Site icon Dezeen
Photograph showing desk with lip around edge to hold things

New Designers spotlights its top student projects of 2023

Dezeen School Shows: a garment that symbolises the process of dreaming and sleep paralysis is included in Dezeen's latest school show by New Designers.

Also included is a desk with a soft lip around the edge that allows objects to be inserted upright so they can be stored and accessed easily, alongside a subscription lunch box informed by Japanese cuisine that allows users to have healthy lunches on-the-go.


New Designers

Institution: New Designers
Course: ND23
Tutor: Sally Bent

School statement:

"New Designers is an annual showcase of the UK's most innovative emerging design talent.

"Since its inception 38 years ago, New Designers has provided a platform for over 3,000 graduates to present their visionary ideas to industry professionals and the public every year.

"The event takes place over two weeks with different disciplines highlighted in each week, spanning fashion, textiles, furniture, product design, illustration and more."

"Week one of the show takes place from 28 June to 1 July, week two takes place from 5 to 8 July at the Business Design Centre in London."


Sensory Centre by Charlotte Dibden

"This project's purpose is to provide a local space for children aged between four and 11 with special educational needs from surrounding schools to visit.

"The aim is to focus on improving children's happiness and health while in education.

"Through specific zones and biophilic elements designed within the centre, it will help to reduce stress and aggression, and increase focus, motivate learning, increase social interactions, and assist with sensory integration."

Student: Charlotte Dibden
Course: Bath Spa University, BA (Hons) Interior Design


Urbento by Yas Kinsey

"When considering London's fast-paced 9 to 5 lifestyle, Kinsey wondered how the career driven millennial sets aside time to eat.

"Thus emerged Urbento, a fun, fresh and new take on Asian street food inspired by Japanese Bento Boxes, which provides a healthy, filling lunches via a weekly subscription."

Student: Yas Kinsey
Course: Nottingham Trent University, BA (Hons) Graphic Design


Fish Man by Summer Wilson

"Wilson's project is based on an amphibious being from Mesopotamian mythology named Oannes, who is believed to have ascended from the ocean to teach people how to live a civilised life.

"Oannes is described as having the head of a man below the head of a fish, so Wilson gave him a human face in the middle of his torso to give the character an absurd quality.

"His character design was also partly inspired by the unicorn fish, which looks vaguely human.

"Wilson created this animation using coloured pencil and gouache, combining the frames together on Photoshop.

"Wilson chose to use traditional materials as the fluidity of the paint brushstrokes causes the character to appear wobbly and constantly in motion, much like the water he originated from."

Student: Summer Wilson
Course: Cambridge School of Art, BA(Hons) Illustration and Animation


Fragmentary Connection by Zaffran Bennett

"Fragmentary Connection explores how we discover and define ourselves through our experiences, culture, heritage and environments.

"As we form significant connections, amass knowledge and curate our personal surroundings with objects and memories, we sequentially create our visual identities.

"Accumulating life's fragments aids us in collaging and connecting details and ideas together, thus building and defining our life stories.

"Reflecting on this, and drawn to the idea of symbolism in objects and nature, Bennett has collected bold forms and textures that have their own unique stories.

"Bennett unified these fragments together and used various jewellery techniques to hand make designs that reference personal and cultural interests."

Student: Zaffran Bennett
Course: Vannetta Seecharan School of Jewellery, Level 3 and 4 Diploma in Jewellery Design


Trio of Bottles by Sarah Smith

"Sarah Smith's porcelain bottles are made using the slip casting technique.

"The bottles come in bright and unique variegated pink and green glazes that not often encountered in ceramic work."

Student: Sarah Smith
Course: Cardiff Metropolitan University, BA (Hons) Ceramics


Milk It by Rebecca Newton

"In an attempt to reduce dairy waste within the home, Milk It embraces the positive qualities of milk as it sours – discovering uses beyond being a drinking product.

"Developing flavours and leavening properties make souring milk ideal for cooking and baking.

"Milk It includes a packaging and brand design inspired by products that romanticise ageing.

"It is also a biosensor product that accurately measures sourness meanwhile displaying the milks ideal use  – drinking, cooking, baking or non-food uses – alongside an app that users can use to browse complimentary recipes.

"These elements come together to increase milk's intrinsic value, reduce ambiguity and instil confidence in utilising souring milk within the home."

Student: Rebecca Newton
Course: Northumbria University, Design for Industry


Femininity is Not a Formula by Emily Chapman

"Chapman is a textile designer specialising in knit for fashion.

"Her work focuses on empowerment of the feminine form and inclusivity within the fashion industry, providing a fresh perspective on fashion trends.

"Her latest project Femininity is Not a Formula focuses on the beauty of the natural world and how this can be translated into knitted fashion to create multiway, fully adjustable garments.

"Each sample is made from delicate yarns and fibres that are sustainably sourced, allowing fluidity and asymmetricality throughout each design, emphasising the perfection of imperfections."

Student: Emily Chapman
Course: Norwich University of the Arts, BA (Hons) Textile Design


Ms by Emily Yufei Jin

"Emily Yufei Jin's story encourages children to keep exploring and growing.

"She believes that children might be small and lack context, but they can also truly thrive if they keep going and trying.

"Jin's work is inspired by the picture book The Tiny Seed by Eric Carle.

"The process of the seeds being blown away by the wind and falling to the ground seemed like a hard journey.

"So 'journey' is a key word for this story, that is the small seed's experience of the journey and its eventual growth."

Student: Emily Yufei Jin
Course: BA (Hons) Illustration, University of Westminster


Caught in a Sweet Sleep Paralysis by Catarina Magalhães

"Dreams explore an unknown side of ourselves through a hazy, patchy labyrinth.

"This project explores different stages of a dream turned into sleep paralysis – from its sweet beginning to finding yourself lost and feeling trapped in metaphoric expressions of your fears.

"The project aims to create a sensory response in the viewer, encapsulating different sensations through visual perception."

Student: Catarina Magalhães
Course: Middlesex University, BA (Hons) Fashion Textiles & Design


Tuck Desk by Dylan Roberts

"Inspired by constantly loosing his pens and phone amongst his worktop, Roberts started pushing desktop items into the gap between his sofa cushions, so he could keep track of where they were.

"This gave Roberts more table space and allowed him to find items instantly.

"This was a Eureka moment that ultimately lead to the TUCK desk, where nothing is ever out of sight."

Student: Dylan Roberts
Course: University of Plymouth, BA (Hons) Product & Furniture Design

Partnership content

This school show is a partnership between Dezeen and New Designers. Find out more about Dezeen partnership content here.

Exit mobile version