Texprint Winners 2016: Weave

Weave graduates, Jacob Monk (Central Saint Martins, BA (Hons) Textile Design) and Chloe Frost, (MA, Royal College of Art) were both awarded Texprint top prizes by Martin Leuthold, Artistic Director of Jakob Schlaepfer. Jacob won the Woolmark Company Texprint Award and Chloe the Texprint Colour Award

Martin Leuthold stated “It is an honour to give these prizes. I have been in the industry for 50 years and I still enjoy it. And it is great to see the future in the Texprint designers. If you have creativity you can survive – you don’t have to be a big star: you have to be your own star. You give your heart to your ideas, and then you have the pleasure to give it away.”

Chloe Frost, winner of The Texprint Colour Award, sponsored by Mode Information commented:

“I would like to gain experience and start my career with a fairly large team or established company to further expand and develop my skills. Eventually I would like to set up my own business in the form of a studio or shop producing woven samples and products developed for domestic interiors. Texprint’s mentoring scheme and professional practice advice is going to be a huge benefit. “

Jacob Monk – winner of The Woolmark Company Texprint Award stated:

“It means so much because having seen the high standard of everyone else’s work I am incredibly honored to win this award. It gives the confidence to keep going and experimenting with new and creative designs. I created a new collection featuring Merino wool for Premiere Vision and its the first time that I have used this type of wool. I was so impressed with how it responded to dyeing and how enjoyable it was to weave. I used a fine yarn that was also strong and it was really good for mens suiting which is what I enjoy.”

Judging for the Texprint Awards took place at the London showcase in July at Chelsea College of Art where Pip Jenkins, Head of Design, John Smedley; Fi Douglas of Bluebellgray ; Nadia Albertini, a couture embroiderer, and Andrew Croll, senior design recruiter for Nike Inc, carefully assessed the designers’ work and portfolios. They were unanimously impressed with the creativity, innovative ideas and high quality displayed.

Commenting on the designers’ displays, Nadia Albertini said: “It’s really a pleasure to see such beautiful work. The UK’s education system is remarkable.”

“I feel really passionate about supporting the next generation of designers,’ said Fi Douglas of Bluebellgray. ‘Design is an ever-evolving thing and to keep the world a wonderful, inspiring and exciting place we need to make sure the new designers coming through have the support and encouragement to reach their potential and allow their creativity to flourish.”

The Woolmark Company Texprint Award

The Woolmark Company Texprint Award was judged at Première Vision by Ms Aline Galimberti, Chief Designer at Dormeuil, together with Jonathan Christopher of Jonathan Christopher Homme, the 2015-16 European menswear finalist for the International Woolmark Prize. Those eligible for The Woolmark Company Texprint Award must incorporate a minimum of 60% Merino wool into their textiles and demonstrate a good understanding of its qualities and potential application in fabric. The Woolmark Company has supported this special prize for six years.

Considering this year’s Texprint alumni, Aline Galimberti said: “It is so good to see young people at the start of their careers who are really passionate about a very difficult industry. Sometimes I feel they think it is ‘just a job’ but at Texprint you get a glimpse of the people who will really make a contribution because they are so committed and talented.”

She continued: “In awarding Jacob this prize, there is the aspect of encouraging and helping to develop talent. Jacob needs to believe in himself because what he does is so well thought-out, creative, original and very commercial. He has a real link with a fibre like wool which is not easy to create, and his work is truly exciting.”

Jonathan Christopher felt an empathy with Jacob Monk. “Jacob is using so many different techniques in the wool, and then he uses the outcomes again in print. It is very considered and he is not afraid to experiment and push boundaries. It is very subtle. Then he gives you a sense, a sketch, of how he envisages the collection being applied to menswear. It doesn’t stay an idea – it’s a complete story. This is what I do with my menswear, so I can appreciate what he is doing.“

“We were amazed by the diversity of talent and the mature thought process to the graduates’ designs,” said Julie Davies, General Manager, Processing Innovation and Education Extension from The Woolmark Company.

Following PV, two of the designers – Amy Smith and Jacob Monk – repeat the experience at the major Asian show, Intertextile Shanghai (October 11–13).

Text/images: Courtesy of Texprint