Leading d+ lingerie brand Panache has shown its support to local upcoming talent by partnering with Sheffield Hallam University. Second year fashion design students were invited by Sheffield based company Panache to take part in a live lingerie project, with 15 groups tasked with designing a vintage-inspired lingerie or nightwear capsule collection for a Spring/Summer launch.
Judging took place on 1st May at the Millennium Galleries in Sheffield with Panache’s Danny Power, Business Development Director, Debbie Morley, Head of Design, and trade press. The winning pair was Zoe Babington and Jenny Myrans who won £1,000, the winning garment made up for their portfolio and a month’s work placement at Panache. The company was so impressed with two of the designs that versions of them may be included in the next collection.
“We took many factors into account when selecting Zoe and Jenny’s piece as our winner. While this competition was always about creativity, as a company we always look at fashion with commerciality in mind. Zoe and Jenny’s lingerie set was creative and commercial and for me the presentation of their concept from its origin to the final garment was first class. However, I was extremely impressed with every student, it was tough to judge”, Danny Power comments on the winning entry.
Highly commended was awarded to Chrissie Smith & Charlotte Markwell who won £250 each, their garment made up for their portfolio and a week’s placement at Panache. 2nd and 3rd Highly Commended were also awarded to Emma Mortimer, Charlotte Kaufman and Emily Hewitson and Alice Chatburn and Jenna Berks, who all won a cash prize each and a week’s placement at Panache.
Lesley Campbell, senior lecturer in fashion design at Sheffield Hallam University, comments: “It’s so important for our students to get hands-on experience of working to a project brief, to a tight deadline, and to see a finished result at the end of it. We were really pleased that Panache chose to work with us on such a fun project, and it was a great opportunity for our students to apply their enthusiasm and skills to a really exciting brief. They also really enjoyed the chance to exhibit their work.”
Panache’s Danny Power comments: “We were completely overwhelmed by the ideas and enthusiasm that came through from the Sheffield Hallam University students. We will absolutely continue with this next year as it’s important to support local upcoming talent.”
