Success for º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ Textiles graduates at New Designers 2022

We are delighted to share that recent º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ Textile Design graduates Lydia Zavos and Sophie Daniels have won industry awards at New Designers (ND) 2022.

The highly acclaimed ND Awards programme sees industry experts actively seek out the very best design talent, offering prizes, mentorships, and apprenticeships. Previous winners have gone on to forge successful careers within industry.

Winning AVACAD Print and Pattern Designer of the Year, Lydia Zavos’ creative practice demonstrates her love for colour, craft, pattern and texture. Judges were looking for a fresh and creative approach to design, with unique artistic expression. This award is given to a designer whose collection has been carefully considered with distinctive style, commercial repeat understanding, and creative use of colour, texture and scale.

Lydia Zavos won AVACAD Print and Pattern Designer of the Year (collages and paintings pictured)

This associate prize is a fantastic opportunity to further develop skills within industry. Winners of the award receive a five-day online CAD Specialist Training course with access to coaching and support from AVA technicians, culminating in an industry recognised certification. Lydia’s final year project Brutal Utopia features work inspired by grid-like textures, shapes and forms found when viewing the Barbican building from different angles.

Demonstrating creativity, innovative problem solving, commercial awareness and understanding of circular design thinking, Sophie Daniels was awarded the John Lewis & Partners Award for Design and Innovation.

This prestigious award recognises work that reflects the changes in how we live and use our homes today. Winners receive a cash prize and the opportunity to spend a day with the John Lewis & Partners Design Team in support of their career development.

Sophie was also overall winner for the Enterprise Awards Textiles category at the º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ 2022 Design and Creative Arts Degree Show, in recognition of her final year project ‘Langdon Lane’, which focuses on creating delicate and intricate, tactile interior designs to support those in end-of-life care settings and the visually impaired.

Sophie's award-winning project 'Langdon Lane'

Championing and celebrating the future of design talent since 1985, New Designers is a key date in the calendar for design graduates to be seen by Industry. Held annually, the two-week show is based at the Business Design Centre in Islington, London, and connects talented design graduates with businesses looking to bring in new design thinking; buyers looking to source the most innovative craft and design; and aspiring students with the widest range of design courses available to explore.

Focussing on contemporary design crafts, week one of the show features graduates working in textiles & fashion, costume design, surface pattern design, illustration, ceramics & glass and jewellery/ precious metalwork.

Liberty Fabrics, Habitat, and other industry leaders have also recognised the work of several other of our 2022 Textile Design graduates. In addition Annabelle Loweth and Alice Broad have been offered placements at Sanderson Group and Morris and Co respectively.

Visit our online 2022 Degree Show to find out more about our talented Design and Creative Arts graduates and their creative practice.

New Designers 2022 takes place from 28 June – 9 July at the Business Design Centre, Islington London.

Graduates from our courses in Industrial Design and Technology and Product Design and Technology will exhibit at Week 2 of the show from 6-9 July.