The Duchess of York chose the winning textile design to go into production as part of the Key to Freedom project supporting abused Indian women in West Bengal. Ten talented fashion students presented Sarah, Duchess of York, with a difficult dilemma when she visited the University of Huddersfield.

She had set them a brief to design textile products that could be made by Indian women who are being trained by a charity in which the Duchess is closely involved. Now she came to university to see the results and hear the students explain how they developed their vibrant designs for clothes and bathroom accessories.

The Duchess had to decide which design to select for possible production and the prospect of being placed on sale by major chain Topshop. She finally plumped for the work of final-year students Emily Cliffe – who has studied fashion design with textiles – and Chantelle Mallin, whose course was fashion design and marketing.The two students concentrated on menswear for their range of wash bags, duffle bags and loungewear. Emily, aged 22, from Bridlington, produced the prints and Chantelle – aged 23, from Barnsley – worked on the designs. For inspiration they delved into Indian temple culture and the imagery of the god Shiva, while choosing bold, contemporary colours.

Shortly to graduate and seek work in the fashion industry, the two students were delighted to be chosen by the Duchess and they're excited that their designs, after being hand-made by Indian craftswomen, could be marketed by Topshop.

The project originated with the Women's Interlink Foundation (WIF), which works with young women from West Bengal who have been exposed from an early age to domestic abuse. Many have been trafficked into the sex trade. The Foundation provides the women with accommodation in safe houses, where they are taught skills such as sewing and textile printing. This enables them to produce garments that are sold overseas through an initiative named Key to Freedom, which enables them to become economically independent. The Duchess is closely involved with Key to Freedom, which is also partnered by major UK high street chain Topshop.

When the Duchess arrived she was escorted by University of Huddersfield Vice-Chancellor Professor Bob Cryan as she inspected all of the designs.She took a detailed interest as the students explained their ideas and inspiration. Afterwards she said how she had been blown away by the talent of the University's fashion and textile students. “This has been brilliant and we must do so much more together!” she said, before delivering a moving speech in which expressed her passionate hatred of slavery and her determination to work against it, via initiatives such as Keys to Freedom. Men, too, are being enslaved and exploited, she said, and this was one of the factors in her choice of Emily and Chantelle's project.

Posted: 17 June 2015

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