Wintec fashion students relish Thai experience

A contingent of Wintec fashion design students recently returned from an eye-opening tour of Bangkok, Thailand where they got up close and personal with the country’s bustling fashion industry.

The group of nine students and two Wintec tutors spent 10 days touring Bangkok to learn about some of the traditional design and manufacturing techniques used.

While there, they were hosted by Rajamangala University of Technology Krungthep and witnessed silk weaving, textile and dyeing processes and visited large-scale factories and a fashion technology expo.

Wintec tutor Sally Fitzpatrick said it was an unforgettable learning experience.

“Seeing textile manufacturing first hand was a real highlight - from raw cotton, through to weaving and knitting of the final textile and then on to the manufacturing process - we just don’t get to see that in New Zealand. It was a wonderful opportunity for both the staff and students.” 

Sally said the students were already relating many of their Thai learnings to their studies.

One of the students involved was 27-year-old Brydie Senior, who said the trip was an eye-opening experience.

“In New Zealand everything is on a smaller scale – the factories over there were gigantic and seeing these really made me appreciate how much people power goes into everything.”

Brydie, who has a love for bold colour and patterns, said she enjoyed seeing the traditional Thai methods of design and learning more about their culture.

The tour came about after Wintec staff members visited Rajamangala University of Technology Krungthep last year to discuss possible exchange opportunities for students.