Swansea students have secured prestigious internships after taking part in a London graduate design show.
UWTSD Swansea College of Art Surface Pattern and Textiles students took part in New Designers 2024, an annual London showcase of the UK’s most innovative emerging design talent.
Anna Eynon, from Swansea, received the Laura Ashley Lifestyle Award, which will see her undertake a paid freelance internship position for a month at Laura Ashley’s head office, working with the brand licensing team and design team.
She will also receive £1,000 in prize money for the brand to purchase her winning artwork and IP to add to the Laura Ashley Archive.
Anna’s work celebrates the nature and beauty of British wetlands and includes a home collection and a bespoke maximalist mural, using screen printing for the former, and stitch and laser cutting for the latter.
The Laura Ashley judges said:
“We love the subject matter and interpretation of the print across the range – a beautifully commercial home interiors collection.”
UWTSD Surface Pattern and Textiles Programme Director, Georgia McKie, said:
“This is testament to Anna’s fantastic vision and the brilliant work that the programme strives to maintain with regards to employability and entrepreneurship.
“The Laura Ashley brand said they are keen to rekindle their Welsh connection through the UWTSD programme, so the team will be seeking ongoing opportunities to work with the renowned British heritage brand, bringing it into the student experience for future generations of learners.”
Meanwhile Jojo Bishop will be the next Rolls Royce Colour Material and Trim intern, following in the footsteps of Emma Landek and Rebecca Davies who have won the opportunity in previous years.
Georgia said:
“It is doubly joyful to hear that Emma will be kept on at Rolls Royce as of August, joining Rebecca, our first intern at the brand, as permanent members of the design teams at Rolls Royce.
“Jojo will join the brand for 13 months and will be based at their design headquarters and factory in Goodwood. Her recent work has focussed on sustainability, specifically through screen print, colour, and cloth. Rolls Royce were impressed by her material knowledge and are intrigued as to how she can interpret the materiality of the brand whilst bringing conversations of sustainability to their drawing board.”
