We talked with last year’s winners of the Sainsbury’s New Designers Award who are now working within Sainsbury’s Argos Home design teams. They tell us about their experience at New Designers and their transition in to the design industry.

Beth Hunt

On day 1 at New Designers I was feeling excited, very nervous, overwhelmed and slightly anxious! Running up to the show I was lacking in confidence but once there I generated a lot of interest which was exciting. I was first approached by Sainsbury’s Home where I met judges Andrew and Dave who took an interest in my work. I presented my collection and took them through my thoughts and processes behind my designs. Soon after I received multiple awards and recognition, one being the Sainsbury’s Home ‘One-to-Watch’ Design Award making the short-list of 6 designers for a 12-month paid placement. This made my experience at New Designers, 3 years of hard work were starting to pay off. Not only have I received so many amazing comments and connected with other designers I have the opportunity to start my design career working for Sainsbury’s Home, a company I had always looked at for inspiration.

While at Sainsbury’s I’ve been working on Seasonal – Events & Gifting where I assist with the process of development across all events. I have worked on this year’s Poppy Appeal range – launching in November alongside The Royal British Legion. This marks the First World War Centenary with a range of bespoke product designed for the event. I feel privileged to have not only completed research but to have also developed initial drawings and paintings all the way through to final prints and product. This was hugely significant for me seeing my first range of products going into store, it feels so surreal! It drives my passion and enthusiasm for design even further, I’m thoroughly thrilled with the final range.

If I could give anyone any advice it would be to enjoy every second of exhibiting at New Designers, it flies by without you even realising! Chat and connect with everyone you meet, you can learn a lot from one another!

 

Joe Parker

Originally from Oxford, I graduated in Product Design at Nottingham Trent University with a first-class honours degree in 2017. Developing a Danish-inspired folding chair, I was invited to exhibit at New Designers and later went on to win the innovation award from the UK’s Furniture Maker’s Guild.

I take pride in making and creating, solving everyday design problems or simply making beautiful objects for people to use. Good design is user and experience focused. If I’ve designed and made something which others enjoy interacting with, then it’s a success.

It goes without saying, exhibiting at New Designers is a great opportunity to gain industry exposure. Showcasing my work to industry peers and utilising the networking opportunities ultimately acted as the springboard for me joining the team at Sainsbury’s Argos. The feedback I received around my work was invaluable and helped me to gain a greater sense of what I wanted to focus on going forward.

Good design is user and experience focused. If I’ve designed and made something which others enjoy interacting with, then it’s a success. Working for such an established retail brand is a great opportunity to work across a wide range of categories and develop products which are available across the country. It’s an exciting blend of creativity and commerciality.

 

Hannah Doyle

I studied Printed Textiles and Surface Pattern Design at Leeds College of Art. I exhibited at New Designers in 2017, with two children’s illustration and print collections based around the African Savannah and the British Seaside. ­­

I met Andrew the Sainsbury’s Home Design Manager on our stand, who asked if I wanted to present my portfolio to the rest of the design team. I was very nervous, but it was really exciting to have such a well-known and respected company acknowledge your work after all the hours you had put into it. On the last day, I was awarded a Sainsbury’s Home ‘One to Watch’ Design Award where I was shortlisted alongside 5 other new designers, and invited to an interview at the head office.

I’m currently a Design Assistant on Papershop. I get to work on a variety of different products such as stationery, party accessories and dinnerware and assist with the print and pattern across Home and General Merchandise. I am currently working on products for Spring Summer 2019, as well as helping in the creation of new stories for Autumn Winter 2019 with the the team.

My first products will be this year’s Back to School stationery and dinnerware collections launching this summer – it’s so rewarding seeing a collection you have worked on become final products in store after developing them from an initial concept. It has been a massive learning curve, but I’m very happy with the final outcomes.

ND x Sainsbury’s has been an amazing experience and a huge start to my design career. It has given me a lot of new opportunities and industry understanding as well as being able to work with such a great team.

 

 

 

Ross Cowie

After graduating from Leeds Arts University with a BA (HONS) in Printed Textiles and Surface Pattern Design last summer it has been non-stop. From exhibiting at New Designers in 2017 with a hand printed fabric and wallpaper collection I have gone on to win a prize in the prestigious I-Dott wallpaper awards, and land myself a job with in the amazing design team at Sainsbury’s Argos Home.

My time at New Designers was a real eye opener for me, I loved it! The buzz of talking through my design process with established industry professionals gave me great exposure, as a result expanding my network, it is this approach that got me talking with the Sainsbury’s team. After watching the presentation given by Andrew Tanner (Design Manager) and Rona Olds (Head of Buying) I found myself excited for a career in design all over again. They spoke a lot about authentic original design values which I always strive for in my personal practice. After hearing the values and mission of Sainsbury’s Home I knew I wanted to be a part of their journey.

The team at Sainsbury’s Home is so diverse with specialist in all areas of design. Being a part of such an open and creative community of designers makes every day different I’m constantly learning. Working as part of the Kitchen and Table Top team I have assisted in the development of trends all the way through to product design. The joy of the job is seeing a collection you have worked on come to life from concept to finished product.

Sainsbury’s are a brand who believes in investing and nurturing new talent with in design. I cannot thank the whole team enough for their constant support and encouragement in my development, they really have helped kick starting my career with in the design world.

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