Latest news with #SchoolofDesign
Fashion United
19-06-2025
- Business
- Fashion United
Graduate to Watch: Kitty Carr-Lake from Leeds University
This week the 34th edition of Graduate Fashion Week, the world's largest showcase of BA degree talent, took place in London, celebrating the work of more than 3,500 of the very best fashion graduates. One of those graduates honoured at the annual showcase was Kitty Carr-Lake, a graduate from the BA Fashion Design Innovation course at the University of Leeds, School of Design, who won the coveted Debenhams Commercial Catwalk Award. The accolade, which celebrates graduate talent with a 'contemporary commercial eye,' was awarded to Carr-Lake for impressing the judges with her 'technically innovative and ready for the Debenhams customer' collection inspired by the issue of coastal erosion. Carr-Lake's graduate knitwear collection featured sixteen outfits, each named after a coastline currently impacted by erosion, showcased in a palette of neutral tones echoing the natural elegance of the coast. Kitty Carr-Lake, University of Leeds, School of Design wins Debenhams Commercial Catwalk Award Credits: Debenhams Rachel King, buying and design director at Debenhams, who presented the award to Carr-Lake at the Best of GFW Gala, said: 'The standard of talent this year was outstanding, but Kitty Carr–Lake's collection stood out instantly. Her collection was not only technically innovative and advanced but also creative with a strong understanding of wearable, market-ready fashion - exactly what the Designers at Debenhams award celebrates. We can't wait to see her ideas evolve into a full collection.' As the winner, Carr-Lake will receive a 12-month contract with Debenhams and have the opportunity to bring her collection to life to sell with the retailer next year. Commenting on her win, Carr-Lake added: 'Joining Debenhams marks an exciting new chapter in my career. Graduate Fashion Week was an unforgettable experience, and to now have the chance to create for such a renowned name in British retail is truly inspiring. I'm looking forward to learning, growing, and bringing my designs to life for a broader audience.' Kitty Carr-Lake - 2025 Debenhams Commercial Catwalk Award winner FashionUnited spoke with Carr-Lake following her win to discuss the inspiration behind her collection and Graduate Fashion Week experience, why the University of Leeds, her advice for taking on a fashion design degree and plans for the future. Kitty Carr-Lake, University of Leeds, School of Design wins Debenhams Commercial Catwalk Award Credits: Debenhams Can you talk us through your winning collection? The inspiration for my winning collection stemmed from the issue of coastal erosion, a pressing environmental concern that I felt compelled to address through my creative work. To raise awareness in a meaningful and engaging way, I developed a brand called 'Erosure', a name derived from the word 'erosion', symbolising both the problem and a design-led response to it. The project features a curated collection of sixteen outfits, each named after a coastline currently impacted by erosion. This naming concept was chosen to highlight specific locations affected by the issue and to spread awareness about them. Although coastal erosion is destructive and often devastating, I was intrigued by the idea of translating its visual impact into something softer and more hopeful through fashion. This led to a focus on texture development and a palette of beautiful, neutral tones, echoing the natural elegance of the coast. In line with this vision, I aimed to create a sleek, minimal aesthetic for the brand, reflecting my personal perception of coastal landscapes. Sustainability and timelessness were key values throughout the design process. I developed versatile, seasonless pieces that encourage longevity in wear, alongside everyday staples designed to become wardrobe essentials. To ensure the highest quality and environmental responsibility, I sourced luxury, sustainable yarns locally, emphasising craftsmanship and care. The result is a collection that not only tells an important environmental story but also invites consumers to invest in garments they will cherish, preserve, and wear with purpose. What does it mean to you to win a Graduate Fashion Week award? I am over the moon to win a GFW award and am so grateful that all my hard work has been recognised. Kitty Carr-Lake, University of Leeds, School of Design wins Debenhams Commercial Catwalk Award Credits: Debenhams How excited are you to see your designs being sold at I am beyond excited to see my designs come to life and be sold at Debenhams, and I think my family are too! Many people have told me they would love to own the cream jumper I designed, and now it may become a reality! Why did you want to become a fashion designer? I have never been an academic, and something about textiles and fashion always enticed me. I had an amazing textile teacher in year 7, and she sparked my love for creativity and fashion design. Ever since then, I have never looked back, and I couldn't imagine studying anything else. Did you enjoy your graduate fashion week experience? I had such a great time at Graduate Fashion Week, as I got to meet some incredible individuals and showcase my work. Why did you choose to study at the University of Leeds? I chose to study at the University of Leeds, as the course offered a wide range of modules and allowed me to explore textiles, as well as being able to create a fully fashioned knit collection. Kitty Carr-Lake, University of Leeds, School of Design wins Debenhams Commercial Catwalk Award Credits: Debenhams What was the most valuable thing you learnt from your course? I think the most valuable thing I learnt on my course was to push myself and my designs, as this led to some of my best work. What are your plans now that you've graduated? Now that I have graduated, I plan to continue working hard and use all the skills I have learnt during my time at university to create some beautiful designs. What advice would you give someone considering studying fashion? My future advice to anyone studying fashion design is to just try. If you have an idea, just give it a go. The worst that can happen is that you don't use it, and then it may lead to something even better.
Newsweek
17-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Newsweek
Welcome to the Fashionable World of Tanya Taylor
Huddled in the corner of a softly lit change room at her eponymous store on Madison Avenue, Tanya Taylor giggled as she recounted the "scared, very introverted, really insecure kid" she was growing up. "I don't know why," Taylor smiled. "I had the best parents, and everyone told me I was great, but, for some reason, it took me a long time." It's funny to think that the Canadian fashion designer ever played it safe. Nearly every milestone of her career can be traced back to a leap of faith: Had she decided not to sign up for the fashion show at McGill University, where she was majoring in finance, Taylor would have never discovered her passion, never enrolled at Parson's School of Design, never created garments that injected a much-needed boost of optimism in an intimidating, high-end fashion industry. She most certainly would not have dressed the likes of former first lady Michelle Obama, Beyoncé or Taylor Swift nor opened her own flagship store on the luxury strip of Manhattan. It can also be a little bit scary naming a business after yourself, Taylor told Newsweek. Whether it's on a storefront, label or billboard, putting a personal name on a brand requires a level of vulnerability. She recognizes that now, but she didn't give it much thought when she launched her namesake brand. Photo-illustration by Newsweek/Getty "I was 25 when I made that decision," Taylor laughed. "I don't think there was a lot of strategy involved in it." What really motivated her to put her name on the brand was a strong conviction that whatever she invested her time in had to be a true reflection of who she is as a person. "I really believe in being as personal as possible with almost everything," Taylor said. "In hindsight, I'm happy it is my name because it represents a journey, those years of changing, the different times of your life." So, who is Tanya Taylor, the brand? Vogue, the Council of Fashion Designers of America and Elle have all described it as joyful, colorful and functional. But they may well have been describing the designer herself. "I've always lived a little in my own world," Taylor said. "I'm an only child. I feel like I've been kind of unaware of what was different." The "Carrie Dress" from Tanya Taylor's latest collection. The "Carrie Dress" from Tanya Taylor's latest collection. Tanya Taylor Living in your own world, however, doesn't mean living alone. Taylor has a unique ability to bring people into her world, both figuratively and literally. As the noise level in her store's front room rose, she offered to move to the back, nestling into one of the fitting rooms—cotton-candy pink and soundproofed by plush, fuchsia carpet and heavy, blush-colored drapes. The conversation with Taylor felt exactly like climbing into a little girl's world. It gave off the kind of girlhood excitement of sharing secrets on the playground and staying up past your bedtime during sleepovers. "I remember when I went to Parson's, I would always get dressed up in really weird outfits," Taylor said, this time wearing a French blue dress printed with cream-colored florals. To complement the Cassandra Dress from her latest collection, Taylor also has a cerulean sweater draped over her shoulders. While at design school, classmates described her as "the one who looks like she's walking on a rainbow all the time," a portrayal her friend had to explain was only trying to get at the "fairy dust" nature of the designer. "Tanya is truly a unicorn," Adrianne Kirszner, CEO of Tanya Taylor, told Newsweek. When Kirszner joined Tanya Taylor in August, it was the first time the brand hired a CEO. Taylor continues to serve as the creative director and executive board chair. "She possesses the rare balance of impeccable style and fashion credibility with a deep commitment to the customer who shops our brand," Kirszner said. "This balance she brings to her design process is truly reflective of who Tanya is as a person. She is an achiever who sets the bar high but is always warm, open and curious about everyone in her life, professionally and personally." The interior of Tanya Taylor's namesake store on Madison Avenue. The interior of Tanya Taylor's namesake store on Madison Avenue. Tanya Taylor "I don't know anything different," Taylor said. "I design wanting things to be as happy and beautiful as they can be. People have probably felt that. Fashion has never felt like that. Fashion, to a lot of people, can feel scary. So, it's probably refreshing to find things that aren't." Taylor, the designer, is eager to welcome people into the world of luxury fashion, and so her brand must be too. That concept includes making it approachable for those who have long been left on the outskirts of high-end retail. When Taylor debuted a five-piece capsule in 2017 that offered sizes up to 22, she was one of only two contemporary brands to do so. And even after she unveiled extended sizing to high praise, department stores did not understand why they would carry those items. "We kept saying, Two friends can be different sizes and still want to shop together. They still want to go to the same rack. They're not going to go in the elevator and have one go here and the other go there because their bodies are different," she said. Taylor's efforts to expand sizes was among the first designer-led moves to do so. Many in the industry soon followed, but after the pandemic forced stores to slash inventory, Taylor found herself alone in her efforts once again. "We kept going," she said. "We had to take a lot of responsibility on. We had to ask for more feedback from our customers. We had to make sure that what we were making was really solving a problem." Her leadership on the front goes back to the authenticity of her brand, of being true to who she is, not just as a designer but as a person. "Nothing is worth designing if you don't care about the woman wearing it," Taylor said. "And so, I think thoughtfulness is something that exists in the brand. The way we talk to our customers, the way that we think about details, the way we really care about the fit." Taylor will join Newsweek at this year's inaugural Women's Global Impact forum. The August 5 event, hosted at Newsweek's headquarters in New York City, will bring together some of the world's top female executives and connect them with rising stars across industries and job functions. For more information on the event and entry guidelines, please visit the Women's Global Impact homepage.
The Hindu
15-05-2025
- General
- The Hindu
Presidency University in Bengaluru showcases innovation in design education
The School of Design at Presidency University, Bengaluru, recently hosted its Experiential Week — a platform for students to present their academic and creative work across disciplines. Over 250 students from the Bachelor of Design and Multimedia programmes participated in the event, which offered a curated exhibition of over 300 projects, including product prototypes, system designs, fashion collections, multimedia installations, and visual narratives. Work from all four years of study was represented, providing a comprehensive view of the developmental arc of student learning — from foundational exploration to advanced conceptual execution. The format of the event encouraged students not only to display their work but also to explain their design processes, receive constructive critique, and engage in meaningful dialogue with faculty, visiting professionals, parents, and peers. Experiential Week extended beyond static displays. A series of workshops and talks facilitated knowledge-sharing and skill development. Highlights included a seminar on Innovation Clusters led by Carlos and Sugat Das from IED Milan, which addressed collaborative design ecosystems and their potential in the Indian context. The week concluded with a curated runway-style showcase featuring design collections from eight emerging fashion designers.
CBC
16-03-2025
- Entertainment
- CBC
Fanshawe art students mix splashes of colour with everyday images in new paint exhibit
The Beholder exhibit is on display at TAP Centre for Creativity until March 22 A group of Fine Arts students at Fanshawe College's School of Design are the faces behind a new art exhibition on display in downtown London, this month. The exhibit called "The Beholder" at the TAP Centre for Creativity, features paintings by 17 second-year students who drew inspiration from the London library, where they selected various images in books to create their paintings. Bold splashes of colour, paired with symbolic imagery that's unique to each student, aim to capture viewers and draw their eyes to the relationship between chaos, control and intentionality, said Billy Burt Young, a professor who organized the exhibit. "[The exhibit's name] is ambiguous enough that it could mean a number of things and the viewer themselves is the most important component of the show," he said. "Without the viewer, the art really ceases to exist." Student Jocelyn Fournier filled her canvas with a bright-coloured blend of fruits, architecture and technology. While the three themes seemed like an odd combination, Fournier was impressed with the way it all came together, she said. "Our goal here was to really work with projection and masking techniques with a low colour palette. I went for a more blue and pink colour palette," said Fournier. "I'm drawn to more nature sourced imagery and I wanted to mix it with some more technical elements like buildings and clocks and I wanted to mix it all together with the mystical and get a sense of how these things could interact." Her inspiration came from a book about fruits from the Philippines and clocks manufactured in Ontario, especially one made in her hometown of Stratford, said Fournier. Delaney Mitchell's project showcases the opposite and takes a look at topics like death, consciousness and religion. The challenge for her was pairing brighter colours with a darker illustration of CT scans, said Mitchell. "What we were trying to do is project [images] from the books and make our own art from it, while reusing old art that might be forgotten," she said. "I'm really interested in how stress affects the brain and what people might think happens after they die, such as in Christianity and Paganism, and I wanted to incorporate different aspects of that just to focus a lens on something we all think about as people." Mitchell said her paintings have received special attention from a group of children who were intrigued by the concept. Linus Klassen's piece titled "Incurring a Great Wrath" was inspired by a book about mushrooms grown in North America. He combined it with divinity and architecture to create confusion and a visceral response from those viewing "the gross stuff," he said. "I'm very intrigued by the abject and the disgusting, I think it really brings out a reaction in some people," said Klassen. "They kind of go 'Oh my gosh' and I love to get that reaction from people, so that's what I really focused on." For many of the students, including Klassen, this exhibit is the first time their artwork is being displayed in public. Although the experience has been nervewracking for Klassen, he's proud of the response his work has been receiving, he said Burt Young hopes audiences can enjoy the vibrant show and that it inspires other young artists to find imagery that speaks to them and repurpose it according to their individual styles, he said. The exhibit runs from Tuesdays to Saturdays between noon and 5 p.m. until March 22.
