New Designers Awards names winners

The 2017 New Designers Awards, which recognises the next generation of graduate designers across a number of fields including fashion, has named its winners.

The New Designers exhibition showcases more than 3,000 fresh-thinking, innovative graduate design talent from the UK’s leading art and design courses, and there are awards for the most talented graduates across fashion, home, stationery, industrial, jewellery, illustration, animation, digital and furniture design.

Glasgow School of Art’s Nina Butler was named the Business Design Centre New Designer of the Year for her sportswear collection. Judges described her collection as being “ready to go” and that her line inspired from sports architecture to sportswear could be taken “from concept to shop floor”.

Butler wins 1,500 pounds as well as 1,000 pounds worth of legal advice from specialist intellectual property lawyers Briffa, including a year’s free membership to their DesignProtect insurance service, 2,000 pounds worth of accounting and taxation advice from experts HWFisher, and half a day focusing on PR by Four Coleman Getty along with marketing worth 500 pounds.

Among the other awards was Pentland Brands New Designer award, which looks for a graduate that demonstrates “brilliant design skills” and this year the prize went to Staffordshire University’s Jack Bradley for his backpack innovation.

The panel of judges were impressed by his “rethought approach to a traditional backpack” that they described as having “mass market application and appeal”.

Tamara Sivan-Botbol, design pool manager at Pentland Brands said: “Jack’s work was exciting and innovative, it was great to see a product that exists redesigned incorporating such a useful and clever solution. Jack presented very well, he thought of a solution inspired by his own experience from traveling and created this clever rucksack.”

Commenting on his win, which includes a two-months paid placement with Pentland Brands, Bradley added: “This is a fantastic opportunity. I'd like to develop the backpack further, to take it into production. I'm happy and excited to have my work recognised.”

Joules, Pentland Brands and John Lewis announce New Designer Award winners

The Joules Award to celebrate colour and print was awarded to Chloe Hills from Bath Spa University for the “great use of colour” in her innovative collection, as well as the “interesting techniques used and a contemporary take on florals”.

Hills wins 500 pounds cash prize as well as a 2-week paid work placement where she will work with the design team and create a mural for the retailers Wells Beach pop-up store.

There was further success for Glasgow School of Arts as Emma Body-Madsen was presented with the New Designers John Lewis Award for Design and Innovation for her unique, versatile designs. She takes home 1,000 pounds to support her work and an opportunity to visit the John Lewis design team.

Style Library presented Laura Humphreys from Loughborough University with its award for her handwoven textiles as she captured the ethos of the brand with her portfolio that featured “stunning handpainted warps, creative use of colour and brought together beautifully with contemporary styling”. Humphreys wins 1,000 pounds as well as three-week internship at one of Style Library’s studios.

UCA Rochester graduate Claire Tagg was honoured with the Hainsworth Statement Award for her dress coat. Judges commented that her personal story translated through in the design that had been “thought through and executed”. Tagg can either choose cash, Hainsworth cloth or a combination of both to a value of 1,000 pounds and will be invited to visit the Hainsworth Mill.

There were also a number of associate prizes awarded including from the Clothworkers’ Company and the Worshipful Company of Weavers. Edinburgh College of Art graduate Abi Bruce was honoured by Clothworker’s Company for her printed textile portfolio.

Clothworkers Company judges said that Bruce fulfilled the award criteria in a “very positive way with her vast array of technical textile techniques” including tactile elements of screen and digital printing as well as heat transfer printing and other textures on neoprene juxtaposed to natural fibres. Bruce wins 1,000 pounds.

While Beth Wilson from Heriott Watt University was award with the Worshipful Company of Weavers Associate Prize for her woven textile collection. Judges described her collection of woollen and worsted fabrics as “outstanding” and added that she demonstrated a “high technical proficiency and awareness”. Wilson takes homes 1,000 pounds in prize money.

Commenting on this year’s awards, Sarah Monk, director of New Designers, said: “There’s such a wealth of brilliant ideas at this year's New Designers that our judges have been spoilt for choice.

“We’re hugely grateful to our sponsors for their generous support in recognising these talented individuals and providing them with such fantastic opportunities as they take the first steps into their creative careers.”

Images: courtesy of Pentland Brands and New Designers