The TEX+ 2025 Awards have officially been announced at the TEX+ Showcase Private View at the Triangle Building, Chelsea College of Arts, recognising exceptional innovation, technical skill, and commercial potential from the UK’s top graduating textile designers.

Winners were selected from a cohort of 25 finalists representing institutions including Central St Martins, Glasgow School of Art, Manchester School of Art, and more. The evening also featured a keynote address from world-renowned trend forecaster Lidewij Edelkoort, marking her first UK public appearance in several years.

Li Edelkoort said: “The future is incredibly bright when I see so many students courageously confronting the major challenges of our time – rethinking materials, reshaping systems, and reviving crafts. At TEX+, we witness a new generation not just dreaming of change, but designing it.”

Formerly known as Texprint, TEX+ is the UK’s leading platform for emerging textile talent, with a 50-year legacy of championing new designers in fashion, interiors, and materials innovation. It aims not only to provide real opportunities like internships, mentoring and guidance but also to create a community of textiles specialists who will shape the future of the industry. Finalists were selected for their excellence across five judging pillars: Innovation & Creativity, Technical Excellence, Sustainability & Ethical Practice, Commercial & Market Potential, and Cultural & Social Impact.

2025 TEX+ Prize Winners:

• Sanderson Art in Industry Prize (for Commercial & Market Potential, £500) awarded by Dominic Lowe

Winner: Beth Lingard, Leeds Arts University

• Liberty Fabrics Studio Prize awarded by Mary-Ann Dunkley

Prize: Studio visit, 3-month mentorship, archive access

Winner: Esme Whitton, UWE Bristol School of Art and Design

• Helga Goldman Prize (for Innovation & Creativity, £1,000) awarded by the Trustees of TEX+ in memory of Helga Goldman

Winner: Winnie Sowter, Edinburgh College of Art

• TEX+ Trustees’ Prize for Sustainability & Ethical Practice (£1,000)

Winner: Amber Fry, Central Saint Martins

• TEX+ Trustees’ Prize for Technical Excellence (£1,000)

Winner: Severina Seidl, Royal School of Needlework

• The Pentland Prize (2 winners) awarded by Katie Greenyer, Pentland Brands

Prize: 2-month paid design placement at Pentland Brands

Winner: Yingruo Cao, London College of Fashion

Winner: Aidan Morris, Glasgow School of Art

• Mary Restieaux Prize

Prize: Private studio visit, mentorship and hand-dyed silk yarns

Winner: Amber Fry, Central Saint Martins

• Bay & Brown Prize

Prize: Online floral print course and portfolio session with Tracey Brown

Winner: Asha Vine, Arts University Bournemouth

• Sahara Prize awarded by Suzy Coppersmith Heaven

Prize: £500, 1-month placement at Sahara, plus design purchase opportunity

Winner: Beth Lingard, Leeds Arts University

• The Pattern Cloud Prize

Prize: 1-year free access to The Pattern Cloud Graduate Plan

Winner: Beth Lingard, Leeds Arts University

“Every year we’re amazed by the depth of talent coming through, but the 2025 cohort has truly raised the bar,” said Jeremy Somers, Chair of TEX+. “These designers are not only technically skilled but also tackling some of the most urgent conversations in design today – from sustainability to storytelling, identity to innovation. The TEX+ prizes are a chance to celebrate that, and to give these emerging voices the recognition and support they deserve as they take their next steps into industry.”

TEX+ 2025: Philip Fimano, Li Edelkoort

Tex+ 2025: Zandra Rhodes, Orla Kiely and TEX+ trustees

Tex+ 2025: L-R Sarah Campbell, Zandra Rhodes, Freddie Robins, Clare Johnston

Formerly known as Texprint, TEX+ has a 50-year legacy of championing outstanding textile graduates in the UK, with past alumni going on to work with brands such as Chanel, Nike, and Liberty, or establishing acclaimed studios including Wallace & Sewell and Quinton Chadwick. TEX+ is now a registered charity, with support from leading figures in the textile and design world including Orla Kiely, Emma J Shipley and Peter Ackroyd MBE.

VISIT THE TEX+ WEBSITE