ZRColourfulHeritageToolkit_final

A Toolkit for Creative Learning

THE ZANDRA RHODES DIGITAL STUDY COLLECTION

A creative toolkit for exploring identity, fashion, and colour through the Zandra Rhodes Digital Study Collection.

This guide offers practical steps for exploring the Zandra Rhodes Digital Study Collection - a vibrant resource designed to spark creativity and inspire f resh approaches to learning, teaching, and research. Rooted in real-world experience, this toolkit blends research with the voices of secondary schools and colleges across Medway, UK, as well as knowledge and insights gained during the Zandra Rhodes’ Colourful Heritage project.

Researched and written by Ellen Brown, of University for the Creative Arts, this guide reflects her collaboration with a small team of specialist Arts Educators on the National Lottery Heritage funded Zandra Rhodes’ Colourful Heritage.

If you’d like to f ind out more, please email: ebrown4@uca.ac.uk or visit: uca.ac.uk/colourful-heritage

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About the Zandra Rhodes Colourful Heritage project Zandra Rhodes’ Colourful Heritage is an exciting and multifaceted project funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund in collaboration with the University for the Creative Arts (UCA) and The Zandra Rhodes Foundation.

The project ran from March 2024 to September 2025 and aimed to inspire future generations of young designers and creative practitioners, by offering a dynamic platform for students to engage with creativity, fashion, heritage, build skills, connect with industry leaders and to engage disadvantaged and underrepresented learners through experiences within a higher education setting.

The project has digitally captured an additional 150+ pieces of Zandra Rhodes’ past collections, including 50 accessories, for the first time, meaning the digital study collection now holds over 700 images, showcasing the incredible work of Rhodes career, so far spanning the last five decades.

This project provided an exciting opportunity for UCA students to take part in internships supporting the photography of garments and accessories. Through these paid placements, students gained firsthand experience within the Zandra Rhodes studio, working directly on the handling, restoration, and preparation of garments for professional photography.

To support their progression, each intern was also offered coaching sessions designed to foster personal development and strengthen employability skills. Once the photography was completed, the images were uploaded to VADS.ac.uk under a Creative Commons licence (CC BY-NC-SA).

This licence allows the images to be shared and used globally for inspiration and teaching, while ensuring the copyright remains with the designer. The distinctive Zandra Rhodes Study Collection is now accessible online, providing a rich and inspiring resource for researchers, students, and designers alike.

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Following the photography of Zandra’s collection, an outreach programme was created to inspire and support 16–18-year-old learners from secondary schools and colleges across Medway, the area where Zandra Rhodes grew up.

The programme included a series of fully funded workshops, the co-creation of a digital creative community, and the opportunity for students to exhibit their work in a local gallery - inviting friends, family, and the wider community to celebrate their achievements. Showcasing student work in this way not only fostered local pride but also sparked meaningful conversations around aspirations, future goals, and the role of higher education in shaping creative careers.

During the workshop days, schools were paired with UCA students, who offered genuine insight into university life.

Pupils had the chance to explore UCA’s Canterbury campus, engage directly with current students, and work in professional-standard studios, helping them to picture themselves within a university environment.

A central element of the programme was the joint creation of a digital creative community, designed to foster a welcoming and supportive culture around creative practice. This platform not only reinforced the project’s aims but also established a lasting legacy, providing young creatives with ongoing inspiration and connection.

Schools and individuals engaged in a simple yet effective initiative that encouraged participants to observe the beauty in everyday life and commit to drawing daily - a practice central to Rhodes’ creative approach. Feedback from participants indicated that this activity was both accessible and impactful, offering a sustainable way to build creative confidence beyond the duration of the project.

To extend the project’s legacy, CPD opportunities were delivered to educators. These sessions proved valuable in introducing new pedagogical approaches and enhancing teachers’ confidence in embedding the project’s digital resources into their practice. As a result, the project supported immediate learner engagement and strengthened educators’ capacity to inspire and nurture future generations of creatives.

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Alongside the Zandra Rhodes Digital Study Collection images, a knowledge bank of interviews was created to capture the rich oral histories of key figures from Rhodes’ career - including Piers Atkinson, Stephen Jones, Andrew Logan, Frances Diplock, Dennis Nothdruft, and Zandra Rhodes herself. These conversations reveal the stories, relationships, and working practices behind the garments, bringing the collection to life and offering a depth of context and insight that photography alone cannot convey.

With 10 hours of knowledge exchanged and 65 key questions answered, we have created a resource of usable videos to support further learning, breaking down barriers by offering advice on how to have a successful career and to achieve your goals.

You can access the knowledge bank here: mylibrary.uca.ac.uk/az/zandra-rhodes-videos This work is licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International

Who is Zandra Rhodes?

Fashion Icon: a British fashion designer known for her bold, colourful, and avantgarde designs that have made her a global fashion icon.

Pioneering Style: She is famous for her use of vibrant prints, flowing fabrics, and theatrical designs, which have become her signature style.

Early Life: Born on September 19, 1940, in Chatham, Kent. Zandra grew up in Medway and promotes the area, with fond memories of her childhood there.

Education: She studied at Medway College of Art and later at the Royal College of Art in London.

Career Launch: Zandra launched her first standalone fashion collection in 1969. Prior to this she ran a clothing store called The Fulham Road Clothes Shop alongside Sylvia Ayton.

Celebrity Clientele: designs have been worn by many celebrities, including Princess Diana, Freddie Mercury and Suki Waterhouse.

Cultural Impact: Zandra played a significant role in the 1970s punk movement, creating iconic pieces like the "Conceptual Chic" collection, which featured ripped and safety-pinned fabrics.

Awards and Honors: She was appointed a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE) in 2014 for her services to the fashion industry.

Museum and Foundation: Zandra founded the Fashion and Textile Museum in London in 2003, to showcase British fashion design. The Zandra Rhodes Foundation was established in 2020.

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Established in 2020, The Zandra Rhodes Foundation catalogues over 55 years of Rhodes’ iconic work, creating a vibrant resource that inspires creativity, informs practice, and supports learning for both current and future generations of students, designers, and creative communities.

Learn more at: zandrarhodesfoundation.org

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What is a Digital Study Collection and Why is it Important?

The Zandra Rhodes Digital Study Collection is accessed via VADS.ac.uk; it is more than just a collection of images - it’s a gateway to creativity. It connects learners to world-class creative work and demonstrates, through access, that creativity is for everyone.

Many young people, due to geography, socio-economic background, or school resourcing, may never visit a major fashion museum or a fashion archive in person. Digital collections like VADS.ac.uk widen access, removing physical and financial barriers, promoting equity in access to arts education. The Zandra Rhodes Digital Study Collection gives students worldwide the opportunity to explore many of the collections of a world-renowned designer’s work, from sketches in the Style Bibles to catwalk pieces presented in detailed multiple angles.

This leads to equality of opportunity, ensuring that inspiration and knowledge aren’t limited to those close to big cities like London, or those with easy access to museums and galleries.

Digital collections give students access to real, primary source material—not summaries or simplified versions— supporting critical thinking as they interpret, analyze, and make connections between visual and historical content. This inquiry-based approach encourages independent research, builds visual literacy, and fosters contextual understanding of art, fashion, and society.

For students in schools with limited access to textiles or design facilities, the collection acts as a virtual studio: a space to explore how ideas are developed, tested, and expressed through material. Ultimately, it aims to inspire lifelong curiosity, learning, and creative exploration.

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Slow Looking and Creative Education Slow Looking is a mindful practice of carefully observing an object, artwork, or environment by spending extended time with it - often several minutes, sometimes longer. Applied to digital images, this approach encourages deeper engagement with the resource, helping viewers notice details, patterns, and significance that might otherwise be overlooked. It’s about slowing down, paying attention, and forming meaningful connections. ​Key Aspects of Slow Looking:​​ ​Focused Attention​​ - Instead of a quick glance, you deliberately slow down to absorb subtle differences. ​Open-Ended Exploration​​ - There is no fixed goal; let curiosity guide your observation. ​Multi-Sensory Engagement​​ - Engage beyond the visual; consider textures, sounds, smells or emotional responses. ​Reflective Thinking​​ - Encourage personal connections, questions, and deeper interpretations.

Slow Looking originated in arts education, but it is also widely applied in mindfulness, nature observation (e.g., birdwatching), and reflective thinking during the design process. It stands in contrast to the fast-paced, distractionheavy habits of modern life, fostering focus, attention, and deeper engagement.

Example:​​ In a museum, instead of reading the label first, you might spend five minutes silently studying a painting - observing the brushstrokes, the colours, and the emotions it evokes - before seeking additional context.

At home, you could log into VADS.ac.uk and explore the Zandra Rhodes Digital Study Collection. Choose one item and take time to really examine it on your screen. Zoom in, notice the stitching, the hems, the beadwork, and pattern placement. Reflect on the connections it inspires: What does it remind you of? Have you seen anything similar before? Who might wear it, and in what context?

This practice allows you to engage on a different level, counteracting superficial observation in a fast-scrolling world. It enhances appreciation and critical thinking, and fosters creativity and empathy by training deeper perception.

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Task 1 : Starting Small (1-2 Minutes)​​ Pick an everyday object (a coffee cup, a leaf, a shadow) and observe it closely. Ask: What shapes, textures, or colours do I see?

How does light interact with it?

Does it remind me of anything?

What do I know about it?

Silence your phone, avoid multitasking, and give it your full attention. Slow looking is like meditation for your eyes.

Task 2 : Deep Looking (5-10 minutes) Now do the same with this image from the Zandra Rhodes Digital Study Collection; look closely using that this image. Ask: What stands out immediately?

What emotion or mood does this garment evoke?

What shapes, textures, or colours do I see?

Does the design remind you of anything?

How do you think the garment feels?

What’s the most unexpected feature that you can see?

What do you know about this garment already?

How would the garment move?

For example I might say that this garment called The Ukraine and 'Chevron Shawl' from Spring/Summer 1970 (on the right) might feel light and I think it would probably be quite fluid in movement because the fabric looks thin and floaty. The colours I see are bright pink and orange and it reminds me of a cone flower I have in my garden...

When I look closely I can see a wiggly line pattern and some shapes that remind me of leaves....

The Ukraine and 'Chevron Shawl'; Spring/Summer 1970. Zandra Rhodes CC BY-BC-SA You can find this garment here: https://vads.ac.uk/digital/collection/ZR/id/779/rec/2

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Task 3: Side-by-Side (10–15 Minutes) Choose one garment or piece from the Zandra Rhodes Digital Study Collection and then chose one natural object to observe side-by-side.

They should have something in common and something that sets them apart.

Step 1: Individual Looking (2–3 Minutes Each) Start by looking at each object/image individually. Take your time with each one.

Ask for each: What is the first thing I notice?

What are the shapes, materials, colours, textures?

What feelings or memories does it evoke?

Step 2: Compare & Contrast (4–5 Minutes) Now look at both together.

Ask: Similarities: What visual or emotional qualities do they share?

Differences: What distinguishes them in form, tone, or intention?

Function & Context: Do they serve the same purpose? Were they made in similar ways or times?

Story: Do they tell competing or complementary stories?

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Worksheet: Slow Looking What do you see?

Silk chiffon dress, known as “the dress”, The Shell Collection, Autumn/Winter 1973, Style Number 73/44, by Zandra Rhodes. © Zandra Rhodes 2012. Mannequin courtesy of Rootstein.

CC BY-BC-SA

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Slow Looking: doodle, draw, sketch...

What do you see?

Silk chiffon dress, known as “the dress”, The Shell Collection, Autumn/Winter 1973, Style Number 73/44, by Zandra Rhodes. © Zandra Rhodes 2012. Mannequin courtesy of Rootstein.

CC BY-BC-SA

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Material Matters: Material is more than just fabric - it shapes how a garment looks, feels, and moves. In Zandra Rhodes’ work, material is central to her bold, expressive style. Her use of silk chiffon, organza, and hand-printed textiles transforms colour and pattern into flowing, dramatic pieces that capture light and energy.

When exploring the Digital Study Collection, don’t just focus on the colours and prints, pay attention to the fabric itself: How does it drape and fold?

Does it appear heavy or light?

What emotions, ideas or associations does the material itself suggest?

Creative Tasks: The Language of Fabric Task 1: Swatch Study (5 minutes) Find a small piece of fabric or paper. Observe it closely - in your hand, blowing in the wind, hanging on the washing line - wherever it may be.

Ask yourself: How does it feel? Smooth, rough, crisp, soft?

How would it move if worn? Flowing, stiff, bouncy?

What colours or patterns work best on this surface? and why?

Task 2: Digital Fabric Focus (10 minutes) Choose a garment from the Zandra Rhodes Digital Study Collection. Zoom in on the image to see the detail of the fabric.

Ask yourself: How does light interact with this material?

What sounds would it make if you handled it?

How might the wearer feel in it?

Task 3: Material Remix (20–30 minutes) Imagine one of Rhodes’ iconic designs made from a completely different material (e.g., denim, recycled plastic, paper). Sketch or collage your idea.

How does the change affect movement and mood?

What new meaning does the material bring to the design?

Is this change an improvement in your opinion? if so, why?

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Lesson Plan: Design Inspiration from the Zandra Rhodes Digital Study Collection Age Group: 16–18 years (Key Stage 5 learners) Length: 1–2 lessons (60–90 minutes each, plus time for homework/project development) Lesson Theme: “Past to Present: Reimagining Zandra Rhodes” Students will explore the digital study collection, analyse Rhodes’ design language, and create a fashion or textile response that reinterprets her style for a contemporary audience.

Learning Objectives By the end of the lesson(s), you will be able to: Understand Zandra Rhodes' impact on fashion and textile design.

Analyse elements of textile and garment design through slow looking.

Develop observational, interpretive, and creative design skills.

Create a design inspired by Zandra Rhodes using visual research.

Resources Needed Devices with internet access Access to the digital study collection: https://vads.ac.uk/collections/ZR Sketchbooks or digital design tools (Photoshop, Procreate, Illustrator, etc.)

Art materials: pencils, pens, watercolours, collage materials (if working by hand)

Lesson Breakdown 1. Introduction to the digital study collection (10–15 min) Brief Presentation: Introduce Zandra Rhodes, her significance in British fashion, and her bold use of print, colour, and silhouette.

Navigation Demo: Take students through how to use the VADS interface.

Prompt to students: “As you explore, look not only at what she made but how she communicates identity, movement, and attitude through design.”

2. Slow Looking & Visual Research (20–30 min) Students choose one garment or textile from the digital study collection.

Use the slow looking framework: What shapes and silhouettes are present?

What motifs, colours, textures do you notice?

How might this garment feel or move?

What emotions or themes are suggested?

What might have influenced this design? (e.g., culture, travel, history) Students document findings in sketchbooks with observational sketches, notes, and colour sampling.

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Lesson Plan Continued...

3. Creative Response: Reimagine or Remix (30–60 min) Task: Create a new design inspired by an original Zandra Rhodes piece, adapting Rhodes’ visual language to reflect a modern theme or issue (e.g. sustainability, gender expression, digital culture).

Options for creative outputs: Fashion illustration Textile design (pattern repeat) Digital mood board with design sketches Garment concept with fabric swatches Encourage students to annotate their creative work, linking decisions to what they observed in Rhodes’ original.

4. Reflection and Critique (15–20 min) Peer discussion (physical or virtual): Students present their design and explain: What they drew from the original piece What they changed and why What and how they brought in contemporary relevance

Learning Aims To develop visual literacy through close observation and analysis of historical fashion and textile design.

To explore and understand the work of Zandra Rhodes within its cultural and historical context.

To use digital resources as a research tool for creative inspiration and informed design development.

To apply visual research to generate original fashion or textile concepts, incorporating historical references into contemporary practice.

To reflect critically on the design process and communicate design decisions effectively.

Learning Outcomes By the end of the lesson(s), students will be able to: Identify and describe key characteristics of Zandra Rhodes' design style, including use of colour, print, silhouette, and technique.

Conduct slow looking and visual analysis using a digital resource.

Record and interpret visual research through annotated sketches, notes, and creative responses.

Produce an original design concept inspired by Rhodes’ work, adapted to a modern theme or issue.

Articulate the connection between their research and creative output through verbal or written reflection.

Engage in peer feedback and demonstrate an ability to evaluate both their own and others’ creative processes.

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Copyright + the Creative Commons licence.

The images of the Zandra Rhodes garments, accessories and drawings hosted on VADS are the copyright of Zandra Rhodes © Zandra has assigned a Creative Commons Licence to allow the images to be used globally for, Learning Teaching Research Images are licensed as: Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike Licence.

CC BY-NC-SA

When using images you should credit Zandra Rhodes as the original creator. Example of a credit: [title of image] by [name of source/creator of image] © [source] [year]

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Useful Links

Colourful Heritage: www.uca.ac.uk/colourful-heritage Creative Commons: www.creativecommons.org National Lottery Heritage Fund: www.heritagefund.org.uk Nucleus Arts: www.nucleusarts.com Thinkability: www.pz.harvard.edu/resources/thinkability University for the Creative Arts: www.uca.ac.uk VADS: www.VADS.ac.uk Visual Thinking Strategies (VTS): www.vtshome.org Zandra Rhodes Foundation: www.zandrarhodesfoundation.org

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The Colourful Heritage Team University for the Creative Arts Project Sponsor: Leigh Garrett, Head of Resources, Discovery and Liaison Project Director: Marie Hitchcock, Discovery Services Manager Project Manager (Education & Wellbeing): Ellen Brown, Learning Development Tutor Project Manager (Digitisation): Lorna McColl, Senior Digitisation Officer Project Manager (Rights): Lisa Moore, Copyright and Compliance Manager Project Manager (Finance): Helen Barrett, Collection Services Manager Project Officer/Cataloguer: Marie-Therese Gramstadt Project Consultant: Amy Robinson, Digital Curation Manager web: uca.ac.uk/colourful-heritage

The Zandra Rhodes Foundation Dame Zandra Rhodes Piers Atkinson, Director, The Zandra Rhodes Foundation Kelly Robinson, Director, KMR Fashion Consultancy Ltd. Lottie McCrindell, Personal Assistant and Studio Manager, Zandra Rhodes Enterprises Ltd. Heritage Advisors: Frances Diplock, Anne-Marie Briton, Stephanie Bartlett, Sarah Glenn, Stephanie Howell, Claire Mosley Assistant Archivists: Sheshan Duong, Holly Siddle web: zandrarhodesfoundation.org

Evaluation Consultants Anna Cullum, Director, Anna Cullum Associates Claire McQuillan, Anna Cullum Associates web: annacullum.co.uk

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Thanks to you...

I would like to express my deepest gratitude to the entire Zandra Rhodes’ Colourful Heritage team for their extraordinary support and partnership throughout this project. Your passion for bold design, fearless creativity, and commitment to preserving and celebrating Zandra Rhodes’ rich artistic legacy have been both inspiring and instrumental to our success.

From the very beginning, your enthusiasm and willingness to share your knowledge, resources, and vision helped shape a truly dynamic and joyful collaboration. Your input brought a unique vibrancy and depth to the project, one that reflects the essence of Zandra’s work and its enduring influence on the creative arts.

This project was not just about engaging with art – it was about celebrating the power of colour, storytelling, and individual expression. Thanks to everyones contributions, we were able to create something that honours that spirit, and invites others to do the same through the practice of slow looking and thoughtful engagement.

A very special thank you to the schools and colleges who took part: Fort Pitt Grammar School Rainham Mark Grammar School Chatham Grammar school for Girls Medway College of Art & Design Mid Kent College To The Halpern Gallery at Nucleus Arts, Chatham for their partnership in making our exhibition such a success.

To Alex Bell, Academic Librarian at UCA, for his time, knowledge and experience in working with UCA’s Fashion courses, and of Slow Looking.

To every single person who took part in our #DrawEveryday campaign via Instagram. Your engagement and enthusiasm really made an impact on others, You can look back at 500+ posts in our instagram highlights. [instagram.com/ColourfulHeritage] Thank you to everyone involved for everything you’ve done to make this project so meaningful.

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Image Credits...

Images on page 3 Emily Ash & Angela Kusuma, interns, prepping garments at Zandra Rhodes Studio, 2024.

Photos by Ellen Brown. Used with permission.

Photographer John Stokes capturing Zandra Rhodes Chancellor robes, 2024. Photo by Ellen Brown. Used with permission.

Detail from "An Indian Collection", evening dress designed by Zandra Rhodes (Autumn/Winter 1982), from the Zandra Rhodes Digital Study Collection, © Zandra Rhodes 2012. Available under CC BY-NC-SA. Detail of "The Renaissance/Gold Collection", evening ensemble designed by Zandra Rhodes (Autumn/Winter 1981), from the Zandra Rhodes Digital Study Collection, © Zandra Rhodes2012. Available under CC BY-NC-SA.

Images on page 4 Image of Zandra Rhodes with interns, 2024. Photo by Ellen Brown. Used with permission.

Interns dressing a mannequin at Zandra Rhodes Studio, 2024. Photo by Ellen Brown. Used with permission.

Image of Zandra Rhodes, Emily Ash and Frances Diplock, at Zandra Rhodes Studio, 2024.

Photo by Ellen Brown. Used with permission.

Images of workshop days held at UCA Canterbury, 2025. Photos by Yousef Al Nasser. Used with permission.

Images on page 5 Behind the scenes images of interviews being held with Dame Zandra Rhodes, Frances Diplock, Stephen Jones, Andrew Logan, Dennis Nothdruft and Piers Atkinson, 2024. Photos by Yousef Al Nasser. Used with permission.

Images on page 6 Image of Dame Zandra Rhodes, 2024. Photo by Yousef Al Nasser. Used with permission.

Images on page 10 Detail of "The Ukraine and 'Chevron Shawl'", evening ensemble designed by Zandra Rhodes (Spring/Summer 1970), from the Zandra Rhodes Digital Study Collection, © Zandra Rhodes 2012. Includes style numbers 70/4 (top) and 70/6 (skirt). Available under CC BY-NC-SA. Image of orange echinacea flowers. By Katie Doran via Pixabay.

Image on page 11 Image of a workshop day held at UCA Canterbury, 2025. Photo by Yousef Al Nasser. Used with permission.

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uca.ac.uk/colourful-heritage

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