An animation where magical characters travel through valleys collecting treasure and a naturally-dyed kimono project are included in Dezeen's latest school show by students at Bath Spa University.

Also included is a textile project based on the colours of India and a range of 100 per cent traceable knitwear accessories and garments.

Bath Spa University

School: Bath Spa University
Courses: BA (Hons) Animation, BA (Hons) Fashion Design, BA (Hons) Graphic Communication, BA (Hons) Interior Design, BA Hons Textile Design for Fashion and Interiors, MA (Design) Textiles and MA Design (Visual Communication)
Tutors: Andrew Southall, Tim Webb, Louise Pickles, Stuart Henley, Kirsty Parsons,  Sophie Delaney, Amanda Goode and Anna Gravelle

School statement: 

"Bath School of Design is based in the award-winning Locksbrook building of Bath Spa University. Our creative community shares a fantastic range of beautifully appointed workshops and studios.

"Technical demonstrators run workshops in woodwork, metalwork, sculpture, digital and conventional print, photographic darkrooms and studios, silkscreen, etching and litho, paint preparation, 3D construction and specialist fashion and textiles.

"Our studios are open access and open plan, allowing students from across disciplines to see work as it develops and to share ideas across specialisms.

"We believe in the process of thinking through making, connecting engagement with materials to critical and conceptual thinking, research and professional practice.

"We encourage our students to share ideas, learn from mistakes and support each other as they persevere, adapt to circumstances and generate successful outcomes.

Nicholas Grimshaw dubbed Locksbrook 'The Action Factory' when his architectural practice designed the building for furniture manufacturer Herman Miller in the mid-1970s.

"In 2019, Grimshaw architects completed its transformation into a university campus – it has now become a site of contemporary ideas and energetic, creative activity.

"The Locksbrook campus also won the RIBA South West award in 2021."

Digital Animation 2021 Graduation Film by Alexandra Lappa

"Inspired by the beautiful sceneries, nature and adventurous storylines in Hayao Miyazaki's Studio Ghibli films, my degree film 'Once Upon a Scavenger Hunt' is a fantasy story about the two main characters of my story, Juno and Harlem.

"They set off on a long, exciting adventure to collect the first item for the Scavenger Hunt they are taking part in.

"The two friends travel for hours through deep valleys and vast forests, encountering magnificent places they have never visited before.

"Upon arrival at their first destination, they are greeted by an unexpected individual followed by an even more confusing addition to their party."

Student: Alexandra Lappa
Course: BA (Hons) Animation
Course Leader: Tim Webb
Email: alexandra.lappa18[at]bathspa.ac.uk
Instagram: @alexandrashallway

Fashion Design by Jamie Kneen

"The initial inspiration for this project came from the 1980s Harlem Ball drag scene. Having always been fascinated by the subversion and bending of gender stereotypes and the power that this holds, especially in modern society, Kneen wanted to interpret these references through the use of traditional techniques, including tailoring and corsetry.

"Here, Kneen reinterprets classic men's garments with unconventional processes, using leather and silk to create a dynamic conflict between masculine and feminine.

"The hand and its movement became crucial to Kneen's work, the placement just as important on a Greek statue as it was for Willy Ninja during the voguing category.

"Perhaps the most memorable hand placement with social implications was that of Princess Diana during the aids crisis, especially relevant now with the lack of physical contact and by extension the glove motif.

"The hyper-masculine classical Greek statues sit as a prophecy to the 1980's clone look. Kneen investigated silhouettes and proportion with skin-tight silk jersey shirts, abstract patterned jersey 'bodies', heavily boned crinoline shapes, and laced-up pinstripe wool suits.

"Kneen approached this collection with the same playful wit and intelligent referencing that the Ball goers of the 1980's scene did, pulling on a wide range of research to create a collection which culminates queer identity past and future."

Student: Jamie Kneen
Course: BA (Hons) Fashion Design
Course Leader: Louise Pickles
Email: james.kneen17[at]bathspa.ac.uk

Refreshing Grey Poupon by Ali Al Amine 

"The brief asked us to refresh Grey Poupon's identity to make affluent millennials crave its classic French expertise and quality. What I wanted to achieve was to explore the intersection between the cultural heritage of a place and the narrative of a brand's history within that place without creating an alienating 'luxury' brand.

"My approach was to bring together playful wit with French craft, poking fun at the brand's stuffy 'pardon me' days. Touching on Grey Poupon's relationship to France's culinary history and its cultural heritage within the city of Dijon, this refresh communicates Grey Poupon's staying power as a purveyor of excellence-crafted Dijon mustard aimed at a contemporary audience.

"I intend to engage the audience with a limited edition Box of Delights. Consumers can connect to the brand and engage with France's culinary traditions. All of which would be facilitated by Grey Poupon's classic Dijon mustard."

Student: Ali Al Amine
Course: BA (Hons) Graphic Communication
Course Leader: Stuart Henley
Email: inquiries[at]alialamine.com

Generation Creative by Emily Brookes

"Generation Creative is a book dedicated to upcoming designers. Whilst exploring the challenges and ambitions of young creatives, it features a collection of interviews, artworks and photography from all aspects of the industry, including words from professional designers.

"Motivated by recent debates surrounding the worth of creatives, this project began as an idea to positively share experiences and advice between designers.

"Over time it gradually evolved into a guide to the industry, written from a young creative facing uncertainty first-hand.

"By talking to creatives, I was able to produce a publication that focuses on the value of the artistic profession, not only in a graphic design context but across all areas of the industry.

"Fundamentally, Generation Creative is an optimistic display of individual's work and strengths, encompassing what the creative community can be capable of."

Student: Emily Brookes
Course: BA (Hons) Graphic Communication
Course Leader: Stuart Henley

Interior Design Project by Abigail Newton

"Interior Design is a new course at Bath Spa University. This project looks at a traditional terraced house and the typical confinements and restraints to work within.

"Looking to adapt the space to suit contemporary living, students investigate and explore form and function through physical making and drawing, using iterative design practice.

"Configured for family use, the space has been carved to create levels and overhangs providing varying degrees of visibility and privacy through the space.

"Formed of modular and adaptable storage, the transitions between levels create a landscape for living. Fully enclosed interventions are shunted to the rear for maximum seclusion with views articulated between spaces.

"Verticality is emphasized through the centrally located skylight pouring light into the centre of the floor plate and slats drawing up through space."

Student: Abigail Newton
Course: BA (Hons) Interior Design
Course Leaders: Kirsty Parsons and Sophie Delaney
Email: abigail.newton20[at]bathspa.ac.uk

Fashion and Interior Design Project by Millie Sandy

"Despite several owners, house moves and clearouts, 'What Colour is Love', written and illustrated by Joan Walsh Anglund in 1966, has remained on our family bookshelf with no known reason or explanation as to how it ended up there.

"The simple, but relevant message about the inclusivity of love and its ability to connect with all walks of life has created inspiration at many stages of my life so far.

"It is because of this connection, I have created a narrative, regarding love and my direction on it, in the form of a character named Putto.

"Taking influence from the renaissance period, juxtaposing classical imagery with a more contemporary outlook on love, and its broader meaning in society today (alongside charms and tokens of love from different cultures around the world) a narrative is built up through illustration and colour, in the form of textile design.

"Existing Love' is a term I have taken from the phrase 'pre-loved which is often associated with the used or worn, yet taught through innocence. This is redefined as cherished and transferable - poising a wider and deeper meaning between the love for people and for the planet."

Student: Millie Sandy
Course: BA (Hons) Textile Design for Fashion and Interiors
Course Leader: Amanda Goode
Email: millie.sandy17[at]bathspa.ac.uk

Indian nights, a faraway land by Nadiyaa Jaffer

"India has always been an exotic, faraway place described colourfully and emotionally in stories told by my father and his family. I dream of visiting one day to discover a land of colour, culture, amazing food and ornate dresses.

"My Indian heritage has always been celebrated within my family on British soil and, although my father's village, Daman, is distant, it still feels like home.

"I created my final project based on an exotic world and how in my mind, this land looks and feels. An India based on the narrative of my own story and of how I imagine that world to be."

Student: Nadiyaa Jaffer
Course: BA (Hons) Textile Design for Fashion and Interiors
Course Leader: Amanda Goode
Email: nadiyaa.jaffer18[at]bathspa.ac.uk

Loopy Ewes by Katie Allen

"Katie Allen is a shepherd and designer-maker based in the Cotswolds. Her Masters project focused on creating a range of 100 per cent traceable knitwear accessories and garments using the wool from her flock of native breed sheep.

"Her hand-crafted knitwear demonstrates how British wool can be grown regeneratively, simply and locally processed, resulting in clothing that is beautiful, honest, and good for the earth.

She uses shepherding processes that honour soil and biodiversity to encourage a wholesome farmed environment, alongside careful attention to slow, hand-crafted production.

"Her compassion for her sheep and the land they graze, combined with an innovative commitment to regional, low-carbon processing enables her to work sustainability all along the supply chain, creating an important connection between people, place and product.

"Katie was the recipient of an RSA Student Design Award in 2021 and also received Commendation for Responsible Design from the Bradford Textiles Society Design Awards 2021."

Student: Katie Allen
Course: MA (Design) Textiles
Course leader: Anna Gravelle
Email: katie[at]loopyewes.co.uk
Instagram: @loopyewes

Kimono design by Sophie Bowen

"Sophie Bowen is a Textile artist based in the South West. She uses natural dyeing, print, and hand embroidery techniques to connect to nature and mindfulness whilst maintaining a conscience for sustainability.

"Drawing is at the heart of her practice which she uses as an intuitive and contemplative tool to create a sense of movement and flow. Marks made initially with brush and ink are translated through a variety of textile processes.

The exploration throughout Sophie's MA journey has led to the outcome of two luxury crafted kimonos. These 'heirloom' pieces are regarded as journeys intended for embodying the process of being with a sense of acceptance and gratitude towards change and growth.

"Japanese Zen tradition and Wabi-Sabi influence the philosophy of this project reflecting on the idea that truth comes from observation in nature."

Student: Sophie Bowen
Course: MA (Design) Textiles
Course leader: Anna Gravelle
Email: sophiebowencreative[at]gmail.com
Instagram: @artistsophiebowen

Elizabeth Levitt by The Kanso Project

"Elizabeth Levett used her Masters project to explore making and drawing through the construction of a wooden chair, to her own design and built with the help of her father. Along the way, she made observational drawings, representing the work process through illustration.

"Elizabeth's The Kanso Project presents a question in the form of a chair and answers through illustration, graphic layout, and written text.

"The chair is not the outcome of the project, but it is a necessary component of it. All the material aspects of the design – the craftsmanship, aesthetic choices, book layout, text, selection of print mediums, paper, drafting tools, and brushes – are carefully connected to the question and quietly allowed to produce the answer.

"The chair becomes a metaphor, which narrates the Japanese word Yugen transforming a 'bright darkness' into something calm peaceful."

Student: Elizabeth Levitt
Course: MA Design (Visual Communication)
Course Leader: Andrew Southall
Email: elizabeth.levett11[at]bathspa.ac.uk

The Maverick at No. 4 by Rosie Yates

"The strange goings-on of the Maverick at No.4 is a series of illustrations inspired by the intrigue of never really knowing what your neighbours are up to.

"Yates used illustration in her Masters project to explore curiosity, mystery, and intrigue in the strange new world of lockdown during the Covid pandemic.

"The series uncovers hidden elements within basic scenes, observations from day-t0-day life. Yates unlocks secret narratives within her illustrations, and aims to challenge the viewer to look for details that might go unseen at first glance."

Student: Rosie Yates.
Course: MA Design (Visual Communication)
Course Leader: Andrew Southall
Email: rosie.yates19[at]bathspa.ac.u

Partnership content

This school show is a partnership between Dezeen and Bath Spa University. Find out more about Dezeen partnership content here.