Delivered with the development of industry level skills in mind, the BA (Hons) Cordwainers Footwear course equips students with the creative, practical, and business skills to thrive in contemporary design markets. In this second collaboration with Russell & Bromley, ‘Built to Last’ invited students to explore the brand’s legacy through a repairability lens and pushed them to consider what makes a shoe truly timeless.
The project began with a visit to the Russell & Bromley Head Office for an exclusive archive access session with the brand’s Creative Director Daniel Beardsworth-Shaw, serving as an inspiring foundation for their design research.
Over several weeks, the students refined their ideas through industry-led masterclasses, a campaign building workshop with the brand’s marketing team, and a midway crit with Beardsworth-Shaw himself, all designed to simulate the pace and professionalism of real-world design settings.
The Course Leader Georgina Goodman explained the value of such live projects:
“These are real projects with real expectations. Deadlines are immovable, critiques happen in real-time, and students are required to present and refine their work as they would in industry.”
Students responded to the brief by designing footwear that not only honoured the Russell & Bromley aesthetic but also addressed the brand’s focus on sustainability through repairability.
Although they were given free rein to take their research into any direction they wanted, the students mainly focused on commerciality and feasibility of the design, as they felt serious about responding to the specific client profile. From thinking critically about materials and manufacturing, to developing marketable design narratives, students were encouraged to consider the full circular design cycle.
Students presented their final designs and prototypes to the Russell & Bromley team in a formal setting. Three students received cash prizes for their innovative work, with Pranav Sudhir earning a 6-month paid internship and Sanjana Pannu and Yuxin Kang announced as the runners-up.
Students were also asked to write design rationales to accompany their physical prototypes, pushing them to articulate both their creative vision and commercial thinking.
Russell & Bromley’s openness, from archive access to active critique, played a crucial role in the project’s success. For students, this was a rare opportunity to engage directly with a heritage brand while experimenting with future-facing design ideas.
As Goodman concluded:
“The students don’t always love presenting — but they really enjoy having done it because there’s a lot of pride in pushing yourself to do something difficult.”
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