Leicester’s DMU swept the board at the annual ASBCI’s Student Conference which saw two of its fashion graduates triumph in awards sponsored by some of the UK’s top high street retailers.
English breakfast-inspired knitwear by Fashion Design graduate, Garfield Kar Chun Li; and a topical dissertation on chemicals used in the textile industry by Fashion Technology graduate, Laura Wilson, scooped the top prizes in two awards at the conference.
Garfield, 24, from Hong Kong, was one of 13 finalists who beat off competition from over 100 design students nationwide to win a coveted place in the ASBCI Student Design Award sponsored by New Look.
New Look’s Head of Trends, Anna Andrews, presented the £1500 prize to Garfield at the catwalk finals held at the ASBCI Student Conference at Nottingham Trent University (NTU) on Wednesday 10 November.
Garfield, who graduated the BA (Hons) Fashion Design course at DMU in July, said: “The competition brief required something that captures the вЂBest of British’ and I decided to use English food as my inspiration for my collection.”
His collection entitled вЂEnglish Breakfast’ consists of five garments: a bright yellow knitted jumper adorned with a pattern of mushrooms, tomatoes and kitchen cutlery; a matching yellow chullo-style hat and knitted socks; a printed vest top which is decorated with different breakfast foods in the form of a smiley face; and boxer shorts with a check print pattern of salt and pepper shakers.
Garfield added: “The knitted jumper contains about 15 types of different yarns to create different colour effect and texture. The base colour is yellow and I used a punch card to create the different coloured pattern across the jumper.”
Commenting on Garfield’s collection, New Look’s womenswear and menswear judges said: “A highly original knitted long sleeved sweater with shorts, printed T, hat and socks. A very original 'Full English Breakfast' approach to the best of British showing a great sense of fun and individuality.
“Totally committed to the design brief - excellent workmanship with each element of the outfit extremely well made and the prints well executed. This student has huge potential for the future.”
Research into chemicals used in fashion won BSc Fashion Technology graduate Laura Wilson the prestigious ASBCI Student Dissertation Award 2010 sponsored by Marks & Spencer.
Laura, 23, who also graduated this summer, was awarded the first prize of ВЈ500 at the conference for her dissertation entitled REACH and the textiles industry, which examines how EU legislation relating to the use of chemicals in manufacturing affects the fashion industry.
Her project was picked from the best dissertations selected from seven of the top fashion universities in the UK.
Laura, from Cheshunt, Hertfordshire, said: “I’m pretty surprised about winning the award as I didn’t expect to, but I’m really very proud and glad all the hard work has paid off for both myself and my tutors.”
