Prestigious awards highlight the best in young design talent

More than a dozen fashion students have been shortlisted for awards at this year’s Graduate Fashion Week Awards 2022, which celebrate the best young design talent.

Fourteen students from BA (Hons) Fashion, BA (Hons) Fashion Art Direction, and BA (Hons) Fashion Design and Technology at Manchester Fashion Institute have been shortlisted for awards in 12 categories spanning across innovation to photography and sustainability to styling.

The Graduate Fashion Week Awards, which are held annually by Graduate Fashion Foundation during Graduate Fashion Week (June 20 – 24), reward excellence and are crucial for attracting industry interest.  

This year’s award nominations follow on from last year’s success at Graduate Fashion Week which saw Manchester Metropolitan fashion student Jasmin Bourne taking home the top catwalk prize.

Shortlisted students are invited to attend a full-day industry event in London for an interview and judging session with a panel of industry judges during Graduate Fashion Week and the winners will be announced each evening during the daily award shows and networking events.

The full list of shortlisted students is:

Considered Fashion Award
Holly Burns, BA (Hons) Fashion
Beth Garrigan, BA (Hons) Fashion Art Direction

Fashion Concept Award
Maria Louca, BA (Hons) Fashion Design and Technology

Fashion Innovation Award
Mollie Critine, BA (Hons) Fashion Design and Technology
Charlie Orr-Ewing, BA (Hons) Fashion Design and Technology

Fashion Photography Award
Maya Ashton, BA (Hons) Fashion Art Direction

Fashion Portfolio Award
Maria Louca, BA (Hons) Fashion Design and Technology

Fashion Range Plan Award
Jasmine Hill, BA (Hons) Fashion Design and Technology
Francesca Merrick, BA (Hons) Fashion Design and Technology

Styling and Creative Direction
Rebecca Ann Morgan, BA (Hons) Fashion Art Direction

Sports and Leisurewear Award
Holly Burns, BA (Hons) Fashion
Georgia Copsey, BA (Hons) Fashion Design and Technology

Sustainable Fashion Award
Rhianna Fisher, BA (Hons) Fashion Design and Technology

Terry Mansfield Publication
Beth Alexander, BA (Hons) Fashion Art Direction

The FACE Excellence Award
Jannine Ngesang, BA (Hons) Fashion Design and Technology

Zandra Rhodes Fashion Textiles
Lewis Silk, BA (Hons) Fashion

Dr Susan Atkin, Programme Leader BA (Hons) Fashion at Manchester Fashion Institute at Manchester Metropolitan University, said: “The students have done amazingly this year, they have had a really challenging time on their degrees and the work they have produced is innovative, creative and well-crafted. The fact they have done so well to be shortlisted is testament to the quality of the students’ work and their tenacity. We are incredibly proud of them!”

Manchester Fashion Institute held catwalk shows last month from which a panel of judges selected student collections to be put forward to be showcased at this year’s Graduate Fashion Week.

Graduate Fashion Week showcases the work of more than 3500 graduating students each year across 26 fashion disciplines. The event attracts thousands of guests, features catwalk shows and exhibition stands, alongside a schedule of talks, masterclasses and workshops from leading names in the fashion and retail industry.

The event attracts a wide array of top industry professionals, press and recruiters from the UK and abroad who use the opportunity to discover talent, as well as offering graduate employment and placement opportunities.