This year, luxury British textile manufacturer, AW Hainsworth & Sons, worked closely with three final year BA (Hons) Bespoke Tailoring students to weave and finish a bespoke length of Fine Merino Double cloth to the student's individual jacquard designs, which they then incorporated into their final collections, presented at LCF's Class of 2023 showcase at Protein Studios in east London.
In September 2022, Hainsworth set the students a live brief, asking them to design their very own 100% Merino Wool bespoke jacquard cloth from a colour palette of 5 yarns. The winning design would show evidence of originality, quality and craftsmanship whilst taking a sustainability-led approach in line with Hainsworth's slow fashion values. To achieve this, students were advised to consider how they would minimize waste, evaluate the commercial viability of the garment, whilst simultaneously creating a show stopping design. Students were offered guidance and support directly from Hainsworth throughout the process.
Gabriella Mann, Onora Menekse, and Enya Judge were crowned winners of the exclusive competition, allowing them to travel to the Hainsworth Mill in Leeds to see their very own designs being woven on the Jacquard looms. The students were commended on their sophisticated, innovative and unique designs, whilst maintaining widely commerical appeal.
“We were so impressed by all the students who submitted for our brief, but Gabriella, Onora and Enya stood out for their striking designs, story-telling, and a strong understanding of how a jacquard weave can be incorporated into modern, refined tailoring.” - Andrea Noble, Design and Product Development Manager
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