FASHION students partnered with Pudsey-based textile manufacturer Hainsworth to design a Merino Wool bespoke jacquard cloth for their final year university project.

The collaboration challenged students from London College of Fashion's BA (Hons) Bespoke Tailoring course to design a custom cloth, with winning designs invited to weave and finish their fabric at Hainsworth’s heritage textile mill in Pudsey.

Throughout the 2022/23 academic year, students worked on a project that combined innovative design with the expertise of traditional weaving techniques - using Fine Merino Double fabric and a specific colour palette.

Three student designs were selected for weaving at the AW Hainsworth HQ, with textile designer Andrea Noble’s guidance in adapting their weaving concepts.

Winning designs by Gabriella Mann, Onora Menekse and Enya Judge were selected for showcasing originality, craftsmanship and sustainability.

Andrea Noble, design and product development manager at AW Hainsworth, said: “We were so impressed by all the students who submitted for our brief, but Gabriella, Onora and Enya stood out for their striking designs, storytelling and a strong understanding of how a jacquard weave can be incorporated into modern, refined tailoring.”

Their designs were brought to life through a visit to the Hainsworth Mill, where they watched their creations woven using Jacquard looms.

The collaboration finished with a presentation at LCF’s end-of-year salon show last month.