Returning for its 39th year, New Designers once again put the spotlight onto the latest class of graduates eager to make their mark in the contemporary design world.
New Designers 2024 bought together an array of exciting, emerging talent such as Sophie Earp, the designer of the Woven Collection as showcased here. Photography: Sophie Earp
Words by Roddy Clarke
One of the highlights of the design calendar, the New Designers exhibition not only presents the opportunity for graduates to showcase their accomplishments to industry and press, but it also offers a glimpse into the future of the creative sector and how current societal and environmental challenges can be addressed through the power of design. Bringing together 3000 design graduates from over 100 university courses, this year’s edition offered promise as graduates felt eager to implement change with a conscious mindset and responsible values underpinning their creations.
Spread across two events, Week 1 looked at fashion and costume, textiles, ceramics and metalwork while Week 2 focused on furniture, product and graphic design as well as illustration, animation and digital art. Led by the fair’s Event Director Sally Bent, the show also included ND Selects – a curation of design businesses founded within the last three years, selected by curator Louisa Pacifico and a committee of industry experts. To accompany the event, graduates also have a chance to win one of the coveted ND Awards. Judged by panels of leading design brands and industry experts, over 30 awards are available offering different prizes and industry opportunities – an exciting springboard for young designers. Led by the sponsors, which for this year included brands such as Habitat, Hallmark and PriestmanGoode, winners were awarded for their future-focused vision and ingenuity in presenting thought-provoking solutions merged with a contemporary design aesthetic.
Here are four designers that caught our eye:
Jaz Paviour
The Pixie Picnic Tea Kit by Jaz Paviour encourages users to reconnect with nature and embrace a moment of calm. Photography: Jaz Paviour
Inspired by their pagan roots and the calming effect of being surrounded by nature, Jaz Paviour presented the Pixie Picnic Tea Kit – a ceramic tea set that comes complete with a clover shaped quilted blanket that also doubles as a carry bag. The set is designed for users to take with them to local green areas where a moment of mindfulness can be enjoyed while the playful forms of the buttercup teacup, clover saucer and acorn lid spark a childlike inquisitiveness reminding us of the beauty found within the natural world. Paying close attention to its environmental footprint, Saviour has prioritised sustainability by using a durable waxed cotton canvas for the blanket which can be recoated for years to come. The inner wadding is also made from Lyocell with surplus wool fabric used for the top of the blanket. With the ever-quickening pace of the digital world drawing us further away from nature, it was heartwarming to see a young designer so passionate to draw us back to thoughtful rituals that remind us of the importance of our connection to the natural world.
Oscar Parkinson
Oscar Parkinson celebrated the art of risograph printing in his RISO lighting collection. Photography: Gary Morrisroe
Celebrating the art of risograph printing, also known as digital screen printing, Parkinson created a series of paper lamps each featuring a unique print on the inside surface. With the print invisible when the lamp is not in use, it allows for a wonderful surprise when the lamp is switched on to reveal the colours and patterns of the digital process. Using soy-based ink to create the patterns, Parkinson’s unassuming yet effective creations seamlessly merge form and function while drawing us into the delicate beauty of paper and its interaction with light. Each finished with metal fastenings that allow the lamps to move and redirect the light, it was no wonder the Kingston University graduate was the recipient of the Made.com Stand Out Designer award.
Freya King
The Twinned Tables by Freya King oozed a contemporary sculptural elegance, ideal for compact homes thanks to their simplistic form and lightweight material. Photography: Freya King
Using a single sheet of aluminium, King’s ‘Twinned Tables’ exuded a sculptural elegance with the bent metal forms interlocking to create a contemporary pair of side tables that can be used within the home. Showcasing the simple, yet sophisticated, beauty that can be found when using mono-materials, it also served as a reminder to keep this in mind for ease of recycling at end of use. Manufactured from identical cut out shapes which are then bent to create the finished forms, the tables are also perfect for transient spaces or compact rental homes where they can be easily moved and transported thanks to the material’s lightweight qualities.
Sophie Earp
The Woven Collection by Sophie Earp showcased the use of paracord to create contemporary woven seating. Photography: Sophie Earp
Drawing on a deep appreciation for craft, Sophie Earp displayed The Woven Collection – a set of stools made from solid ash and woven paracord seats. With paracord rarely seen in such applications, it resulted in a modern and fresh aesthetic while drawing on the traditional practice of weaving. Guided by Nordic design principles, Earp states she aimed to produce a design that is both simple and honest while excelling in functionality as well as beauty. Hoping to continue the project by exploring further pattern and colour combinations, this exquisite collection by the Northumbria University graduate will easily find its way into a variety of interior settings.
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