<p dir="ltr">Harry, who is 21 years old and originally from Taunton, Somerset, but now living and studying in Plymouth, used his course experience studying at Arts University Plymouth, as well as his industry experience as a stylist and fashion assistant, to come up with an “exciting and fresh” take on the Vans brand by “venturing into a more fashion-forward place.” Harry envisioned a groundbreaking styling and creative concept for Vans, inspired by the idea of working with British artist, designer and creative director Samuel Ross (best known for his luxury menswear brand A-COLD-WALL) as the mastermind behind the new concept.</p> <p dir="ltr">Harry said: “We basically got set a brief by size? for Vans to create a new marketing campaign for them. I came at it from the viewpoint of appointing a new creative director to revamp their current lines of clothing, then shot a series of editorial images and a video to showcase the vision that I had for the brand.”<br /></p>

<p dir="ltr">The ?syllabus awards were set up by size? “to identify, nurture and offer a platform to creative talent at an early stage to help it flourish by providing students with unmissable work experience through real life briefs.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Each award focuses on key themes in the fashion industry, challenging students to push their creativity to the limits. size? judges said that “the outcome was simply breathtaking.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Harry’s work is often inspired by his fascination with sculpture and architecture, specifically brutalism. He says that he “looks for garments that may be bold in shape or structural form. Creating avant garde and surrealist utopias is usually the driving force in a lot of my current projects.”<br /></p>

<p dir="ltr">Harry said: “The Fashion Communication course at Arts University Plymouth is really great. The small cohort size means you get a very personalised educational journey. Getting to know the lecturers and staff on a personal level is also really comforting. There is an abundance of knowledge from all staff and the enthusiasm they show towards each and everyone’s creative endeavours is very inspiring. Everyone I have ever collaborated with or encountered at Arts University Plymouth has been so genuinely excited and supportive of any queries or ideas that I had.”</p> <p dir="ltr">“Because Arts University Plymouth is small and specialist, the atmosphere is always good on campus. Everyone is super friendly and welcoming. This was refreshing as I was nervous about the whole university experience, especially as I had never dabbled in anything creative prior to this!”</p> <p dir="ltr">Recently Harry has travelled back and forth to London working as a stylist and fashion assistant for magazines including Boys by Girls, DUST, DSCENE and GLAMCULT.<br /></p> <p dir="ltr">Harry said: “The lecturers at Arts University Plymouth push you to go into industry, so you’re not caught like a deer in the headlights when you eventually leave uni. I’ve done a lot of assisting work in my second year and into third year, as well as going off into styling some bits of my own with producers and photographers."</p> <p dir="ltr">"My favourite project was an editorial I styled for GLAMCULT magazine. The producer and photographer wanted to feature pieces and looks that were sculptural in nature, shot on black and white film to really focus on the shapes created by said garments. If it wasn’t for the lecturers pushing me to reach out to people, I wouldn’t have gained this experience, or this award.”<br /></p>

<p dir="ltr"><a href="https://www.aup.ac.uk/people/kirsty-smith">Kirsty Smith</a>, course leader for BA (Hons) Fashion Communication at Arts University Plymouth, said: “Harry's original concept for streetwear brand Vans was truly radical. Harry considered how a designer like Samuel Ross's knowledge and skill in industry would be a great addition to the business. Imagining how Samuel might create an unprecedented and inspired vision, Harry sought to explore how the combining of Ross's expertise could bring a new and diverse audience to Vans, helping them to remain at the forefront of streetwear.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Other Arts University Plymouth students nominated for the ?syllabus awards include Callum Stone, nominated for the Breaking The Mould Award; Molly Robinson, nominated for the Research &amp; Development Award; and Zoha Hasan, nominated for the Off The Wall Award.</p> <p dir="ltr">Fashion Communication at Arts University Plymouth, is a proud partner of ?syllabus. Working with international streetwear and footwear brands, ?syllabus is designed to recognise, cultivate, and offer a platform to emerging creative talent promoting growth and success. The educational program run by size? provides students with the opportunity to participate in live briefs, gain industry insight, and receive feedback from professionals.</p> <p dir="ltr">Read more about <a href="https://www.aup.ac.uk/courses/undergraduate/ba-hons-fashion-media-marketing">BA (Hons) Fashion Communication</a> or visit the next <a href="https://www.aup.ac.uk/open-days">Open Day</a> on <a href="https://www.aup.ac.uk/events/open-day-undergraduate-and-postgraduate-march23">Saturday 11 March 2023</a> to find out more undergraduate or postgraduate-level study at Arts University Plymouth, the number one arts university in the UK for student satisfaction in the NSS 2022.</p>