Activity

Welcome the students to their new jobs in your PR company.

  1. Explain that today’s brief is: 'To rejuvenate the reputation of secondhand clothes in today’s Fashion world.' Hold a brief ‘press conference’ with the new CEO of SecondHand Clothes Ltd (teacher in role), encouraging students to ask questions about why SecondHand Clothing is more sustainable than fast fashion. Introduce facts e.g. (from this list collated by Oxfam):
  • The world uses an estimated 80 billion pieces of clothing every year, a 400 percent increase from two decades ago.
  • The fashion industry is responsible for 10% of annual global carbon emissions.
  • Clothing companies create more than 1 million garments every day.
  • Extending the life of clothes by just 9 months of active use would reduce carbon, water and waste footprints by 2030% each.

2. Spend a couple of minutes presenting some assumptions about clothes shopping. Ask students if they agree/disagree with them (i.e. thumbs up/down). Ask: 'What makes you say that?’ E.g: ‘Lots of fastfashion companies use sustainable materials’ / ‘It is cheaper to buy fast fashion’ / ‘Clothes wear out quickly and need to be thrown away’.


3. Divide the class into groups and give them 5 minutes to come up with ideas for a campaign slogan to attract new customers to the brand. Ask them to consider: 'Why might people not buy secondhand clothing?' 'How can you change their minds?' 'What are the benefits?'

Reflection

  • What language helped you challenge people’s assumptions?

  • Has this activity made you reconsider any of your own assumptions about shopping habits or clothing choices? Why?

Go Further

Allocate each group a role: designing billboard posters, TV advertising, writing a press release, contacting celebrities/influencers to persuade them to become the face of the brand, hosting radio interviews. Come back together and put the campaign together.

Inquisitive: Challenging Assumptions

This activity encourages students to interrogate their assumptions about fashion, reflect on the wider impact of fast fashion and to consider the role second hand clothing might play in sustainability.

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Future Fashion PDF
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A New Direction
Teaching for Creativity

Future Fashion

Activity

Welcome the students to their new jobs in your PR company.

  1. Explain that today’s brief is: 'To rejuvenate the reputation of secondhand clothes in today’s Fashion world.' Hold a brief ‘press conference’ with the new CEO of SecondHand Clothes Ltd (teacher in role), encouraging students to ask questions about why SecondHand Clothing is more sustainable than fast fashion. Introduce facts e.g. (from this list collated by Oxfam):
  • The world uses an estimated 80 billion pieces of clothing every year, a 400 percent increase from two decades ago.
  • The fashion industry is responsible for 10% of annual global carbon emissions.
  • Clothing companies create more than 1 million garments every day.
  • Extending the life of clothes by just 9 months of active use would reduce carbon, water and waste footprints by 2030% each.

2. Spend a couple of minutes presenting some assumptions about clothes shopping. Ask students if they agree/disagree with them (i.e. thumbs up/down). Ask: 'What makes you say that?’ E.g: ‘Lots of fastfashion companies use sustainable materials’ / ‘It is cheaper to buy fast fashion’ / ‘Clothes wear out quickly and need to be thrown away’.


3. Divide the class into groups and give them 5 minutes to come up with ideas for a campaign slogan to attract new customers to the brand. Ask them to consider: 'Why might people not buy secondhand clothing?' 'How can you change their minds?' 'What are the benefits?'

Reflection

  • What language helped you challenge people’s assumptions?

  • Has this activity made you reconsider any of your own assumptions about shopping habits or clothing choices? Why?

Go Further

Allocate each group a role: designing billboard posters, TV advertising, writing a press release, contacting celebrities/influencers to persuade them to become the face of the brand, hosting radio interviews. Come back together and put the campaign together.

Inquisitive: Challenging Assumptions

This activity encourages students to interrogate their assumptions about fashion, reflect on the wider impact of fast fashion and to consider the role second hand clothing might play in sustainability.

Key Stage 2
http://www.anewdirection.org.uk/teaching-for-creativity-taster-cards