Ten winning students, who came up with their best designs, have recently visited the factory where TROVE products are designed and manufactured. Each had their specific design crafted onto the leather wallets.
The TROVE wallet is a new format for carrying every day cards, cash and tickets. It features contemporary, low-waste design, made with traditional leather-making skills. The wallets are produced in Melton Mowbray at one of the last remaining small leather goods manufacturers in the UK.
For some time since their launch in 2011, the factory produced leather goods and accessories for well-known fashion brands, but had no products of its own. After two years of making prototypes, the initial designs for the first TROVE wallet product were produced.
The group of Level 3 Creative Media students were asked to produce a series of three designs for their collection, which should follow a theme. They were challenged to choose a name for their collection and consider who their main market would be.
As well as producing a banner for the TROVE website to depict their collection, they also had to consider the graphics for Instagram and Facebook to market the wallet.
The learners came up with a variety of designs which included cartoon characters, colourful flowers, geometric patterns and sea creatures and ten of their designs were eventually shortlisted.
And the fruits of their labour were brought to life last week during a factory tour at TROVE in Melton Mowbray where they could see each of their designs produced in leather and learn about how TROVE products go from concept to actual product.
Tutor Tony Hall said: “Each student was marked on the consistency of their designs and their advertisement of the product, how the logo was used, with extra points awarded for original illustration or unusual designs.
“They were also judged on how they prepared for their design for a target market. They really embraced the project and worked incredibly professionally on it.”
Overall winner of the twelve-week project was seventeen-year-old Robyn Lowder who produced an octopus design. As part of her winning first place, Robyn’s wallet will soon be available for sale on the TROVE website.
Robyn said: “I did three designs which were all based on Japanese cuisine. My winning design is called Octopus Sushi. I was inspired by my love for Japanese culture and food and I found this a really enjoyable project to work on and loved the creative freedom to work on designs for TROVE.
“Touring the factory was very insightful and seeing up close of the TROVE wallets are made was great. I was fascinated seeing my designs being printed in front of me and I never would have believed my designs would be chosen.”