Student wins top fashion award

Kristian took the top prize for his ‘Fashioning Minds’ publication, an exploration of the research area of fashion psychology, with a focus on identity and individuals’ experiences.

“It was a huge honour to be shortlisted, and I still haven’t processed the fact that I actually won the award,” says Kristian. “I am beyond ecstatic, and it was so lovely that some of my friends and lecturer Marianne were at the awards ceremony so I could share the special moment with them too.”

The publication consists of written essays, accompanied by photography to illustrate the discussed subjects. Classic and contemporary sources provide insight into a different area of the fashion industry in each chapter, from sustainability to body image and LGBTQ+ issues.

“I was introduced to fashion psychology through researching how individuals could be influenced to buy more sustainable fashion. It has become a great interest of mine and I thought a publication was the best way to share this with others,” says Kristian.

Choosing fashion psychology, a very new and niche aspect of the industry, caught the judges’ attention straight away. The judges also appreciated Kristian’s decision to create a publication in the form of a newspaper rather than a standard glossy magazine, and recognised the amount of consideration that went into producing both the photography and written content.

Emma Calder, Solent’s course leader for fashion (design), fashion photography, and fashion styling and creative direction, says, “Kristian has a real interest in the psychology of fashion and his Final Major Project enabled him to showcase his writing skills as well as his talent for fashion photography. We are all very proud of how hard he has worked throughout his degree and look forward to seeing what he does next.”

Kristian will be continuing his studies with a MSc Applied Psychology of Fashion course, after which he will pursue a career in consumer insights and trend forecasting, with a focus on fashion psychology. He would also like to be able to continue this publication, bringing in collaborators to help it grow.

Speaking about his time at Solent he says, “I have made lifelong friends and formed great relationships with my lecturers too. I will miss not being able to see these people every day. The photographic facilities at Solent are unmatched in my opinion, which has made me feel a lot more confident in entering the fashion industry, as I know I have many technical skills that employers are looking for.”