Designer Feature- Yasmine Morgan

Words and questions by Ava Killbourn

As the fashion season in St Andrews gets underway, sustainability is on our mind. To celebrate Sustainable Style’s first-ever Charity Gala on March 9th of this year, we are catching up with our student designers. These artists’ pieces will be auctioned and a donation made to the charity Fashion Revolution, who campaign for a more transparent and ethical fashion industry. I talked to Yasmine Morgan to find out more about her work and the story behind it. Her pieces are fun, flattering, and versatile; like this gorgeous black halter-neck that will be up for grabs. 

Introduce yourself; name, age, year in uni, degree path, a few interests.

 My name is Yasmine Morgan, I’m a 4th-year Sustainable Development and Spanish student. Once I graduate, I am going to be working in sustainability for the NHS! I love traveling, so in the next 5 years I would love to move to Latin America. I am the Executive Director of VS this year, it has been the most rewarding experience of my university career so far! 

 

Tell me a little bit about your pieces; what they are, why you made them and how they reflect your personal style?

 

My personal style is comfortable, wearable and long-lasting. My pieces reflect my personal style of not being afraid to show some skin in a stylish and chic way! I make most of my pieces from old t-shirts, fabric scraps, denim offcuts etc. I find it fun and challenging to work with old pieces that would otherwise get thrown away and give them a new life. 

 

Why did you decide to submit your pieces to the Charity Gala?

By submitting my items to the gala, I want to show that sewing is easier than it looks. Whether it's fixing a hem or making/altering your own clothes because you can never find the right size from fashion outlets (which I have struggled with), sewing can be a fun and useful hobby. I also seek to pay homage to the generations of women in my family that have carried on this tradition of sewing and garment making, which is sustainable, cost-effective, and adds personality to every piece made.

 

What does sustainability mean to you and how is that reflected in your pieces?

Since I was part of Sustainable Style in first and second year, Sustainable Style has taken amazing steps to ensure that students have other options to get new clothes. By running so many events throughout the year, they promote a circular economy and slow fashion rather than shopping in town or online. Sustainability to me is knowing every step of the production of an item: who made it, where it came from, and what it is made from. These elements of sustainability ensure a fair and ethical supply chain. 

 

Thank you to Yasmine and make sure to attend the Charity Gala on March 9th for a chance to snap up some choice pieces and support a more equitable and ethical fashion industry.