One of the student Project Managers, Clare Armstrong, felt the opportunity to work on this international project has been the defining experience of her postgraduate study. She said: “Working as project managers and taking our idea from fruition to conception could be considered as the ultimate goal of our Master’s course. Communicating with businesses in China to develop our stand design and working alongside students from a university in China is a fantastic experience, our learnings have been immeasurable. This really is an amazing opportunity, one which we have grabbed with both hands.”