Ellie uses Superstore’s Buy a Bag offer for university fashion project

A creative fashion student has taken advantage of the St Catherine’s Superstore Buy a Bag offer as she collects clothing for her unique university project.

Ellie Pennington is studying Fashion Design at the University of Central Lancashire, and called in to the Superstore this week to stock up on items which she intends to upcycle as part of her course.

The Buy a Bag offer allows customers to fill a large bag with clothing, shoes, handbags, accessories and more for just £10 – it’s a great way of putting together a number of outfits without breaking the bank.

Ellie said: “The theme I’ve chosen for my project is Alzheimer’s and dementia, so I’m looking to develop a collection which reflects the complexities of these conditions. For example, my colour pallet is pastels and other calming, soothing tones, because people with dementia can become confused when there are too many colours or patterns.

“And on the other side, I’m going to create some designs which reflect what a person with dementia sees when faced with different patterns. So I’m going to use clashing patterns to represent the confusion experienced by people with Alzheimer’s and dementia.

“My nan had Alzheimer’s so I’ve seen how it can affect people, and I want to do what I can to raise awareness of the condition and help people to understand what it’s like. She was the one who got me in to sewing and got me interested in fashion, so I’m doing this in her honour.”

Ellie added: “I’m taking inspiration from a book called ‘Advanced Style’ which is focused on people over 60 experimenting with imaginative fashion designs to express their personalities. I want to create some funky designs to show that you’re never too old to enjoy fashion – that’s my vision for my audience.”

Ellie’s designs will be judged by a panel in May alongside other students’ work, and a select few will be chosen to feature in a catwalk show in June.

“The thing I love about the Superstore’s Buy a Bag idea is that these are all pre-loved clothes, which I am going to upcycle to create something completely new and different,” Ellie said. “I’m not going to waste any of the fabric. I’ll combine some items of clothing with others. There’s such a great range of styles, colours and fabrics to choose from, and it’s so affordable because of the Buy a Bag offer.”

• The St Catherine’s Superstore is located at the Guild Trading Estate off Ribbleton Lane, Preston, and is open 10am-4pm, Monday-Saturday. It is home to the Buy a Bag for £10 offer, as well as second-hand furniture and a special re-loved furniture range thanks to a partnership with Leyland’s Peppermint Cottage. You can keep up-to-date with the latest stock and offers on Facebook here.

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