UCLan creative Hinna Kazi joins online team of national student talent to deliver ad campaign for major retailer
A talented fashion promotion student from the University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) has defied lockdown to join a virtual team of student creatives from across the UK to devise and deliver a promotional campaign for international retailer size?
UCLan’s Hinna Kazi, 20, from Accrington, currently in the third year of her fashion promotion degree, teamed up with fellow students based as far afield as Nottingham and Bournemouth to bring together the styling, set design, photography and graphic treatment for the project.
In collaboration with Converse, the creative brief provided each student with a full range of Converse and size? apparel to style themselves. The size? stylist was then responsible for styling their two models in two head-to-toe looks.
To ensure each product was worn in a way that was authentic to each individual, size? encourage its student ‘Allstars’ to customise the apparel through tailoring, patches or painted messages. The brief specified the clothing should lean towards practicality and function – improvising on workwear and comfortable styles familiar to students engaged in practical work.
The full project was completed on budget, to a deadline of one week and has now been rolled out nationally.
Commenting on her role in the project Hinna said: “We had an initial meeting on-line to share ideas and this formed the creative direction for our campaign.
“Coming from an ethic minority background I’m very keen to give a voice to underrepresented people and for this campaign I based my ideas around interests in street style and sports, incorporating a late 1990s/ early 2000 feel.
“The Converse brand is so versatile it gave us lots of scope for creative ideas. The whole project was completed virtually, and in a week. I even organised a Facetime call to help direct the photography shoot.
“We’ve already had some great feedback. Converse were really impressed with what we delivered. It just goes to show that even in a pandemic, technology and creativity can combine to produce something special.
“Live brief opportunities like this are so important. The project gave me a great insight into the fashion industry, working alongside fellow creatives to produce something to deadline and within budget. It’s great for the CV and to know my work is now being used as part of a national campaign.
“It’s also confirmed that a career in the fashion styling industry is what I’d really like to pursue once I graduate next year.”
Tom Rand, Converse Retail Brand Manager, added: “As a brand we strive to work with artists who’s craft and character embodies progress, for themselves and their communities.
“Hinna’s progressive styling and creative mindset was something we admired in Hinna’s application and wanted to bring her expertise to the project. The project in itself was a blank canvas as the brief was open to interpretation.
“With this in mind, Hinna drew together key looks which were imperative to the campaign’s overall look and feel. Working remotely alongside the other students did not present a problem, the outcome was a success and would easily stand as a lead Converse marketing campaign.”
Eve Astle, Course Leader for UCLan’s Fashion Promotion programme, said: “I’m very proud that Hinna was selected for this challenge. She worked so hard to represent our course and the University in such a positive way. The agency that dealt with the brief was very impressed with her creative content.”
Eve added: “We have now signed a syllabus agreement with size? which means that in addition to guest lectures, competitions and work experience opportunities, students will benefit from live briefs being integrated into their course modules.
It’s a very competitive industry but this exciting initiative gives our students the opportunity to stand out by working alongside one of the world’s leading streetwear retailers.”
