A Nottingham Trent University fashion knitwear design and knitted textiles student has won the top knitwear design award at Graduate Fashion Week. Thea Sanders was presented with the Stuart Peters Visionary Knitwear Award at last night’s prestigious event in London.

 Graduate Fashion Week is a leading event for fashion students and in collaboration with clothing retailer George it showcases the work of more than 1000 graduates from some of the most influential UK and international universities. Students compete for the coveted industry prizes by submitting a collection of six outfits that are judged by some of the biggest names in the world of fashion, including fashion and style journalist Hilary Alexander.

 Thea’s women’s wear collection of leggings, dresses, jackets and jumpers took inspiration from floor tiles, with her brightly coloured and vibrant garments featuring a range of clashing patterns and shapes.

 Incorporating domestic knitting and weaving into her garments, Thea was able to produce a range of styles, textures and looks within her collection from simple jumpers to extravagant knitted dresses.

 Twenty two year old Thea said: “Being announced as the winner of the Stuart Peters Visionary Knitwear Award was a real surprise, as I was ecstatic to just be chosen to present at Graduate Fashion Week. Gaining an industry recognised award at the completion of my studies feels amazing.”

 “The support I received from the lecturers and specialists on my course at Nottingham Trent University has been invaluable in enabling me to achieve this.”

 Erica Peters, who presented the award, commented on how Thea’s collection was ‘innovative and conceptual, without negating commerciality’.

Ian Mcinnes, principal lecturer in fashion knitwear design and knitted textiles at Nottingham Trent University’s School of Art & Design, said: “Thea’s work is a celebration of colour, texture and pattern placements in a rich variety of contrasting, clashing and complimentary knitwear pieces. The collection combines innovation and attention to detail in the exploitation of analogue and digital manufacture. It offers a rich source of possibilities for luxury and mainstream market levels.”

 Ann Priest, pro-vice chancellor of Nottingham Trent University’s School of Art and Design and School of Architecture Design and Built Environment, added: “This is a fantastic accomplishment for Thea, the school and the fashion knitwear design and knitted textiles course. It follows on from the success of Rory Longdon who won the prestigious George Gold Award at Graduate Fashion Week in 2011 with Wonjee Chung who was presented the Stuart Peters Visionary Knitwear Award the same year.”