Colourful Heritage Blog

Working as the Project Manager (Digitisation) for the Zandra Rhodes Colourful Heritage project has been an incredibly rewarding experience. It is not often you get to combine your passion for heritage, with hands-on work alongside an iconic designer like Zandra Rhodes and a talented team of interns and creatives.

My role focused on overseeing the entire digitisation process, ensuring that each garment, accessory, and document was captured to the highest possible standard for long-term preservation and online access. This involved managing a carefully structured workflow—overseeing the preparation of garments and accessories for photography, coordinating shoots, and managing consistent file naming—while supporting interns as they developed their own practical skills. We worked with fragile, often heavily embellished garments, which required patience, precision, and delicate handling.

It was a privilege to guide a team of passionate interns and to watch their confidence grow as they learned to handle historical pieces and dress mannequins ready for photography. Seeing the interns connect with the garments, not just as objects, but as living pieces of design history, was a real highlight. From spotting hand-stitching techniques to discussing the science of creating pleats in fabric, every day offered an opportunity to share knowledge and learn something new in return.

Throughout the project, I led on adding social media content to Instagram. Having had minimal experience with Instagram beforehand, I enjoyed developing new skills to produce eye-catching reels, posts, and stories that brought the collection to a wider audience.

As someone who works daily in a university digitisation studio, it was refreshing to lead a project with such a vibrant mix of creativity and heritage. The Colourful Heritage project has reinforced for me how important it is to document and preserve not only the physical garments, but also the stories, processes, and people behind them.

This project has deepened my appreciation for what a digitisation project can achieve—and I hope the legacy we have built continues to inspire others for years to come.

This internship has been an incredibly enriching experience, providing me with invaluable insights into the heritage and history of garments. I learned about different types of trims and fabrics, the patience required to iron intricate clothing with many layers and ruffles, and the delicate process of repairing and mending historical pieces for photoshoots.  Additionally, I gained practical skills in pinning and positioning fabrics on mannequins to showcase each garment as closely as possible to its original state.  Some pieces were particularly challenging to put on due to their intricate designs and fragile materials.  This required careful handling and precise techniques to ensure they were displayed correctly and safely. This hands-on experience has deepened my appreciation for the craftsmanship and cultural significance of these garments, and I am grateful for the opportunity to apply these lessons to my future endeavours.

The best thing about this internship was the opportunity to see and interact with Zandra Rhodes in her studio nearly every day.  It was mesmerising to witness her dedication and hard work firsthand, something I never expected when I started.  The welcoming and inclusive atmosphere was eye-opening, showing me what a positive and supportive work environment looks like.

Completing this internship has given me a new perspective on my future career, One significant realisation I've had is understanding just how tough the fashion industry is, and the immense amount of work required to establish a successful career. Despite these challenges, I am more determined than ever to pursue my goals and eventually launch my own brand. This internship has reinforced my commitment to working hard and persevering until I achieve my ambitions.

Zandra is quite a legend among myself and my peers.  Studying print, Zandra is a pioneer of printed textiles and to work alongside her has been a privilege.  I'm so proud to have been a part of the Colourful Heritage project.  It's been very inspiring to meet Zandra and see her screen print room and all the components that go into her making an creative process.

I love sewing and garment construction so being able to handle these garments up close and examine their production process is very insightful.  That element of heritage, the story behind the garments is told by the visible hand stitching of the person who made it, the screen print is done by hand.  That human element in the history of the clothes.

I have expanded my skillset into documentation and archiving which is a brilliant experience to have.  I wear a lot of vintage clothes, so I am familiar with mending and delicate handling of old fabrics.  It has been thrilling to put those skills into practice with Zandra's legacy.

Overall, it has been an amazing experience that I shan't forget.  I feel inspired and motivated to keep working and create my own legacy.

The day when I heard the good news about being selected for the Zandra Rhodes internship I felt over the moon to have the chance to learn from a well-known designer.  I did research even before the interview and believed that I would learn so much from this experience.  The designs and prints posted on the website and social media caught my eye because they are truly beautiful and I wanted to see them in person.  Since I had done some printing back when I was doing my bachelor's degree I was also interested in understanding it further.  I wanted to develop my knowledge of how prints are created and how the elements of a print can be developed.  Every day I kept wondering and could not believe that I was part of this Colourful Heritage internship project.

The first day of my internship with Zandra Rhodes finally came, I was really nervous but also excited and I tried my best.  I learnt how to press garments nicely and met new people - Zandra Rhodes, everyone in the Studio, Lorna, Ellen, and the other interns.  The following day I did some preparation again for the next photography session.  I steamed and ironed different types of materials and designs, which always inspired and amazed me.

Then, my first photography day arrived.  It was great to make sure the garments were properly placed on the mannequin and ready to be photographed.  After a few garments I swapped roles with the other intern.  My fourth and fifth days of the internship were really great and I learnt a lot from them.

On my sixth day, after all the garments were well prepared for the next photography session, we moved on to the accessories.  The accessories - hats and hairpieces - were amazing.  Unfortunately, I did not get a chance to attend the photography day for the accessories due to my university class schedule, but at least I had seen the great pieces.

The following internship day was my final photography day, focusing on the remaining garment pieces that had not been photographed yet.  And my last day of my internship also went well.  I still cannot believe that my last day was highlighted by a stunning piece hanging on the rail, and I got a chance to see and take a picture of the cape that Freddie Mercury had worn.

I am really happy and enjoyed this internship. I will never forget this opportunity.

I had an amazing experience at Zandra Rhodes' studio as an intern, working on a Colourful Heritage project.  I've learned how to iron, mend and steam vintage garments carefully, and dress them on mannequins without causing any damage.  This taught me that time can make things fragile and this is why they are so valuable.  Also, I've met many experts at the Studio each time and learned so many things from them.

Meeting Zandra Rhodes was so inspiring to me.  Her passion for fashion was clear as she dedicated her life to her work and fashion, and working with her and the team was truly unforgettable.  During this project, I realized how creativity and teamwork can achieve great things.

I also met 3 other students from different majors at UCA which was so interesting.  We've learned a lot from each other and made great connections.  Also, good communication helped us to support each other during this project.

This internship showed me how time can add history and meaning to each garment or piece.  Working at Zandra Rhodes' Studio was a great opportunity during my academic journey and ti was full of new lessons, inspiration, and new friendships.  I feel so lucky that I was part of this project.

A new phase of the project is about to begin, working with young people from underprivileged backgrounds and inspiring new audiences to access creative education and in turn, cultural heritage.

Growing up in a working-class family in the Medway area of Kent, Rhodes’ father was a lorry driver and her mother a lecturer at the local Medway College of Design (which later became UCA). Rhodes’ worked hard at Fort Pitt Grammar School, and from a young age would draw and sketch every day. One of her iconic textile designs ‘Wiggle and Checks’ was inspired by jigsaw puzzles her family and her did as a family on holiday.

With that in mind, Ellen Brown, Project Manager (Education & Outreach) from UCA will be working with schools in the Medway area of Kent, to encourage 16 and 17-year-olds to be inspired by this example to #draweveryday and to find inspiration in everyday experiences.  Workshops will be taking place in the Spring of 2025, and those who take part will receive a special Dame Zandra Rhodes pink and gold sketchbook to record their work.

A big #ThanksToYou to National Lottery players for funding The Colourful Heritage Project courtesy of the National Lottery Heritage Fund.

Earlier this year, University for the Creative Arts (UCA) and The Zandra Rhodes Foundation announced the launch of an exciting new collaborative project - Colourful Heritage - funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund. Running until August 2025, the project involves the creation of a digital archive featuring 150 pieces of Rhodes’ work. Here’s how the project has been going so far and what’s next...

Over the summer, student interns were given the incredible opportunity of working in Zandra Rhodes’ Studio to digitally archive 150 fashion pieces, which you can now see online for the first time. The archive includes jewellery and headpieces designed for Rhodes’ fashion shows by jeweller and sculptor Andrew Logan; headpieces designed by avant-garde milliner Stephen Jones during the early years of his career; and headpieces designed by milliner Piers Atkinson, whose clients include Lady Gaga and Doja Cat. It also includes iconic articles referenced in Rhodes’ autobiography, Iconic – such as the cape Freddie Mercury tried on in her Bayswater studio, to a dress fitted for Princess Diana at Kensington Palace.

In Rhodes’ studio the interns had the opportunity to work with the internationally renowned designer as well as Piers Atkinson (Head of The Zandra Rhodes Foundation), Frances Diplock (retired Production Manager who worked with Rhodes for more than 40 years), and other experts including the photographer Jon Stokes, and from the Victoria and Albert Museum, senior textile conservator Sarah Glenn and costume mounter Stephanie Howell. The student interns found it invaluable to see a working studio, building their confidence and introducing them to a new suite of career options going forward. The students also supported the project team with creating social media content on Instagram. The student interns are being supported with employability skills and one of the interns, Emily Ash, has already secured a job with Rhodes.

Thanks to the National Lottery Heritage funding, UCA has also digitally archived more than 100 pages of Rhodes’ fashion and textile design drawings, updating an existing archive and completing a comprehensive record of Rhodes’ work from 1969 to 2020. These style bibles were previously unseen private working resources, held only in the studio – now 17 style bibles of fashion drawings and a textile design bible are all online for anyone to browse.