The annual Graduate Preview Day, Friday 10th May, saw 25 colleges from around the UK attend and showcase the portfolios of their graduating students. Their work was reviewed by a judging panel of industry experts headed by Chair of the Colleges Council Anne Tyrrell, and included Betty Jackson; Lauretta Roberts, WGSN; and Sarah Penny, Fashion Monitor.
The ‘Fashion Monitor Colleges Portfolio Award’ in association with the BFC goes to the University of Salford.
The ‘WGSN Digital Presentation Award’ in association with the BFC goes to London College of Fashion.
The ‘BFC Fashion Illustration Award’ in association with Fashion Monitor goes to the Royal College of Art.
Graduate Preview Day also awarded the winners of the inaugural Graduate Design Programme, a joint initiative between TOPSHOP, TOPMAN and the BFC which offers the two winning students a prestigious 12 month paid internship at TOPSHOP and TOPMAN respectively. The winners of the inaugural awards are Sally Hewett from Northumbria University for TOPSHOP and Rebecca Howarth from Manchester School of Art for TOPMAN.
Now in its 19th year, Graduate Preview Day highlighted a wealth of new, young and innovative British design students due to be graduating this summer. The event, which provides an invaluable networking opportunity for the colleges, saw representatives from ASOS, Cos, Matches, Max Mara, Paul Smith and Selfridges, and international media including American Vogue and Vogue Italia.
“The standard of the portfolios has been truly exceptional and this year we have received resounding feedback that the students’ work has been some of the strongest, both in creativity and commerciality. We’ve seen one of the best attendances with a strong international presence, hugely increasing the employment prospects for the graduates.” - Anne Tyrrell
The University of Salford, wins the Fashion Monitor Colleges Portfolio Award for the third consecutive season. The judging panel felt their entry demonstrated the best overall presentation of the students’ work. The University receives two one year subscriptions for their best students to Fashion Monitor, the industry’s leading provider of contacts, news and events.
The WGSN Digital Presentation Award recognises the increasing necessity of integrating fashion and technology and was won by The London College of Fashion.
The winner of the BFC Fashion Illustration Award in association with Fashion Monitor, The Royal College of Art, will also win two one year subscriptions which will allow the graduating students access to key industry contacts, something which is invaluable for breaking into the industry.
The BFC Colleges Council Graduate Preview Day fosters relationships between graduates and industry. The annual event brings together industry insiders from media, recruitment, retail, design, manufacturing, sales, marketing and PR to preview the work of graduating students who will be entering the job market later in the year. This year the Graduate Preview Day was held at The Hospital Club.
For more information please visit:
www.britishfashioncouncil.com/collegescouncil
For further information on the Colleges Council, please contact:
Alex Woodfield
tel: +44 (0) 20 7759 1960
alex.woodfield@britishfashioncouncil.com
For press enquiries, please contact:
Will Rowley
tel: +44 (0) 20 7759 1968
will.rowley@britishfashioncouncil.com