Whitecliffe Fashion + Sustainability students in Wellington are taking on a real-world creative brief with Student Job Search (SJS): redesigning “Mark,” the organisation’s well-known exclamation-mark mascot.
After several years in use, the current SJS mascot is being retired. SJS is now seeking a refreshed version that is practical, sustainable, and suitable for regular events across Aotearoa.
To develop Mark 2.0, SJS invited Whitecliffe students to pitch new concepts that combine visual design with functional problem-solving. Students were asked to consider the full experience of a mascot used at tertiary events, including portability, durability, comfort and ease of movement.
As SJS set out to create Mark 2.0, they approached Whitecliffe students to help shape the next evolution of the mascot. With both teams working in the same building in Wellington, the brief became an exciting opportunity for our Fashion students to apply their design skills to a client brief. Students pitched a range of ideas addressing comfort, sustainability and portability of the mascot. The concept will now be produced by the chosen student designer, giving them hands-on industry experience from concept to creation.
SJS Chief Executive Louise Saviker says, as New Zealand’s champion of student employment, it just made sense to get the Whitecliffe students involved in this project.
“It’s great for us to walk the walk, and I wouldn’t have it any other way,” she says.
“Today’s students bring such enthusiasm, energy, and creativity to everything they do, and we saw that when the students’ pitches were delivered last week – it was a really tough decision!
“We know for the thousands of students who register with SJS, the work experience and connections they make through working can be just as valuable as the income they earn, so we are thrilled to collaborate with Whitecliffe in this way.”
Congratulations to Sophie Ivory, who just finished a Certificate in Apparel and Fashion Technology, for meeting the brief with her proposed concept for Mark 2.0. The design was a thoughtful balance of practicality, sustainability, and comfort for event use. She will now create the final mascot, scheduled for completion at the end of January 2026.
Whitecliffe CEO Dr. Fay Amaral says the collaboration aligns strongly with Whitecliffe’s commitment to creativity, sustainability, and meaningful industry engagement.
“We are grateful to SJS for this wonderful opportunity to collaborate. Whitecliffe is passionate about creativity, sustainability, and design thinking, and we enable our students to thrive both in their studies and in the world of work! This was a natural fit, and of course, we know how awesome our students are, so no surprise it was a tough choice! Well done Sophie!”
We congratulate all finalists on the high calibre of ideas submitted and extend our thanks to the lecturers for their continued guidance and mentorship.
You can follow updates on both the Whitecliffe and Student Job Search (SJS) channels over the summer as the mascot redesign progresses.
For more information on listing or applying for student jobs, visit Student Job Search www.sjs.co.nz.
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