Witney designer wraps blanket heritage into fashion contest

13 minutes ago, Alexandra Burch, a 19-year-old designer from Witney, is part of the Redress Design Award finalists. This competition challenges emerging designers to use certified textile waste in their creations. Alexandra was flown to Hong Kong on Sunday for the grand final fashion show on 2 September. Alexandra’s collection features designs made from local British wool, including undyed and naturally dyed materials. Her four-look collection was crafted from faulty tweed blankets and loom offcuts from a now-closed mill in Filkins, Cotswolds. She expressed excitement for her first visit to Asia, where she will compete against designers from Austria, Germany, Hong Kong, and mainland China. As a fashion design student at Kingston University, Alexandra emphasizes sustainability, stating, 'Waste is not inevitable; it's a design decision.' She believes true sustainability involves valuing existing resources and designing for durability. The non-profit Global Fashion Agenda reports that 92 million tonnes of textile waste are produced annually, equivalent to a garbage truck full of clothing being incinerated or landfilled every second. Alexandra also highlighted her inspiration from tweed jackets and traditional farmer wear in her local area. She noted that the fashion industry’s rapid pace and reliance on fast fashion must be addressed, urging accountability from fast fashion brands. The competition includes a People’s Choice vote open until 08:00 BST on 31 August to support favorite designers.