Dezeen School Shows: in line with its annual summer show, we've summarised British design graduate showcase New Designers' four Dezeen School Shows of 2023 that feature student projects from an array of disciplines.

New Designers published four school shows on Dezeen in 2023 that contained a varied spectrum of student work addressing a wide range of contemporary challenges, including advancements in healthcare, the threat of climate change and themes of identity and self-expression.

3,000 individual students took part during the event, which ran for two weeks at the end of June and beginning of July at the Business Design Centre in Islington, London.

Projects in these shows are designed by student enrolled on a diverse selection of courses, from thoughtful fashion, textile and jewellery designs to ceramics and craft projects.

Here the students designers are enrolled on courses at a number of top schools and institutions across the British Isles including the Edinburgh College of Art, The Glasgow School of Art, Birmingham City University, University of Sussex, University of Plymouth and Norwich University of the Arts.

New Designers' first School Show of 2023 focused on fashion and textiles projects, which tackle questions surrounding gender identity, the issue of fast fashion and advancements in the development of biomaterials.

In response to these, students created a wide range of projects from full clothing collections and tailored garments to groundbreaking materials and fabrics.

While studying textile design at Edinburgh College of Art, Ruta Vronevskyte created Future Membranes, a fabric that combines crotchet and red algae-based biomaterials that is designed to be strikingly decorative as well as sustainable.

Also included was Morgan Griffiths Hagan's piece A Garment to Trust, which is informed by both Brutalist architecture and durable workwear, both of which are built to last. The garment was created during their time spent studying BDes Hons Textile Design at the University of Dundee.

The product and furniture design show was published next, which saw students design items for a broad set of society from children, hikers and renters to people who menstruate and those who suffer from chronic pain.

Materials used include conventional choices such as timber, metal, felt and rubber as well as emerging solutions like vegan leather and kapoc, a sustainable fibre harvested from the silk-cotton tree.

Product design student George Duggan used allegory and symbolism to dismantles contemporary British identity in his furniture collection titled 'A British Family?', which he created while enrolled at Edinburgh College of Art.

SYMBI is a wellbeing device designed by Weronika Turowska during their time at Grays School of Art RGU studying 3D design. It aims to reduce discomfort in patients suffering from trigeminal neuralgia and increase feelings of security and safety.

New Designers' third school show focused on jewellery, ceramics and craft projects, displaying student work that employs a diverse range of mediums and processes, from casting metals and throwing terracotta to bending silver and charring wood.

What results is a plethora of intricate items for both displaying and wearing including sculptures, jewellery, planters and tableware.

The work of Rowan Lickerish – who studies BA (Hons) Artist Blacksmithing at Hereford College of Arts – is also featured with their series of sculptures named Brutalist Sound that reference both the Brutalist style and the musical genre of drum and bass.

Among others, this show displays the work of Louisa Thomson, who created her graduate project named Stories From a Herring Lass – a collection of narrative objects – referencing her Scottish heritage upon completing her BA (Hons) Jewellery and Silversmithing studies at Edinburgh College of Art.

In their final school show, New Designers revealed their top projects of 2023 from a broad spectrum of disciplines including fashion design, furniture design, illustration, design for industry and animation.

The projects in this show represent the wide ranging nature of the projects displayed at New Designers, from a system that tackles the problem of wasting soured milk to a cartoon animation detailing the story of Oannes, a creature from Mesopotamian mythology that is half man and half fish.

Dylan Roberts' Tuck Desk is a features a long indentation around its perimeter lined with felt and designed to store easily-misplaced objects. He designed the piece while product and furniture design at the University of Plymouth.

Norwich University of the Arts student Emily Chapman created Femininity is Not a Formula while studying textile design. It takes the form of a baby pink garment with asymmetric detailing that takes cues from beautiful imperfections found in nature.

New Designers takes place between 28 June to 1 July and 5 to 8 July at the Business Design Centre, 52 Upper Street, London, N1 0QH. See Dezeen Events Guide for a list of other architecture and design events taking place around the world.

Partnership content

These projects are presented in school shows from institutions that partner with Dezeen. Find out more about Dezeen partnership content here.