Celebrating Colour at New Designers 2026

Photograph by Sam Frost ©2026

The Society of Dyers and Colourists (SDC) was delighted to return as a prize partner at New Designers 2026, the UK’s leading graduate design showcase, celebrating emerging talent from across the creative industries.

Representing the Society at this year’s event were Historical Collections Officer Shelley Hollingdrake and Marketing and Operations Officer Bethany Lunt, alongside our judging panel comprising of SDC President Liz Staughan and SDC’s Northern Region Chairs Linda Lewis and Linda Hodgson.

This year’s exhibition showcased an inspiring breadth of work across ceramics, fashion and textiles, with colour playing a central role throughout. It was particularly encouraging to see so many of the SDC’s education providers represented, with an exceptionally high standard of work on display.

SDC Colour Award

The recipient of the 2026 SDC Colour Award was Julie Schwarz for her ceramic triptych, Traces, inspired by the history of British ceramics and the ability of clay to preserve fine detail. Focusing on the theme of “traces of the past imprinted on the present”, Julie’s collection captured motifs from Stoke-on-Trent’s industrial heritage, demonstrating an exceptional understanding of both material and colour.

SDC ‘Loves’ Awards

Alongside the main Colour Award, the Society presented seven SDC ‘Loves’ prizes, recognising projects that particularly impressed the judging panel for their creative use of colour, innovation and storytelling.

Congratulations to:

• Hattie Taviner (University of Brighton) for The Secret History of Plants: And the Women Who Found Them, a project celebrating overlooked women in botanical science through functional objects with richly decorative surfaces.
• Florence Barnby (Loughborough University), whose project reimagined Mayfair clubbing through vibrant biomaterials, challenging perceptions that sustainable materials must be neutral or earthy.
• Hallie Graham (Heriot-Watt University) for Tales of Wonder, a collection of silk wall coverings inspired by Scottish folklore and mythology.
• Twig Searle (Falmouth University), whose work reinterpreted heritage through contemporary pattern, exploring cloth as a vessel for memory, storytelling and our connection to the natural world.
• Megan Beattie (Heriot-Watt University) for Hidden in Plain Sight, a woven interiors collection highlighting the mental health challenges faced within the gamekeeping profession.
• Emily Hodgson (Nottingham Trent University) for Reverie, a luxury interiors collection inspired by childhood fairytales, creating enchanting spaces through sophisticated storytelling.
• Nell Burgess (University of Glasgow), whose project explored the natural dyeing of fibres, including ikat wool, celebrating traditional colouration techniques.

Continuing success

It was also fantastic to see Joe Gurr, winner of the SDC Design Competition heat earlier this year, exhibiting at New Designers following receipt of his SDC bursary.

Joe’s work also attracted recognition from The Worshipful Company of Weavers, who presented him with one of their own ‘Loves’ awards, a wonderful achievement and testament to the quality of his work.

The Society extends its sincere thanks to our judges, Liz Staughan, Linda Lewis and Linda Hodgson, for generously sharing their expertise throughout the event.

Congratulations to Julie and to all of the talented graduates recognised this year. We look forward to following their creative journeys as they embark on the next stage of their careers.