University has a hat-trick of Fashion students in the running for the Project 20/20 Design Awards

For the second year in a row, University of Northampton Fashion students have dominated the shortlist for the Project 20/20… and Beyond Young Design Awards, a national competition focused on the professional clothing industry.

Lucy Moulton, Bryony Rodda and Mesoni Lindsay are all second years studying BA (Hons) Fashion and make up three of the six semi-finalists from a number of leading fashion and textiles universities and college across the UK.

Students were asked to use their creative flair to imagine the future of fashion and create their visions of professional clothing, such as corporate and work wear for the year 3000.

Bryony based her design on a futuristic nurse working in space and included a lot of zip-on and zip-off support panels which will be made up in a variety of bright colours.

She said: “I am very pleased to have made the shortlist, especially with the fact that there are three of us from the University of Northampton. I am very excited to see what happens next and where this can take me and my work.”

Lucy took inspiration from a uniform that an environmental biologist would wear when exploring the planets of the future.

She said: “I have tried to include some safety aspects, as those working in this department would be exposed to many new environments.

“I am still a little shocked to have been shortlisted, but I am thankful and excited for the experience. It really would be great if the three of us made the final and kept the flag flying for the University Northampton.”

Mesoni decided to design uniforms for both male and female pilots of Virgin Atlantic.

She said: “I have designed the equivalent to a pilot’s uniform; a captain of a spaceship in the year 3000. To do this I had to consider what the world, human race and jobs will be like in the future.

“I began by researching predictions of how the human race and technology have adapted and evolved to its surroundings. I took designing inspiration from watching many science fiction films including Ex Machina and The Hunger Games for the costume and Alien for the character’s role.

“I felt really overwhelmed and surprised when I found out I had been shortlisted for the Project 20/20 competition and I am excited for the future opportunities this could bring.”

Jane Mills Senior Lecturer in Fashion at the University of Northampton, commented: “We are thrilled that for the second year running three of the six finalists for this prestigious award are Northampton fashion students.

“This industry-judged competition has presented Bryony, Mesoni and Lucy with an incredible opportunity to realise their futuristic designs and has opened their eyes to the amazing prospects that are available to young designers wishing to forge a career in the world of professional clothing.”

The three finalists will be announced on 21 June.