Publicity

Publicity from the Como Textprint Scarf Competition

Liberty of London scarf department: http://blog.liberty.co.uk/2912/the-grand-tour/

ysh London.com: http://www.yshlondon.com/blogs/2010/Jan/27/texprint-limited-edition-scarf--made-in-italy-sold-in-libertys-280

Birmingham City University: http://www.bcu.ac.uk/news-events/news/platform-new-talent

Textprint - ComOn

Texprint is a registered charity, whose aim is to link the best newly graduated textile designers with industry. By selecting, each year, the top textile design graduates from British colleges and launching them at the leading international textile design exhibition.BIRMINGHAM CITY UNIVERSITY SCARF DESIGN WINS COMON TEXPRINT GOLD.

This year each University was twinned with an Italian city as part of a ‘Grand Tour’. The judges carefully considered all submissions, but eventually unanimously agreed that this year’s winner of the Gold Award was Birmingham City University, twinned with Siena(designed by Robyn Holmyard)

“The Birmingham City University entry was a very mature piece, which displayed great use of colour. It was an easy message to understand and had a very clear vision.” Massimiliano Giornetti, Salvatore Ferragamo.The judges were Ed Burstell of Liberty, Luigi Turconi of Ratti, Guido Tettamanti and Paolo Noseda of Como Federation, Sara Colossi, Massimiliano Giornetti and Elena Alfani all of Salvatore Ferragamo.

Gold Award - Birmingham City University – Siena

“Robyn’s entry had a very strong impact and represented Siena very well. It was very energetic and had a great use of colour.”

Read the full press release at: http://www.texprint.org.uk/2009/press/19_press-release.pdf

My Scarf goes on Sale in Liberties, London

Liberty’s newly reopened scarf department is the glamorous setting for a promotion of the work of the three winners of the ComOn Texprint competition in which contestants were asked to create the perfect silk scarf to celebrate historic Italian towns and cities.

Fashion journalist Sarah Mower, who is a strong advocate for Liberty’s revamped scarf room, suggested the idea of working with Liberty to Texprint, the UK charity whose aim is to link new textile designers to industry. Como silk printer Ratti, one of the judges of the competition, generously offered to print the scarves that are now in store for the month of February at a retail price of £105.

ComOn was set up in 2008 by Confindustria Como, the body that represents the 250 textile companies in the north Italian Como region, that traditionally has specialised in silk weaving and printing. The aim of ComOn is to strengthen the relationship between the Como silk industry and upcoming design talent worldwide.

The Grand Tour is the second competition ComOn has initiated with Texprint, with a brief that asked for a 90cm x 90cm silk scarf, plus coordinating prints for dresses and ties. The entries from 24 UK universities and colleges were whittled down to 15 by a three person panel of Peter Robinson from New Look, Robert Bell from Next and Leigh Cooke, Texprint winner from 1995 and now Hermès scarf designer. The final winners were chosen by a judging team including Elena Alfani, director of accessories at Ferragamo and Ed Burstall, director of buying at Liberty.

The Gold Award went to Robyn Holmyard who studied Textile Design at Birmingham City University and chose Sienna as her city.

COM'ON PROJECT WINNER 2009

I have just spent 3 and a half wonderful weeks in beautiful Como, Italy, as part of the Com'ON creative project. Linked with the TextPrint scarf competition, the three winning scarves and three runners up visited Como to learn about the famous silk industry. Part of the prize were exciting trips to Ratti, Canepa, Gucci, Alberta Ferretti and Jean Paul Gaultiers, museums, print studios and latest collection viewings.

After the first week when all the other award winners had left, I stayed to work in a small studio for two weeks where there was alot to learn. A little slow at first, I feel I got better everyday and was doing up to six designs a day by the end. I think with another week or so practice I may have been up to the standard of the other deigners in the studio who created 8-10 a day! The experience was invaluable.

View the Com'ON project at http://www.comon-co.it/ 

and my profile

http://www.comonco.it/Dynamic/Designers,intLangID,1,intCategoryID,51,intItemID,295.html.

The winning scarves of 2009's Como at the loom cafe in Como.

Alberta Ferretti's latest collections in Milano.

Work Placement at Mosaic in Como, Italy 2009

While I was in Como in Italy I spent two weeks working in a studio called Mosaique, during the time I created contemporary (some conversational) prints. The studio used photoshop as a means of creating all of its designs and were quite tradional in their style using alot of florals and animal prints. The boss Mr Mario was quite open to new ideas and asked me to create anything I wanted but in my usual contemporary style and colours. The designs were printed and the sales persons are currently looking for buyers all over the world.

These three conversational pieces take on old ideas with damask and toile de jour as their inspiration, however they are all made contemporary in different ways. The first has ghost like shadows/ silhouette's breaking up the background. The second and third have unexpected objects and animals, some reflecting todays culture. The green print below is a simple mirror repeat with an added circle motif. The shape insinautes a target creating conversation through linked imagery.

Prints for Men's wear - Designed @ Mosaic by Me

Alas more Flora and Forna - Designed @ Mosaic by Me