New Designers announces winners of 2023 emerging talent showcase

New Designers, an annual showcase for emerging creators, has unveiled the winners of its ND Awards 2023 as part of its two-week celebration of design and innovation.

The event brings together over 3,000 graduate design talents from the UK from multiple disciplines, including textiles, fashion and costume, as well as ceramics and jewellery design.

Falmouth University’s Beth Somerville was selected for the grand prize, New Designer of the Year Award, celebrating her textile collections Stigma Stamen and Mountain Fold, which combine new technologies and old craft. Somerville will receive a cash prize of 1,250 pounds.

Spotlight on emerging talents

Meanwhile, Joe Shevelan of Hereford College of Arts, was the runner up, receiving a prize of 750 pounds for his collection ‘Balance’, consisting of wearable jewellery utilising hand forged rocks.

The Hallmark Connection Award was given to Aiden McIntosh from DJCAD University of Dundee for his selection of hand printed textiles, while Victoria Hughes was the recipient of the Designers Guild Award for Textile Designer of the Year. From Glasgow School of Art, Hughes’ work centred around woven textiles made for transport fabrics.

Emma Gorrie was selected for the Fashion and Textile Museum Award for Excellence in Textile Design, for her project ‘Textile Design for Art Psychotherapy’, with a commissioned textile work by Gorrie to be on display at the awarding museum.

The Stephen Webster Jewellery Designer of the Year went to Ruby Taglight for her jewellery collection inspired by myths and mediaeval art, while Abigail Pontefract was the recipient of the Weston Beamor Creative Innovation in Jewellery Award for her jewellery that conceptualised the ceremony of getting ready.