Students from Plymouth College of Art have partnered with St Luke’s Hospice to style a range of wedding dresses from their charity shops.
St Luke’s assistant shop manager Maria Nadine Barlow explained:
“The students came and picked a variety of wedding dresses, to showcase all our styles. They’ve worked really hard on photoshoots and videos to promote just what gorgeous items we have available. It’s a brilliant way to show you don’t need to spend a fortune on a great dress. The dresses the students selected ranged from £150 to £300.”
Already-loved clothing sales are a growing market, with 64 per cent of women reporting they are willing to shop second-hand. Pinterest named “sustainable clothing” as one of its top clothing trends for 2019, with online searches hugely up in the last year.
Maria added:
“Buying from St Luke’s may not come with the glasses of champagne you get in expensive stores, but smart brides know that with the saving you make you can save your cash for an amazing ceremony.”
Three different models took part in the professional shoots, showcasing a range of fishtail, mermaid and slender dresses. They were joined by photographers, make-up artists and stylists, all working to showcase the beauty of women of all different sizes, and the elegance of the sometimes ex-display or brand-new dresses available from St Luke’s shops.
Ali Humphrey, second year student on the Commercial Photography for Fashion, Advertising and Editorial programme at Plymouth College of Art said:
“When you come in it literally takes ten seconds to pull out a couple of dresses, and there’s some amazing looks available. I hope people consider charity shops when looking for a wedding dress because there are so many options, why wouldn’t you have a look?”
Fellow Tilly Warbuton added:
“It almost has more meaning because there is a story behind the dress that you’re wearing. You can add a new story to it, and then you could also pass it on to someone else.”
The wedding dress project is the latest in a series of collaborations between students and the local hospice charity. Previous partnership work highlighted the range of prom and ball dresses for parties and New Year’s Eve celebrations available in St Luke’s shops.
For more information visit St Luke’s Hospice
Leave a Reply