Our team returned to the London business design centre for New Designers 2023, for a busy week, packed with creativity and innovation. This event is an exciting one for us at AVA, as it provides a unique opportunity to see new designs and trends, as well as being able to meet many talented graduates, who are eager to step into industry. As industry exhibitors at this show, we love being able to talk at length to the many visitors that pop by to ask industry-specific questions or preview AVA’s software.

Of course, we couldn’t go to this show without announcing our annual ‘Top 10 to watch’. In fact, we have a confession … as our creative team walked the halls, they found it quite challenging to pick just ten, so this year, they chose 11!

These designers caught our attention with their beautiful collections and portfolios, unique perspectives, and of course personalities. Two of our chosen designers also won an AVA training prize, offering a weeks training course with AVA on our CST.

AVA Course winners

Becky Brentall 

What a labour of love Becky’s feature panel from New Designers was. This design alone was on the print table for a staggering two weeks! Building up texture, colour in layers to complete this work. Her large printed floral piece was a definite showstopper. She really embraced traditional screen-printing techniques and has an obvious flare for colour. Having access to AVA at University gave Becky a good grounding, and we are excited to see after some more in-depth training where AVA can take her work in the future.

Click here to read Becky’s interview.  

  

 

 

Callum Hall 

Callum’s work was graphic and striking from the get-go. Utilising felt tip pens he created unique pieces based on classical Architecture. His mark-making and drawing skills really stood out. On further investigation of his portfolio, it became evident that his work was slightly lacking in colour. We couldn’t resist seeing what he could achieve with AVA, let’s see where introducing CAD and colour can elevate Callum’s work. 

Click here to read Callum’s interview.  

 

 

Ones to watch

Charlotte Standen

We could not resist her quirky pieces, a lovely combination of different drawing styles to create the final designs. Charlotte’s sketchbooks were a delight to look through, art pieces in their own right. Each page showcases everything from soft watercolour paintings to more detailed Acrylic based designs.

Click here to read Charlotte’s interview.  

 

 

 

 

Harry Brian

Obviously, he has a strong illustrative hand and striking use of colour. Great to see a combination of CAD, drawing skills and traditional print techniques used create his final collection. Harry demonstrates a good understanding of repeats and scale. Not your standard subject matter for the traditional textiles industry, we applaud how he is pushing the boundaries. Love the meaning behind his collection.

Click here to read Harry’s interview.

 

 

 

Hwawon Cho 

Cho’s portfolio had a fantastic mix of processes. Showcasing weave, print and embroidery. This combination made her portfolio stand out along with her vivid sense of colour. With previous AVA experience, it was great to see how she used the software to enhance and develop her final pieces to a professional standard.

Click here to read Hwawon’s interview.

 

 

 

 

Lauryn Hood 

Loved the story she told through her pieces. Her characters came alive with the combination of bold colour choices, drawing techniques and CAD skills. Utilising her previous AVA knowledge, she created a collection of seamless repeating patterns to enhance her final pieces. Has a great personality and would fit straight into a design studio environment. 

Click here to read Lauryn’s interview.  

 

 

 

 

Lillie Alice Houseman 

Excellent illustrative skills. Loved her look books, these showcased her designs in a succinct but professional manner. Beautiful flow throughout her repeating patterns, enhanced by her powerful colour choices. We can see her work easily fitting into the Wallcoverings and Interior Textiles industry.  

Click here to read Lillie’s interview.

 

 

 

 

Lucy Silvester 

A modern twist on the Arts and Crafts movement. Embracing traditional print techniques Lucy created a cohesive collection enhanced by her colour choices. Mixing muted darker tones with a splash of bold really made this collection stand out from the crowd. Her final pieces would not be out of place in today’s market. Her designs are extremely well suited to the Interior Textiles and Wallcoverings industry. 

Click here to read Lucy’s interview.  

 

 

 

 

Sophia Elliot

Sophia’s work was extremely detailed and utilized a coherent colour pallet. A unique hand with a great eye for detail. Loved how she created repeat patterns using traditional techniques. Can see her work across multiple industries from fashion fabrics, painted directly on to furniture and a whole range of interior textiles. 

Click here to read Sophia’s interview.  

 

 

 

 

Sophie Amelia 

Simple but effective. Love the use of a simple colour pallet, traditional techniques, and use of scale to enhance her work. We can see Sophie’s work slotting straight into multiple industries, from print for fashion and interiors, through to Wallcoverings and Laminates. 

Click here to read Sophie’s interview.  

 

 

 

 

Virginie Njiomou 

Virginie’s Masks show intricate detail, an eye for colour and great use of scale. Would love to see the development of the smaller printed marks within the masks. Creating co-ordinating designs, showcasing her lovely mark-making skills. Virginie’s style would lend itself well to the interior textiles market. 

Click here to read Virginie’s interview.  

  

 

 

We wish all the designers the best of luck as they step into industry and look forward to welcoming our training award winners on the AVA CST course.