COTTON USA announced undergraduate student Lucy Dennis as the winner of its first UK-based Innovation Competition in partnership with the world-renowned Loughborough University, the UK’s leading institution for fashion and textile studies. The COTTON USA Innovation Competition sought to provide future fashion industry experts with the opportunity to put their creative talents to the test, work innovatively with high-quality U.S. cotton fiber and develop their understanding of what benefits U.S. cotton brings to the design process.
Dennis, the winner of the COTTON USA Innovation Competition, shared her experience with working with U.S. cotton: “My personal perception of U.S. cotton is that it’s clean, fresh and naturally white, so I wanted to bring this to life and decided on a purely ‘white project’.”
“I took the opportunity to experiment with texture and surface interest throughout, and made this my focal point by really limiting my color palette,” Dennis said. “I enforced this by restricting myself to the use of only white, high-quality cotton fabrics, including unbleached cotton in its most natural form, as well as some off-white too.”
“The COTTON USA Innovation Competition really helped me to explore new techniques and push the boundaries of using white on white, as well as using high-quality materials such as U.S. cotton. I tried to build my knowledge about U.S. cotton as much as I could, so I researched trends and designers in this area thoroughly to help guide my designs.”
A panel of judges whittled down more than 30 submissions to just one winner (Dennis) and three runners-up (Emily Brennan, Alice Charter and Sophie Tresadern.) From submissions made entirely from cotton fibers, or fabrics designed entirely for automotive interiors, to those inspired by photography, drawings, and the world around us, the talent displayed by the university students was truly impressive.
“We are thrilled with the level of work the students have produced throughout the COTTON USA Innovation Competition,” said Kerry Walton, Program Director of Textiles: Innovation and Design at Loughborough University. “Being able to work with materials of the highest possible quality has encouraged them to produce really creative designs, and also has given them vital knowledge and skills they can use in their future careers.” Stephanie Thiers-Ratcliffe, International Marketing Manager for COTTON USA, added: “The innovative use of U.S. cotton has always been at the heart of this project, so it’s fantastic to see how well this is reflected in the students’ work.”