A student from CELT Sixth Cornwall has been recognised for his creative skills in the Duke of Edinburgh This is Youth Awards. Josh in year 13 was awarded 'Innovator of the Year' at a ceremony in London for his outdoor clothing designs.
Josh first discovered his passion for textiles during his GCSEs at Bodmin College. His very first project was designing mountain biking clothing – a success that earned him top marks and a school award. From that point on, he was hooked. Josh began to design his own clothes at home and found ways to integrate his passion into his Duke of Edinburgh award.
As Josh prepared for his Gold Duke of Edinburgh expedition, he realised his walking trousers weren’t quite up to scratch and decided to design his own. He stripped away the features he didn’t like, reshaped them, and added leg vents, extra pockets, and boot hooks – crafting a pair that suited his needs perfectly. Following a test run of the trousers, Josh went on to create a waterproof coat, which he tested by letting his friends hose him down!
Sustainability is a key factor within Josh's clothing designs. All of his garments are made from old clothing and material reclaimed from old tents, kites and hi-vis clothing. "I think it's important that it's all sustainable because this fabric already exists, but it's not being used, and if it's not being used, it’s often going straight in the bin” said Josh.
As Josh became more confident in his abilities, he knew it was important to make his clothing accessible for people with disabilities, particularly those with visual impairments. He did this by using colourful fabrics that are easily noticeable and distinguishable, so they become reference points for someone to follow.
Josh says the reaction to his clothes has been overwhelmingly positive and he is proud of the uniqueness of his creations. “Wearing my coat out after I made it myself felt very rewarding” and his favourite reaction is when someone exclaims, “You made that yourself?!”
Josh was nominated for Innovator of the Year by his DofE Leader, Jen, after showing “an enormous amount of creativity in the product he’s been designing”. Other Leaders have even approached Josh, asking him to create designs especially for them too.
In the future, Josh wants to develop his clothing designs into a brand, with colourful fabric, sustainability and accessibility always at the forefront.