The Graduate Students’ Union (GSU) has partnered with Trinity’s Commercial Revenue Unit to launch a fashion range, featuring popular images from around Trinity’s campus.
Postgraduate students were involved during several parts of the process, including the concept, design and advertising stages. It has also been agreed that five per cent of the profits will go back to the Postgraduate Hardship Fund.
President of the GSU Shane Collins, speaking to The University Times, said that the project is “very innovative”. Last year, Trinity College Dublin Students’ Union (TCDSU) and the GSU introduced a student partnership policy, which promised to work closer with the College. Collins called this collaboration “another level of that student partnership”. “If there are certain projects that we can work together with the College on that’s going to benefit the student experience here, we’ll do it”, he said. Collins called it a great example of “applied knowledge” in work.
The designs, which were worked on by a number of different postgraduate students, depict notable tourist spots from around Trinity’s campus such as the Campanile and the Long Room.
The project is part of a larger plan to expand Trinity’s merchandising base as an alternative form of revenue for the College. International Retail Director for Trinity Brand Commercial Services Limited, Michael Nason, explained that they looked to international universities such as Harvard, Notre Dame and Oxford University when exploring how they could get students involved in the process. “We want a more premium range of gift items inspired by the assets of the college, inspired by the great scholars of the past”, said Nason. First putting the plan to the Board in 2015, Nason said that “the heart” of it was that “in creating products we would work with students and staff and alumni of the College and involve them in the creative process”.
The College has also launched a range of postcards, featuring photos submitted by Trinity students and staff members in a social media competition. Partnering with Avoca, there is also a throw inspired by Trinity’s cobblestones in the works.
As the College’s commercial revenue unit seeks to expand the range of products it sells, the College has emphasised the importance of sourcing these ethically. As such, the College has affiliated itself with the workers’ rights consortium. Last February, the GSU passed a policy that mandated them to work with the group who look at the ethical sourcing of garments. The products will be sold in the Long Room library shop.
Trinity has been focusing on alternative forms of revenue in recent years with the College on track to make €33 million through commercialisation by the 2020/21 academic year. The Commercial Revenue Unit was set up to implement a five-year plan, which focuses on improving Trinity’s brand while also creating products that would attract an international market.
