Textile Design student shortlisted in New Designers Awards

The New Designers Awards connect talented design graduates with businesses looking to bring in new design thinking. As Sally Bent, Event Director for New Designers, says: “At its core, New Designers is about connecting recent graduates with industry, and offering them meaningful opportunities to start their career.” 

Being shortlisted for the Liberty Fabrics Award has put Sophie in a position of strength as she leaves Falmouth University to embark on a career in design. Reflecting on the project, she puts its success down to designing a fabric that told a story.  

“My entry, Picnic in the Park, aims to focus on the distant memories of happiness and joy we all missed during the height of the 2020 lockdown. The fabric tells the story of a united community coming together to enjoy life’s simple pleasures. 

“My work predominantly consists of hand-painted repeat patterns which tend to be pictorial, scenic and sometimes conversational in content. I aim to capture the characteristics of my surroundings in an idealised manner.  

“Alongside hand painting, I also experiment with lino printing and drawing to express organic aspects of landscapes.   

“Being shortlisted for this award has boosted my confidence for transitioning from student graduate to possible employment within the industry. If you’d like to view the full range of my works, my portfolio can be found on my Instagram.” 

Sally Ann-Gill, course leader for Textile Design, was extremely impressed by Sophie’s efforts especially given the difficulties she faced during the pandemic.   

"Sophie turned a difficult situation - her isolation during the pandemic- into an amazing project. Her concept centred around her observations of what people did during lockdown. They are beautifully executed designs which make use of Sophie's excellent drawing and colour skills. It's fantastic that Sophie was shortlisted by New Designers. She is definitely one to watch!"  

Explore BA(Hons) Textile Design