Double win for Bath Spa’s Grace Weller at GFW

Bath Spa University graduate Grace Weller scooped both the Womenswear Award and the George Gold Award with her beautiful and technical hand-embroidered lace collection at the Graduate Fashion Week Awards show in London last night. Weller, who was surprised by the win, wowed

the judging panel, made up of designer Peter Pilotto, British Fashion Council's Sarah Mower, Philip Treacy, Louise Gray and Fiona Lambert, vice-president of George at Asda, which sponsors Graduate Fashion Week, with her intricate collection featuring embroidered floral lace in red, black and deep blue.

Weller’s win marks the second time Bath Spa University has won both the best womenswear collection and the coveted George Gold Award that is given to the overall winner - two years ago Chloe Jones won the honour. As winner of the Gold Award, Weller wins 10,000 pounds as well as the chance to work alongside Lambert and her George design team to turn her collection into a limited-edition range for the brand. In addition her university also scoops a 2,000 pound prize.

Graduate Fashion Week winners announced

There was also double success for Nottingham Trent University, with Aimee Dunn winning the Menswear Award for her politics-inspired collection that featured a sweater knitted with Baroness Thatcher’s face on, and Rebecca Swann took home the Stuart Peters Visionary Knitwear Award.

The awards ceremony held at GFW’s new home the Truman Brewery in London’s East London, showcased 25 of the best graduate fashion designers from Birmingham City University, UCA Epsom, Bath Spa University, Northumbria University, Kingston University, Manchester School of Art, UCA Rochester, Nottingham Trent, UCLAN, Edinburgh College of Art, and University of East London.

The event also saw honours given to Shan-Liao Huang from Shih Chien University in Taiwan who won the International Catwalk Competition, and Camilla Grimes of the Manchester School of Art was awarded the new Creative Catwalk Award for her collection featuring vibrant furs, and Chihuahuas and Siamese cat prints. Judge Stefan Siegal from Not Just A Label said the collection “makes you fall back in love with fashion”.

Anne Tyrell, a former senior lecturer at the Royal College of Art and a member of the British Fashion Council Management Committee, who coordinates the College Day, received the Lifetime Achievement Award by Hilary Alexander in recognition of her contribution to the industry over 50 years, while Northumbria University were recognised in the Stand Design Award category.

Other winner’s throughout the four day event included: Lucinda Bernette from Arts University Bournemouth who won the Fashion Styling and Creative Direction Award; the Accessories Award was given to Stephanie Brindley from Nottingham Trent; while Stephanie Ambridge from Northumbria won the Ethical Award and the Karen Millen Portfolio Award went to Jasmine Hurst from Leeds University.

Image: Grace Weller – GFW