Review of New Designers 2018

By Dieneke Ferguson

1 August 2018

It is always enjoyable to visit New Designers and see recent graduates from universities and design schools and discover the next generation of talent across the design spectrum. I particularly enjoyed it this year as so many had used a combination of traditional and new techniques with some very interesting results.

New Designers takes place in two, four-day exhibitions, each devoted to a different set of design disciplines.  Now in its 33th year, in total there were over 3000 graduates and designers.

There was also One Year In, a curated section showcasing work by 100 design entrepreneurs who have recently launched their businesses. They have been selected by curator Rheanne Lingham for the originality of their thinking, the quality of their work and the viability of their business.

These were my favourites

WEEK 1 (27–30 June) – Textiles | Fashion | Costume Design | Jewellery | Glass | Ceramics | Contemporary Design Crafts

Sarah Christian Jewellery. Hereford University.
Her main interest is around the urban environment, looking at the things that are usually unnoticed such as pavements and street furniture. These unnoticed details, such as cracks in pavements and textures, inspire her collections of unique furniture.

This piece of jewellery was inspired by the munitions factory in Rotherwas, Hereford.

Phoebe Richardson, lighting. Nottingham Trent University
Phoebe Richardson is inspired by the experimental process of ceramic 3D printing and Renaissance Architecture. She uses a combination of industrial and traditional techniques to create a range of multifunctional lamps.

Sarah Cathers, Mixed Media Artist. Ulster University
Sarah calls herself a collector of oddities with an urge to document and preserve the forgotten. Driven by the process of fragmentation, she gathers pieces of found objective with the incentive to mend end rebuild the broken and repurpose the discarded.

Rebecca Rowland Chandlers, Glass Artist. University of the Creative Arts.
Rebecca became absorbed with the beautiful aesthetic qualities of the material and its relationship with light She creates objects of beauty that allude to the natural world. Originally inspired by patterns in the sedimentary rocks of Hustanton in Norfolk, she has developed a layered design which translates into all landscapes she responds to.

Samuel Tipping, Metal Casting. Carmarthen School of Art
Samuel specialises in metal casting, 3d modelling and 3d printing.

PART 1 – ONE YEAR IN

Julie Hutton Ceramics  – ceramic artist
Julie exhibited painterly vases, that were accompanied by painterly plates in different sizes. A delight for the eyes.

Tom Abbiss Smith, illustrator
Tom calls himself an image maker. Through both contemporary and traditional techniques such as collages, printmaking and painting he explores shape and form to produce abstract designs and illustrations. His inspiration comes from nature, music and urban environments.

PART 2 

WEEK 2 (4–7 July) – Product | Furniture | Industrial | Automotive | Interior Design | Graphic Design | Animation | Illustration | Gaming | Motion Arts

Falmouth University

‘It’s not easy being green’ – an exhibition by 21 graduates from Sustainable Product Design that responds to pertinent social, environmental and ethical issues affecting the world and society. The Falmouth University sustainable product design was voted best stand.

Ollie Kidner, product design. Falmouth University, Sustainable Product Design
Ollie Kidner received an award for his project ‘reshoevenate’ a new take on footwear made using recycled products. The shoe is designed with the intention of reducing the number of shoes that end up in landfill, which is approximately 90% of all shoes globally.

Made in Brunel, Airbnb. Brunel University

Made in Brunel aims to develop creative and practical ideas with commercial objectives in mind. Students have worked on live briefs with real outcomes and bring a new vision of design innovation .

Airbnb group – Reenergise / Relive / refocus / recapture
This project proposes a new direction for development for Airbnb to embrace an older generation . Recapture by Sam Gutheridge is an exploration of capturing memories for a post screen world. This portable device captures 6 variables when airborne to help in the replication of incredible moments in great detail.

Mac Collins, Product and Furniture Designer. Northumbria University.
Mac Collins is a product and furniture designer from Northumbria University. His chair design ‘Iklwa’ an ultramarine throne, is informed by the aesthetic of Afrofuturism and created to inspire empowerment. His design received an award from New Designers.

Stacey Mead, Surface Pattern Designer
Surface designer Stacey Mead graduated as a surface pattern designer who loves working with hard materials.  She feels that materials such as stone, wood and metal should be getting as much attention as traditional surfaces. The materials are intended for interiors of corporate buildings but have the scope to be used in any setting.

ONE YEAR IN

Kuniko Maeda, Textile Design.

Kuniko Maeda is a Japanese designer and artist based in London. She works mainly with paper to create handmade jewellery, artworks and installations. She specialises in sustainable textile design and incorporates Japanese traditional techniques and digital technology to explore the potential in paper-based materials and their unique properties.

Hello Grimes, illustrator
Amy Grimes from Hello Grimes designs and sells lovely illustrated prints as well as textiles. She draws inspiration from nature and the natural world and all products feature bright and bold illustrated motifs, floral icons and leafy landscapes.

Joanna Hejmej, ceramicist
Joanna Hejmej is a recent graduate specialising in ceramics.  She focuses on bone China lighting created with the use of slip casting and elements of additive manufacturing.

Nia Rist, textile designer

Nia Rist hand prints fabrics for the interior market. After graduating she set up her workshop in her garden in South Wales. She specialises in playful and fun contemporary homewares.