The beer tents at two of Leicestershire’s most popular music festivals will have a unique look and feel this year, thanks to the work of two De Montfort University (DMU) textile design graduates.
Carly Barton, 23, and Nicola Roffe, 22, were approached by staff from the Orange Tree Group – the company that will be running the bars at Summer Sundae and Strawberry Fields – and asked to design textile installations and soft furnishings to transform the festival beer tents.
Since then, the duo have been busy with lace, silks, vintage fabrics and beads, creating the furnishings that will turn two tents into a vintage circus-inspired main bar and a ‘utility chic’ real ale & cocktail bar.
Suzi Corker from the Orange Tree Group said: “We were inspired by the work we saw at DMU’s end of term degree show and asked if any of the students would be interested in working with us.
“What we wanted was a look that was unique and quirky and that captured the personality of our bars.
“Nicola and Carly have risen to the challenge and have come up with a range of ideas that will turn plain old tents into fun and stylish festival bars.
“We’ve been delighted with their creative approach to problem-solving and the way they’ve interpreted our brief for a funky yet vintage look.”
The graduates have been working with a range of materials that will help turn each visit to the bar into a sensory experience. Indian fabrics, rich silks and soft cushions will all feature in the schemes, with colourful handmade bunting and beaded chandeliers providing additional interest above drinkers’ heads.
“There were times when I really didn’t think we were going to be finished in time for Summer Sundae,” said Leicester-born Nicola.
“It was a mammoth task, but it was such a great commission to get so soon after graduating that we didn’t want to let the Orange Tree down.
“We’ve been working round the clock to make more than 200 metres of bunting, but it’s all been worth it because the tents are going to look fabulous!”
Carly, from Market Harborough, has been busy scouring Leicester charity shops for the silk scarves and vintage fabrics they’ll need for their decorations.
“Local charity shops have been great for the vintage items we needed – and we’ve also had fabrics donated to us by local businesses,” she said.
“But what we’re most proud of is the fact that everything we’re using has been sourced from small independent retailers in Leicester.”
Although the graduates are primarily working on installations for the main bar and the real ale & cocktail bar, they will also help the Orange Tree team dress the festival’s VIP bar – a bar that will recreate a 1970s living room in the middle of Leicester’s Victoria Park.
Lindsey Chambers, programme leader for textile design at DMU, said: “These two festivals will provide our graduates with a fantastic opportunity to showcase their work.
“Thousands of people will be passing through the bars and I’m sure that most of them will stop to enjoy the ambience that these two talented young women have helped to create.”
For more information about Nicola Roffe’s work, visit www.nicolaroffe.com
Carly Barton can be contacted on carlybarton88@googlemail.com
Summer Sundae ran from 12–14 August, while three days of live music at Strawberry Fields get under way on 26 August.
The independent Orange Tree Group has six bars across the East Midlands, with four venues in Leicester – the newest addition being The Basement in Wellington Street. The bars have a reputation for their laid-back feel and quirky retro styling.
