Texprint 2012 judges pick four design winners.

英國四名紡織設計畢業生贏得今年Texprint特別獎。他們是從24入圍者選出。 在倫敦切爾西(Chelsea)藝術與設計學院展示他們的創意設計。評審團的成員是在同行業中的知名領導人。Texprint 2012年 共有大約200名參賽者競爭。


Texprint - a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to nurturing the best British-trained graduates in textile design - has introduced 24 textile design graduates to members of the industry at its annual Preview event held last night at the Chelsea College of Art & Design, in Pimlico, London.  The 24 were selected from some 200 entrants in this year's competition. 

Texprint chairman, Barbara Kennington
Photos by Lucia Carpio.

Addressing the congregation of leading creatives and decision makers in the fashion and interiors markets, members of the press and sponsors, Texprint chairman, Barbara Kennington, also introduced a panel of four judges who are world-renowned experts in the fields of fashion and design:-

Caroline Burstein – creative director at Browns Fashion and founder of Molton Brown;
Neisha Crosland – renowned designer with eponymous interiors and accessories brands;
Paul Stamper – senior designer, design perspectives, Renault Design at Renault and

Sheree Waterson - executive vice president and chief product officer of the Vancouver-based activewear company Lululemon Athletica.

The judges selected four designers out of the 24 design graduates to receive special prizes for their exceptional design work.  Each winner will receive a £1,000 prize, courtesy of prize sponsors Pantone X-Rite, Liberty Art Fabrics and The Clothworkers’ Foundation.

The Preview event last night was set in a gallery-style display to allow members of the fashion, textile and design industry to examine the key creative works of of each new talent, and discuss with them their design concepts and inspiration.

I was particularly impressed with the creative work of a Chinese girl, Ying Wu (above), a Royal College of Art graduate originally from a small town near Shanghai, who explained that her work was a reflection of her dismay of the new industrialisation that has gone on in her home town. 

The result is a range of delicate hand drawings translated into strong graphic print designs on silk satin, twill and jacquard, some of which are made into scarfs, that has won her the Pattern prize at this year's Texprint.  Designer and judge Neisha Crosland said Ying's scarves were exquisite: “She has taken skate and street and taken it upmarket and refined.”

Another designer whose fun and vibrant work caught my eye was Manri Kishimoto from Central St. Martins.  Her designs, as shown in the two pictures above, has won Manri the Colour prize. Judge Sheree Waterson of Lululemon Athletica activewear described Manri's designs as “outrageous, mind-blowing. Her illustrations are awesome.”

And the other two winners this year are:-

Carlo Volpi from the Royal College of Art who has won the Body prize — awarded to the best fashion fabric. Caroline Burstein said it was a unanimous decision and praised the knitwear designer’s impeccable colour sense.
And Tania Grace Knuckey from the Royal College of Art who has won the Space prize — awarded to the best fabric for interiors. Her work incorporates materials from metal to leather and judge Paul Stamper was impressed with her “good mind” and ability to turn her hand to anything.

It was standing room only at Texprint Preview that was held at the Chelsea College of Art & Design, in Pimlico, London,
 on July 11.
Photos by Lucia Carpio.

All the 24 designers, who are displaying their work at Chelsea College of Art & Design, in Pimlico, London, until Friday 13 July, will be presenting their work at the Indigo fair in Paris, the textile design exhibition which is part of Première Vision Pluriel, September 19-21, 2012.  While at Indigo, the designers’ work will be judged for the Woolmark Texprint Award in support of Campaign for Wool — the prize that recognises design excellence in fabrics created with 60% or more Merino wool.

Also later this year, the designers will be participating in the Interstoff Asia fair in Hong Kong, run by Messe Frankfurt.

Texprint has been established for 40 years. It is known in the industry for mentoring and promoting the UK's most talented textile design graduates and is entirely funded by sponsorship of industry and by British charitable foundations. 

Many Texprint alumni now enjoy high profile creative roles within the international textile, fashion and interior design industries.

Emma Shipley (RCA MA) , Pattern prize winner of Texprint 2011.  Photo from Texprint.

Emma Shipley's scarfs above and below on show at Scoop 2012 earlier this week.
Photos above and below by Lucia Carpio.

Just earlier this week, at the Scoop 2012 fashion exhibition held at the Saatchi Gallery in London, I met up with Emma Shipley who was last year's Pattern prize winner, who's now marketing her own brand luxury silk scarfs based on her own distinctive designs as shown above.