Socrates once said, “education is the kindling of a flame, not the filling of a vessel” and going by that, a fire must be raging on at two universities in particular. Both the University of Westminster and the University of Salford went home with top honours on Friday after the winners of the Graduate Preview Day of the British Fashion Council awards ceremony were announced, highlighting the emerging design talent within Britain’s higher education system.
Portfolios produced by a wealth of fresh, innovative creative students, due to graduate this summer, were reviewed by a panel headed by Chair of Colleges Council Anne Tyrrell, who had the final say on the compelling work produced in various institutions that scale the length and breadth of the UK.
Caroline Rush, Chief Executive of the British Fashion Council, presents awards to the victorious universities.
The jury, also consisting of industry experts such as Massimo Nicosia, Pringle of Scotland; Lauretta Roberts, WGSN and Caroline Burnstein, Browns, awarded Westminster University with not only the Fashion Monitor Colleges Portfolio Award, but the BFC Fashion Illustration Award, whilst this year’s WGSN Digital Presentation Award went to Salford Uni.
For the young bright sparks that make up the 28 colleges showcasing work at the annual preview day, it was an invaluable networking opportunity, being attended by a number of representatives from the likes of Mulberry, Net-a-Porter and i-D. And if the comments made about the high-calibre quality of the work by the CEO of the BFC, Caroline Rush, as well as the high hopes that Glass experienced on the day, stand for anything – it must have been a successful day all around.
by Liam Feltham
Images courtesy of The British Fashion Council.