New Designers award winners earn paid internships in publisher’s studio
There are two new names on the Hallmark roster of New Designers winners after the latest pair were picked for the publisher’s Connection awards at the annual show.
At this year’s showcase of the UK’s most innovative emerging design talent, which finished on Saturday, 8 July, Aiden McIntosh from Duncan Of Jordanstone College Of Art And Design was the Week 1 award winner, with Federica Caputo from University of Westminster taking the Week 2 prize.
They each win a paid internship in the Hallmark creative studio where they will work as part of the future-thinking ideation squad on a research and development project and will be mentored and coached by the in-house design team.
The team of judges from the Bradford-based UK arm of the greetings publishing giant included creative director Rachel Goodman, creative development director Eve Gray, design director Kelly Wykman, trend strategist Heather Williams, and Holly Ismail head of npd, innovation and licensing.
Their criteria was: “Graduates who can bring new innovative, future-thinking, and sustainable ideas to our greetings category. They will be highly creative in their concept development, demonstrating inventive and clever ways to explore emotional connection through their work.
“We are looking for ideas and concepts within and beyond the perceived expectations of greetings-associated design disciplines.”
Eve, who takes a particular interest in the show and graduates, added: “We’re looking for something that excites us, something unexpected, and something that connects with us as a business, connects with us emotionally and connects with us as people – exciting concepts and ideas that demonstrate inventive and clever ways to explore emotional connection. This year’s winners will be working on individually-focused projects.”
Aiden’s entry was entitled Bold Folds And Optical Control, and the judges commented: “Aiden’s work demonstrates a simple and elegant 3d illusion. The piece exemplifies clever paper exploration to textiles, a strong sense of depth and impactful use of technique.”
He was announced as the winner at the awards ceremony for Week 1, which ran over 28 June-1 July, and received his trophy from artist and woven textile designer Margo Selby, winner of the Turner Medal for Britain’s Greatest Colourist
The Circle was the title of Federica’s entry, where the judges said: “We love her clever interpretation and expansion of such a simple form, executed with a beautiful graphic sensibility and delivered through engaging storytelling.”
Federica’s prize was presented by British design legend Sebastian Conran, during the awards ceremony for Week 2, which ran from Wednesday to Saturday, 5-8 July, at London’s Business Design Centre.
New Designers is the annual showcase of the UK’s most innovative emerging design talent which has now been running for 38 years, providing a platform for over 3,000 graduates to present their visionary ideas to industry professionals and the public every year, and Hallmark has been a supporter and sponsor for over 20 years, using the event to help champion and support the country’s grassroots design sector as part of its Graduate Programme.
Eve explained that when the placements end, Hallmark keep in touch for future advice as well as catching up with the students at their degree shows or the following year’s New Designers – and the event has produced a number of staff for the company.
She said the qualities the publisher looks for in designers are “curiosity, creative thinking, playfulness, willingness to learn, be open to collaboration and exchange of ideas and try to take risks along the way, wherever you can”.
And Eve added: “We want someone who challenges the norms, who understands the needs of who they are designing for and, ideally, who uses their skills to address some of the future issues that face humanity and the planet. A conceptual thinker who explores possibilities and makes consumer connections through product and/or design.”
The 2022 Hallmark Connection Award winners were textile design graduate Sandra Junele, also from DJCAD, and Reuben Loftus a product design graduate from Kingston University.
Eve said they had each worked on a project that made the most of their own personal voice and skill-set as it “is important for us to listen and hear those voices rather than expect people to be like us”.
Explaining that Hallmark’s projects are more about relationships and connection than designing cards, Eve added: “Sandra worked with us on a substrate that incorporated some of our waste paper and Reuben’s work examined how and what we say to people through cards – showing the skills of research, planning, collaboration, creative concepting, forming opinions and intent.”
Top: New Designers celebrates the best of the UK’s emerging design talent
