From Poole to the World Stage: Archie’s Junk Kouture Journey

Bournemouth and Poole College student Archie is taking his creativity to the global stage after his design, Autopsy of a Modern Man, earned a place at the Junk Kouture World Final in Dublin in February 2027. Created using discarded materials including pipes, bin liners, plastics and wires, Autopsy of a Modern Man began as a standalone project during Archie’s Fashion studies at Bournemouth and Poole College. The design was initially showcased at the College’s Chaos & Couture exhibition at Gather in the Dolphin Centre, Poole, where students demonstrated how discarded and unwanted materials could be transformed through creativity, experimentation and design. For Archie, bringing the piece to life meant going beyond his usual college hours to develop and complete his idea. “I absolutely loved it, working extra days and hours that I wouldn’t normally to finish the piece.” — Archie From a college project to Junk Kouture With support and guidance from his tutor, Kerrie, Archie entered Autopsy of a Modern Man into Junk Kouture. His design progressed through the competition and was selected as a London City Finalist at the Junk Kouture Festival of Finals, before being chosen as one of 10 UK designs to progress to the Junk Kouture World Final. Now, Archie will join young creatives from across the Junk Kouture community in Dublin in February 2027. “I submitted the work to Junk Kouture myself, with support and guidance from Kerrie, my tutor,” Archie said. “I’m really looking forward to meeting others in Dublin and having my artwork seen on a world stage; it’s a very exciting opportunity for me, and I am very grateful.” Finding potential in discarded materials Sourcing materials is an important part of the creative process for students at Bournemouth and Poole College. Last year, Archie’s tutor Kerrie connected with local shopping centre The Dolphin to source discarded materials that students could explore and reimagine through their work. The College continues to encourage local organisations and businesses to consider whether materials they no longer need could be given another life through student creativity. For Archie, that process resulted in a design which has travelled from a college project in Poole to a place on the Junk Kouture world stage. His journey demonstrates what can happen when young creatives are given the opportunity to experiment, challenge conventional approaches to design and find new possibilities in materials that might otherwise have been discarded. Next stop: Dublin and the Junk Kouture World Final 2027. This story has been adapted from an original article published by Bournemouth and Poole College. Want to find out more about Bournemouth and Poole College? Visit the College’s website to explore its Art and Design pathways, including Fashion. Businesses interested in donating discarded materials for future Junk Kouture projects at Bournemouth and Poole College can contact marketing@bpc.ac.uk.