A young designer from Golders Green has realised her dream of seeing her MARVEL-inspired T-Shirt sold on the world's biggest online retailer.
Patricia Gander took inspiration from her children's favourite Guardians of the Galaxy character to create the I Am Groot Shining Eyes Galactic Doodles T-Shirt,
And the collaborative project with The Prince’s Trust has seen 29-year-old's designs launched exclusively on Amazon.
Patricia joined a group of designers from The Prince’s Trust to create an exclusive collection of MARVEL-inspired clothing, accessories, and wall art.
It is divided into three collections representing different eras of the franchise's 85-year history: Bronze, Silver, and Gold; 80s and 90s; and 2000s and beyond.
Each piece showcases the creativity and passion of the young designers who took part in the project.
Both MARVEL and The Prince’s Trust provide mentorship and support to young people from diverse backgrounds aspiring to pursue careers in design and the creative industries.
A week-long programme in March offered Patricia and her fellow designers invaluable insights from industry experts, hands-on working sessions, and skills-based learning opportunities in design, production, manufacture, commercial planning, and marketing.
She said: "The best part of this whole experience was coming to the programme, completing a fantastic project and being around other MARVEL super fans.
"Even though presentations were initially scary, I built my confidence and felt good presenting my ideas by the end. The inspiration behind my design was my kids. We love MARVEL Guardians of the Galaxy and Groot.
"I combined my character assets with colourful colours - it’s been a great way to bond with my kids, as Groot is a character we both associate with."
The 36-piece collection is the third in a three-year partnership between MARVEL, The Prince’s Trust, and Disney. Over that time, Disney has donated £300,000 to The Trust, to help budding designers realize their potential.
"We believe in the epic possibilities of embracing our differences and treating them as superpowers," said Dan Scott from Disney Consumer Products. "Through this three-year programme, we aim to empower young people to unleash their creative potential, build essential skills, and pursue their dreams in product design and beyond."
Sophie Morrell, Director of Partnerships at The Prince’s Trust, added: "We are thrilled to collaborate with MARVEL to empower these young designers. This partnership not only fosters creativity but also provides invaluable opportunities for personal and professional growth. At The Trust, we believe that young people have great potential if given the right support, and we hope this platform will help designers like Patricia showcase their talent on a global scale."
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