New Designers Clothworkers’ Company Associate Prize
Making it in Textiles The Clothworkers’ Company
“Companies are eager to encourage students to use their skills and enthusiasm in a broader range of areas.”
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his past October, The Company’s fourth-annual ‘Making It in Textiles’ conference was once again held in Bradford, supporting 120 representatives from final year textile degree courses as well as their tutors.
Above: Abi Bruce accepting her New Designers award (2017). Right: Abi’s designs are created by combining screen, digital, and heat-transfer printing techniques across different textiles.
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n June 2017, we were delighted to present Abi Bruce with our associate New Designers award. The New Designers exhibition brings together a network of design educators, consumers, and industry leaders. Together, their aim is to support the continuing success of the industry by celebrating and recognising the creativity and innovative spirit of the next generation of designers. The Company’s commitment to supporting education, as well as training in technical textile skills and the encouragement of new talent, is the driving force behind this annual award. Abi demonstrated a brave, trend-setting style alongside a full and complete knowledge of the technical production required to bring her designs to life. She combined screen, digital, and heat-transfer printing techniques with a variety of textiles
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the clothworker | spring 2018
such as neoprene and natural fibres to produce her final designs and earn the award—accompanied by a £1,000 cash prize and an invitation to our annual Alumni Dinner at Clothworkers’ Hall. Abi has a Bachelor of Arts in textile design from the Edinburgh College of Art. In addition to the New Designers exhibition, she has also shown her work at the Degree Show as well as two fashion shows at her university. She is a joint founder of ETC, a collaborative project with IKEA to sell bespoke unisex products using the company’s unused fabrics, and previously completed work placements with Timorous Beasties and Jyot. Learn more at www.abibruce.com. The next New Designers exhibition will be 27th-30th June at the Business Design Centre (London).
The conference is a collaboration with The Worshipful Company of Weavers and The Drapers’ Company as well as the Campaign for Wool, who recognise a skills gap in the textiles industry. Only a finite number of students will find positions in design roles whilst companies are eager to encourage students to use their skills and enthusiasm in a broader range of areas such as supply chain management, resourcing, quality control, production management, and client relationship management. The conference therefore aims to provide opportunities to forge stronger links between educational institutions and the UK textile manufacturing industry. Students have access to experts and leaders in the industry, attending presentations but also benefiting from time to network, ask questions, and receive feedback meant to help them shape their future careers. Notable figures involved this year included Design Consultant at Carruthers Associates Sheila-Mary Carruthers, Margo Selby (entrepreneur and creative
director of her own brand), Sales Director of Laxtons Specialist Yarns Alan Thornber, and the Director of Dashing Tweeds Guy Hills. One of our own, Clothworker Paul Johnson (Managing Director at his family mill, W. T. Johnson & Sons) also presented. Guests were privileged to visit and tour local mills and manufacturers, an opportunity to see the textile industry in action. We’re grateful to the following mills and businesses for welcoming us during our 2017 conference: Abraham Moon Alfred Brown Antich & Sons A.W. Hainsworth Laxtons Specialist Yarns Marton Mills Pennine Weavers Robert Dyers & Finishers Stanley Mills W. T. Johnson & Sons
Behind the scenes at The Weave Shed, which opened its doors for the ‘Making It in Textiles’ conference. the clothworker | spring 2018
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