Graduate Fashion Week announced 2021 award winners

Graduate Fashion Week, the world’s largest showcase of BA Fashion talent, has crowned Jasmin Bourne from Manchester Fashion Institute at Manchester Metropolitan University as the Christopher Bailey Collection of the Year Award first-place winner.

Bourne was inspired by her “deep-rooted love for tribal culture” for her graduate collection, exploring heritage and cultural identity, and sharing her own interwoven Fijian and British background, while placing sustainability at the heart of her designs.

Her collection looked at the iconic Fijian floral shirt, as well as the blending of Fijian and British floral prints to create an “interwoven piece”. Bourne then combined denim with the bold Fijan warrior print as part of her creative process playing with the femininity and fragility of the floral shapes.

Key looks included a menswear shirt worn with a Fijan wrap skirt, a denim weave jacket and floral print clashes across shirts, trousers and Military-inspired jackets.

Darcie Hancock, a fashion knitwear and textiles designer from Kingston University London was awarded second place in the Christopher Bailey Award for her ‘Life’s a Joke’ collection made from yarns and fabrics that biodegradable.

In third place was George Martin from the Cambridge School of Visual and Performing Arts for his technical menswear collection that champions British garden birds.

The final catwalk award, the Sustainability Trailblazer Award was won by Madeleine Lewis Brown from Salford University.

GFW names 2021 award winners

Commenting on the Class of 2021, Graduate Fashion Foundation president, Hilary Alexander, said in a statement: “We have been blown away by the innovation, resilience, creativity and determination displayed by the Class of 2021. Not only have they completed their university careers by adapting to the current climate for another year, but the incredibly high quality of the work produced has exceeded our expectations. We’ve been very impressed by the Class of 2021 and we’re excited to continue supporting them as they enter the industry.”

In addition, there were also 20 exhibition winners announced via live-stream from the Graduate Fashion Week home at Coal Drops Yard, Kings Cross, London.

Fashion Concept Award: Jessica Craddock, Nottingham Trent University
Fashion Range Plan Award: Abigail Wall, University of Bournemouth
Fashion Illustration Award: Izzy Wells, University of Brighton
Fashion Digital Portfolio Award: Olivia Creighton, Sheffield Hallam University
Fashion Innovation Award: Shweta Vakharia, Nottingham Trent University
Fashion Communication Award: Layna Miyazaki, Falmouth University
Fashion Marketing Award: Ben Butling, University of West of England
New Fashion Media Award: Jordy Mawhood, Arts University Bournemouth
Fashion Photography Award: Camille Lemoine, Heriot Watt University
Fashion Styling and Creative Direction Award: Ebony Barrett, University for the Creative Arts
Sportswear and Leisurewear Award: ZiLing Dong, Edinburgh College of Art
Dame Zandra Rhodes Fashion Textiles Award: Max Telford, Northumbria University
Childrenswear Award: Elise Sugden, Nottingham Trent University
Considered Fashion Award: Mimi Simpson, Kingston University
Accessories Award: Natasha Finlay, University of Northampton
Footwear Award: Charlie Irwin, University of Northampton
Culture and Heritage Award: Nadiya Sharif, University for the Creative Arts
Tu Challenge 2021 Award: Victoria Archer, Northumbria University
Black Excellence Prize: Joy Julius, Kingston School of Art
Terry Mansfield Fashion Publication Award: India Gill, Heriot Watt University

GFW international award winners

International Artefact Innovation Award:
Product Winner: Raffaella Petraccaro, Accadamia Della Moda
Concept Winner: Manon Thomas, Lissa Mode
Materials and Embellishment: Fernando Gutierez, College for Creative Studies
International Design Portfolio Award: Yoana Dimitrova, IED Istituto Europeo Di Design