Six Newcastle College students have been named winners of the Future Heritage initiative, with their designs set to take centre stage as part of a landmark celebration of fashion and creative talent in Newcastle this weekend.
The students are among 80 Newcastle College learners who took part in Future Heritage, an initiative created by Eldon Square in partnership with Newcastle College and Fenwick Newcastle as part of the centre’s 50th anniversary celebrations.
The project challenged students to draw inspiration from Newcastle’s heritage and transform it into original fashion and textile designs, with the winning work set to be showcased as part of the British Fashion Council’s Fashion Britain programme on Saturday 26 September.
In the garment design category, Ellie McInerney, Rose Henson and Riley Richards have taken first, second and third place respectively, standing out among the students who developed original fashion pieces inspired by Newcastle and its heritage.
The three winning garment designs each tell a different story of Newcastle and the wider region. Inspiration ranges from Cragside and the pioneering legacy of Tyneside engineer Lord William Armstrong to the story of the Land Girls, brought to life through historic details and personal touches.
A contemporary take on Newcastle completes the winning trio, celebrating the Metro, the city’s bridges and the spaces that connect its communities, with a nod to Eldon Square’s 50-year history woven into the design.
The project has also celebrated emerging talent across surface print design, with Newcastle College students Lucy Casey, Hannah Cataudo and Lily Whitby named as the winning designers in the surface textile strand of the initiative.
Their work forms part of the wider project, which challenged students to draw inspiration from Newcastle’s heritage and Eldon Square’s milestone anniversary to create original designs. Looking ahead to the festive season, the surface print designs are being used in a giftable product range sold at Fenwick Newcastle this Christmas.
The fashion designs will now be spotlighted as part of a major public showcase at Grainger Market on Saturday 26 September, giving Ellie, Rose and Riley the opportunity to see their creations brought to life in one of Newcastle’s most recognisable settings.
Created by Newcastle City Council and the British Fashion Council as part of the nationwide Fashion Britain programme, the event will bring together Eldon Square, Newcastle College, Fenwick Newcastle and leading creatives from across the city to celebrate the North East’s distinctive fashion identity.
The students’ designs will share the runway with an exclusive catwalk show from award-winning Newcastle designer and Newcastle College University Centre alumnus Lamin Gibba, founder of high-end streetwear label Jerry J Clothing.
Jon Ridley, Principal of Newcastle College, said: “Ellie, Rose, Riley, Lucy, Hannah and Lily have taken the history and character of Newcastle and turned it into work that is entirely their own. Their success is recognition of their talent, creativity and the professional standard they have brought to Future Heritage.
"This is exactly what experiential learning should look like. Our students have responded to an industry brief, developed their ideas alongside industry partners and produced work that will now be seen on the catwalk at Grainger Market and in Fenwick Newcastle.
"For 80 Newcastle College students, Future Heritage has been an opportunity to put their knowledge and skills into practice and see where their talent can take them. Congratulations to our six winners and to every student who has played a part in the project.”
Ellie McInerney, first-place garment winner, said: “Future Heritage has been such an exciting project to be part of. Being able to take inspiration from Newcastle and places that mean something to me personally, and then turn those ideas into a finished garment, really pushed me creatively, so to be named a winner is amazing.
“I’m really excited to see my design come to life on the catwalk. You spend so much time developing an idea and working on all the little details, so having the opportunity to see it on the runway will be such a proud moment.
"Experiences like this while we’re still studying give us a real taste of where our creativity could take us.”
Helen Cowie, Centre Director at Eldon Square, said: “We’re incredibly proud to announce Ellie, Rose, Riley, Lucy, Hannah and Lily as our Future Heritage winners. The creativity across all 80 students was incredible, and our winners each captured Newcastle in a completely different way.
“Future Heritage is all about celebrating the talent coming through our city and giving young creatives opportunities to showcase their work. We can’t wait to see the winning designs brought to life on the runway at Grainger Market and to celebrate everything the students have achieved throughout the project.”
Natalie Potter, Network Director at British Fashion Council, said: “Fashion Britain is about celebrating the creativity, talent and cultural identity that exists across the UK while also strengthening local creative economies. Future Heritage is a brilliant example of how this can come to life locally.
"By bringing together emerging designers, education and industry, the initiative creates a meaningful platform for the next generation of talent while reflecting the distinctive creative identity of Newcastle and the wider region. We’re delighted to see the Newcastle College students’ work form part of Fashion Britain alongside the city’s wider creative community.”