Orron
Fearon

What made you choose to study at NTU?
"NTU has a great reputation and the course fee’s are very attractive for MA studies. Being from Nottingham, deciding to study here was a tactic to not get swept up in  experiencing a new city during a crucial time where I needed to focus on my MA."

What did you enjoy most about your course?
"The organisation and structure of the course was something I really valued. At key points throughout the year you are asked to produce certain things and that really helps you not drift off on a tangent.

"Completing one module for a year can be very daunting and leaves a lot to the imagination, especially if you are working experimentally and can’t see the final outcome from the beginning. This structure helps you reflect when you need to, to move forward."

Can you tell us about the inspiration behind your postgraduate collection at the 2018 MA show?
"It’s influenced by the fear mongering in the media mostly, and the normal 20 year hark back to past fashions including the resurgence of vintage designer labels as working-class sportswear and it’s place in UK rave culture. Watching how far this idea has unfolded in industry, even in just the year I was studying has been astonishing, given that it was actually a grassroots movement for graff-writers to sell stolen clothes that triggered it.

"This project was never aiming to pastiche that; rather transfer the energy of rave and the re-appropriating of hazmat suits to offer something that could needed for a darker tomorrow, in the form of floral prints that have mutated after nuclear fallout and an over saturated ‘acid camouflage' to help you blend in in the collapsed high streets littered with twitching neon lights and broken shop logos."

How did it feel to finish your MA collection and be part of the show?  

"Really rewarding, I’ve worked with AV projection for some time and with this project being a year in the making, I don't take for granted the moments its on display. The highlight for me though, was my collaboration with Chakra Manggilingan, who did an amazing job of producing relevant garments out of my prints. As someone who doesn’t make ‘commercial’ print designs, opportunities for getting garments made don't exactly come in thick and fast, so I guess the proudest moment has been seeing and shooting something that is tangible as a product!"

What is the most valuable thing you have learnt from your MA course at NTU?

"Timekeeping and keeping a positive mental attitude are essential, which I appreciate is always easier said than done! As I imagine how many other 20-something creatives who find themselves on MA’s feel, its really important to keep focus of your goal and why you joined the MA, so you can get what you need out of it. Turn your phone off and stop judging yourself against others- it stifles creativity! Also, if your project involves other practises outside of your area of expertise, don't be afraid to source the help you need… in industry it’s never going to be your job to fulfil every aspect of a project, so don’t spread yourself too thin- it’s better to have ownership over an idea by proposing what it is your setting out to achieve."

Has the course included any speakers or lecturers from the industry?

"For me the relevant speakers were Kit Miles, an alumni student who had gone on to work for Mary Katranzou and a trip to Chatsworth House to see a panel discussion with Christopher Kane and Erdem. What I saw was a very small fraction of the talks on offer and I noticed that NTU will program speakers for all the subjects students might be involved in, such as sustainability, making and smart textiles to name a few."

What do you think about the facilities available to you?

"The gallery, the shop and the colour bureau are of a high standard.

The university campus, library, lecture theatres, student union are of a high standard."

What do you like about studying and living in Nottingham?

"There is a nice pace to life here, and while you are not getting the full brunt of things you’d associate with getting in the capital, it’s got good breathing room to concentrate on what your doing. There’s an independent cinema on Broad St showing films you aren't going to get anywhere else, a great  selection of food-joints if you’re willing to look past the chains and some well curated techno nights too if that floats your boat."

Why would you recommend your course / NTU to someone looking to study in that area?

"I’d recommend Textile Design Innovation to anyone who wants to work conceptually or experimentally in the field of textiles, from subverting any pre-existing or conventional ideas to looking at or experimenting with utilising the advances of technology to implement in products.

The tutors here are extremely knowledgeable and supportive in helping you realise any ideas you might have, and there is no set outcome which gives you a lot of freedom to practise your own agenda."

What are your ambitions for the future?

"I want to work with a network of freelancers and organisers to realise my project concept outside the context of an MA. In the meantime, I’m moving back to London where I previously lived doing my undergraduate degree and I have been offered an internship at one of my favourite labels, so fingers crossed I will be working in textile print for fashion as a career."