Dezeen Magazine

A photograph of two pieces of jewellery against a grey background, with silver, blue and purple iridescent elements.

New Designers presents nine student design projects

Dezeen School Shows: a jewellery collection made from aluminium and silver informed by funeral traditions in China is included in Dezeen's latest school show by New Designers.

Also included is a couture collection utilising textile printing techniques and an app intended to preserve wildlife in urban areas.


New Designers

School: New Designers

Statement:

"New Designers is an annual London showcase of the UK's most innovative emerging design talent.

"Since its inception 39 years ago, New Designers has provided a platform for over 3,000 graduates every year to present their visionary ideas to industry professionals and the public.

"The event takes place over two weeks, with different disciplines highlighted in Week 1 and Week 2, spanning fashion, textiles, furniture, product design, illustration and more."


A photograph of a brown wooden lamp, with a blue and red floral lampshade, against a white backdrop.

Patterned Playground by Ada Malegowska

"As a surface designer, my obsession with patterns fuels my design projects.

"Moving beyond my usual inspiration found solely in architecture, which results in a strong geometric aesthetic in my designs, my recent venture into florals has diversified my portfolio.

"Exploring a range of drawing styles, from fine lines to photographic motifs, my designs are as versatile as they are vibrant."

Student: Ada Malegowska
School: The Northern School of Art
Course: BA (Hons) Textiles & Surface Design


Visualisation of the interior of a retail space, with blue and white features and people interacting with the space.

Alto by Rebeca-Elena Virjan

"Welcome to Alto, a space crafted to offer unique experiences and soften the overwhelming buzz of the high street.

"This is where retail meets a fashion runway, showcasing innovation in a stunning, sculptural setting.

"The space boasts 9.4-meter-high columns, thoughtfully designed to evoke a sense of a new reality.

"Every retail space has the opportunity to display their items in a captivating fashion show."

Student: Rebeca-Elena Virjan
School: University of the West of England, Bristol
Course: BA Interior Design


Visualisation of an architectural plan detailing three components of the building, separated and stacked, in colours of yellow, red and blue, against a white background.

2 Wheeler by Saffron Griffiths

"Victoria Bath House thrived during the early 20th-century in the heart of Manchester, yet the modern community no longer relies on the building – leading to an absence of purpose, and for the building to fall into a derelict state.

"Manchester has a noticeable lack of safe spaces for men, leading to the proposal for Victoria Bath House to be re-purposed to fill the gap that is present in male mental health support.

"I focused on bringing together both young and older generations through communal bike building; men often struggle with severe isolation and lack of education, leading to poor mental health – the bath house will be a new friendly and inviting environment for men, where they can communicate, learn new skills, build friendships and support systems, breaking away from the 'boys will be boys' environment.

"This project also has a deep consideration of sustainability, utilising bicycle donations, recycling, refurbishment and re-donation, whilst also encouraging more outdoor activities and creating job opportunities, offering transport and working towards a greener Manchester.

"This project does two things: it benefits the community and gives purpose to the men's hard work, hence the name 2Wheeler."

Student: Saffron Griffiths
School: University of Central Lancashire
Course: BA (Hons) Product Design & Interiors


A close up image of a publication with a red cover, with a white abstract illustration on the front and the words 'beauty in death', 'chase atlantic' written in white above it.

Listen to the Graphics by Ilinca Anastasiu

"Listen to the Graphics is an experiment in which Chase Atlantic's album 'Beauty in Death' is visualised with optical design for six of its tracks.

"Every graphic component of the poster symbolises a musical component that comes together to form the whole song.

"By enclosing the posters in a vinyl jacket, the format highlights the value of the artist's visual identity and the music itself, whilst also bringing attention to the fact that tangible music is becoming increasingly rare in today's technologically advanced world."

Student: Ilinca Anastasiu
School: University of Westminster
Course: BA Graphic Communication Design


A series of four photographs of a hospital corridor space with various slogans written on the walls, in bright colours of blue, green, orange, pink and yellow, among orange and pink chairs.

Mellow Adventures by Taylor Balback

"For a child, a hospital is an unfamiliar place filled with unfamiliar faces that take control over their bodies – no child wants to be in hospital due to the process being confusing, isolating and somewhat scary, establishing them as negative and worrisome places.

"Research has also shown that the absence of play within health care centres is a key contributor to long-term mental health issues, highlighting its significance in the positive functioning of children's wellbeing.

"Mellow Adventures aims to tackle these issues by introducing play into an otherwise non-play environment, targeted at children aged five to nine who are visiting hospitals for a short or long stay.

"The project's goal is to turn an uninviting hospital into a friendly environment that is playful and energetic, by taking the children on a fantasy adventure from start to finish."

Student: Taylor Balback
School: University of Huddersfield
Course: BA (Hons) Graphic Design and Animation


A photograph of a white knitted textile with an abstract face knitted into it in dark red yarn.

Untitled by Matilda Angel Williamson

"In response to a sterilised and digitalised visual world, I chose to experiment with textiles within illustration to create work which reaches out to the audience through its tactility and empathy.

"I have developed my work to combine traditional machine knit and embroidery techniques to create malleable faces which can stretched by hand or imagination.

"Textiles, in their ubiquity, offer a connection to my audience, which allows them to bring their own perspective and adds to the narrative of the pieces."

Student: Matilda Angel Williamson
School: Nottingham Trent University
Course: MA Illustration


An image displaying different elements of an app, displayed on an iphone, with various words and taglines in white and green writing among orange graphics. These are displayed against a dark green background with the word 'hidden' written in the bottom left in white writing.

Spanning England by Alice-Louise Waller

"Spanning England provides opportunities for residents in urban areas with limited garden space who want to help wildlife adapt to new conditions as they face dangerous risks on busy roads.

"With this campaign, you can build habitats quickly without the need for tools, and decorate them using the coloured pencils included.

"The AR feature makes it possible to scan the habitat and watch as wildlife comes to life before your eyes.

"The campaign's style uses lino printed illustrations to create a friendly aesthetic for a non-specific demographic."

Student: Alice-Louise Waller
School: University of Northampton
Course: BA Graphic Communication Design


A photograph of a person turned to the side with their hand on their hip, wearing a garment that covers their head and body, in red, orange and black fabrics, against a black background.

The Evil Bride by Louise Dominguez

"The Evil Bride is a collection designed for a couture setting, based on an original story.

"The story entails the journey of a young bride, who is groomed as a sacrifice by her groom, and reclaims her freedom as she reigns victorious in their gory duel.

"The collection follows the narrative and portrays the bride's tale.

"The main samples were made through processes such as polychromatic printing and embellishment as well as hand-drawn repeats – raising the question of narrative, responsibility and interpretation."

Student: Louise Dominguez
School: Norwich University of the Arts
Course: BA (Hons) Textile Design


A photograph of two pieces of jewellery against a grey background, with silver, blue and purple iridescent elements.

Halycon by Yujie Liu

"The Halcyon collection explores the idea of jewellery as more than just adornment, delving into its potential as a vessel of healing and solace.

"Named after my grandfather's favourite bird, each piece aims to resonate with the wearer both physically and emotionally through their sounds, forms and materials.

"The collection draws from personal experiences of attending traditional funeral ceremonies in China, where familial bonds are strengthened through tradition – offering mutual protection, solace and a collective hope for the passage of time and its potential for positive change.

"The collection is a tribute to the journey of life, loss and healing – the use of silver and titanium creates a sense of preciousness and contrast in colour, the titanium transforms in colour and size, symbolising the inevitability of change, whilst producing sound from the movement of the wearer, and the wire structure in silver plays with the idea of protection.

"The collection seeks to bring the wearer a sense of comfort and solace, fostering a deep connection between them and the jewellery that adorns them."

Student: Yujie Liu
School: The Glasgow School of Art
Course: BA (Hons) Silversmithing & Jewellery

Partnership content

This school show is a partnership between Dezeen and New Designers. Find out more about Dezeen partnership content here.