UWTSD Surface Pattern Design student wins Romo Award at New Designers

Congratulations to UWTSD Swansea College of Art Surface Pattern and Textiles student Lois Davies, who won the Romo Award for Innovation in Design and Colour at New Designers 2021.

New Designers provides a unique platform for fresh design talent to connect with design educators, professionals, and consumers, for creative exchange and collaboration.

Lois’s work was based on a project called ‘Hiraeth’ - a nostalgic and wistful feeling - which helped to capture and contextualize her personal longing to return to normality during the Coronavirus pandemic.

The judges said: “We were impressed by Lois’s sense of colour and layering of textures. Her strong design concept was followed through into a textile collection that was well-rounded and presented beautifully.”

Lois said: “When reading The Romo brief 'Reflection' and how they asked us to consider what this reflection meant for us, I instantly thought of my major project concept 'Hiraeth', a nostalgic and wistful feeling. This is a feeling that we've all felt this past year, we've all had time to reflect and longed for normality, and this is when I thought of interweaving my final major project ideas for this brief.  

“Romo highlighted 'innovation' in their brief, and by utilizing the skills I have learned these past three years, and using the facilities available at university, I pushed the boundaries and experimented with methods such as fabric dyeing, screen-printing, and needle felting, which is what I think led to success in this project.  

“I am over the moon to have won the award, I was excited that I was asked for an interview at first, but winning it is like a dream! As part of the prize, I will have the opportunity to work at one of their studios as an intern, I'm looking forward to gain experience within the textile industry and see where it leads me to next.”

Georgia McKie, Surface Pattern Design Programme Director at UWTSD said: “A New Designers Award is the biggest prize of all. Thousands of students take part in New Designers yearly so to be selected and make that special connection to a brand through your work is such a unique thrill for the students and the programme team. Opportunities like this elevate the student’s profile immediately and the prize of a significant work placement and mentorship with a brand, as welcomed as the cash prize is too, is ultimately the game changer.

“Lois’s work spoke to all of us, so we aren’t surprised that she was picked up for an ND Award by British family run business, and international leaders in high end interior design, The Romo Group. Her project was relatable on so many levels – steeped in notions of nostalgia, namely Hiraeth, we are all reminded and taken back to our own personal longings and connections, particularly at this time, to our beautiful coastline, welsh culture and traditional textiles.

“Her distinctive drawing signature is gentle but rich and evocative, capturing the light, the textures, and the locations. She translates this so thoughtfully into a collection of considered patterns and textiles, relating fibre and cloth to visceral and tactile memories. She presents this material and tacit knowledge in a complexity of slick digital presentation formats which has enabled her to deliver a succinct pitch to Romo and scoop the prize. Lois represents the very best of our multidisciplinary skilled Surface Pattern and Textiles students.

“The way Lois has reimagined and contemporised references to welsh culture is testament to her far-reaching design sector understanding, and her authenticity as a bilingual practitioner.

Lois has thrived this year with successes in several live projects facilitated and run through the Surface Pattern and Textiles programme including Patternbank, Rolls Royce and idott Charity.”

Further Information

Rebecca Davies

Swyddog Gweithredol Cysylltiadau â’r Wasg a’r Cyfryngau

Executive Press and Media Relations Officer

Cyfathrebu Corfforaethol a Chysylltiadau Cyhoeddus

Corporate Communications and PR

Mobile: 07384 467071

Email: Rebecca.Davies@uwtsd.ac.uk