The Colourist Online: Winners of the Midlands Design Competition Heat Announced

Winners of the Midlands Region Design Competition Heats announced 

We’re delighted to announce the winners of the Midlands heat of the International Design Competition.

This year’s competition, ‘Climate Threads’, invited participants to respond to the urgent challenges of climate change through innovative textile design, balancing sustainability, creativity, and commercial awareness. The Midlands heat showcased an exceptional breadth of ideas, with students demonstrating thoughtful, forward-looking approaches to both materials and technical colour application.

The winning designer will now progress to the UK final, where they will compete against other regional winners for the top prize and national recognition.

Midlands heat winner

Huge congratulations to Seren Thomas from De Montfort University, whose project MEWN! stood out for its deeply conceptual and material-led exploration of identity, place, and environmental change.

Rooted in the idea of the “inner landscape,” Seren’s work translated personal memory and geography into textile form. Combining knit and ceramic, the project created tactile expressions of belonging and transformation, reflecting on how environments shape us and continue to exist within us over time.

Drawing on observations of natural landscapes and the impact of climate change, Seren’s work highlighted the fragility of seemingly permanent environments. Through careful material choices and thoughtful storytelling, the project presented a powerful and emotive response to the competition brief.

Runners-up and highly commended

Congratulations also go to runner-up Olivia Broomhead (De Montfort University) for Interwoven: An Investigation into Colour and Structure. Olivia’s work explored three-dimensional woven forms inspired by the coastal landscape, balancing aesthetic impact with considered material choices and sustainable processes.

Highly commended were Aimee East (Loughborough University) for A Love Letter to the Reef, a project focused on coral restoration through biodegradable design, and Catrine Reynolds (De Montfort University) for Worth the Time, which encouraged a more mindful appreciation of colour, material, and the world around us.

John Morris Award

The John Morris Award, created in memory of a much-loved member of the Society, recognises excellence in colour innovation and technical ability, with consideration for both people and planet.

This year’s award was presented to Jacaranda Brian (Nottingham Trent University) for the sustainable knitted sportswear collection ‘Weedy Sea Dragon’. Inspired by marine ecosystems and informed by real-world environmental observations, Jacaranda’s project combined thoughtful design with a strong commitment to circularity and responsible production.

Now onto the UK Final

Seren Thomas will now go on to represent the Midlands at the UK final in Bradford on 15 May, where they will compete against winners from the Northern and London and Southern heats.

The Midlands heat once again highlights the outstanding creativity and critical thinking emerging from the next generation of textile designers. We look forward to seeing these talented individuals continue to develop their work and push the boundaries of sustainable design.