Dame Zandra Rhodes' work to be digitally archived

Garments and accessories by the Medway-born fashion and textile designer Dame Zandra Rhodes will be recorded and digitised

The University for the Creative Arts (UCA) in Surrey says it is going to digitally archive 150 fashion pieces from the Medway-born fashion designer, Dame Zandra Rhodes.

The archive, which has been made possible by a £111,000 National Lottery Heritage Fund grant will be accessible online for education and research worldwide.

For the first time 50 of Rhodes' accessories will be photographed to feature in the archive collection.

Collaborating with The Zandra Rhodes Foundation, UCA's project, Colourful Heritage will run until August 2025.

The project will offer paid placements for students from UCA’s School of Fashion & Textiles and run an outreach programme for young people from socio-economically deprived backgrounds in the Medway area.

According to Medway Council’s Joint Strategic Needs Assessment, in 2019 Medway had 37 neighbourhoods ranked in the 20% most deprived areas in the country, which is why UCA aims to prioritise underrepresented learners from this community in its outreach work.

Dame Zandra, an alumnus of UCA and its Chancellor Emerita, said: “I feel passionate about improving the wellbeing and creative education opportunities of underprivileged young people.

“This project will not only develop the skills and employability of students at UCA but reach and inspire new audiences for heritage, not just the most privileged groups."

Leigh Garrett, head of resources, discovery and liason at UCA, said: "The project will have many benefits for our students and staff, but also the wider community.

"As a resource, the archive has potential for many exciting and innovative projects to promote and foster the support of cultural heritage work in the UK and internationally.”

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