Graduate Fashion Week announces 2018 winners

By

Barbara Santamaria

Published
Jun 7, 2018

Graduate Fashion Week closed its latest edition in London this week with an awards ceremony celebrating the talents of tomorrow.

The three-day event was held at the Truman Brewery in London on 3-6 June, and brought together fashion graduates from over 60 UK and international universities and colleges, recruiters and industry professionals.

Professor Caryn Franklin opened the award ceremony with a personal message from Prime Minister Theresa May which read: "I am very proud of the UK’s fashion industry. From street style to haute couture, some of the most iconic brands and biggest names in the business hail from the UK. We are leaders in design, innovation, textiles, and our fashion colleges and universities are among the very best in the world.

“The charity Graduate Fashion Week plays such an important role in the process of identifying and nurturing the very best of new talent at this crucial stage in their careers, helping ensure the next generation of gifted individuals can go on to secure leading roles in the industry. I look forward to hearing about the winners and wish them every success for the future,” it continued.

The prestigious Christopher Bailey Gold Award was awarded to Rebecca Wilson (Arts University Bournemouth) for her menswear, womenswear and childrenswear collection.

Hannah Gibbons (University of Brighton) received the Debenhams Menswear Award for her product development and textile design, while Aurelie Fontan (Edinburgh College of Art) was honoured with the M&S Womenswear Award, the Catwalk Textiles Award and the Dame Vivienne Westwood Sustainable and Ethical Award Sponsored by Levis.

Louise Clarke (Manchester School of Art) will work with Asda on a joint collection as the winner of the George Catwalk to Store Award, while the Bonmarché Fashion For All Award went to Bethany Wainwright (University of Central Lancashire).

Other awards included the Outerwear Award sponsored by Superdry, given to Helen Green (Liverpool John Moores University); the Boux Avenue Swimwear Award, given to Lucy Nolan (Northumbira University) and the Clarks Footwear Award, given to Charles Mein (Arts University of Bournemouth).

Tu at Sainsbury’s awarded scholarship awards to womenswear designer to Jennifer Healy (Manchester School of Art) and menswear designer Molly Hopwood (University of Leeds).