2026 TEX+ Prize Winners
THE LIBERTY FABRICS STUDIO PRIZE
A visit to the London Fabrics design studio to meet the designers, discover the famous archive and gain understanding of the design process
Mentorship for 3 months
£500
Grace Holden
Heriot Watt University
Printed Textiles
As a textile designer, my work is driven by narrative and the belief that textiles can hold meaning beyond surface decoration. I am particularly inspired by the relationship between storytelling and interiors, creating designs that foster emotional connection and comfort within a space.
Xavier Theobald
Bath Spa University
Mixed Media
My practice as a print and textile designer is driven by experimentation, material exploration and emotional storytelling. Through my Final Major Project, The Endless Summer, I explored how colour, texture and layered surfaces can communicate memories of summer, belonging and optimism. Inspired by the atmosphere of the 1960s surf film The Endless Summer, alongside my own experiences growing up on a small island, I developed a collection that combines print, tufting and mixed-media processes to create immersive textile surfaces. Innovation has been central to my approach.
THE PENTLAND PRIZE
2 months paid design placement and £1,000
Maia McLaren
Glasgow School of Art
Printed Textiles
I am a Textile Design graduate from Glasgow School of Art studying. I spent six months studying in Tokyo during my third year, an experience that significantly strengthened my confidence, independence, and creative approach. I’m a motivated and personable individual who thrives in collaborative environments and is always eager to learn and develop new skills. With a strong passion for colour and pattern, I contribute fresh ideas while actively listening to and learning from others, making me a reliable and enthusiastic team player. I work well under pressure and show confidence in everything I do. I love making the people around me smile and will always work as hard as I can.
THE WORSHIPFUL COMPANY OF WEAVERS PRIZE
£1,000
Lisa Rogerson
Glasgow School of Art
Woven Textiles
As a textile designer specialising in weave, my practice explores the possibilities of integrating structure, materials and colour to capture texture and movement into visually appealing and tactile fabrics. I use an experimentation-based process to trial and develop my ideas and colour palettes through sampling, to produce final outcomes that balance my design creativity with the technical possibilities of weave. Environmental responsibility underpins my practice through the use of soil friendly yarns.
THE JULIET VOGEL COLOUR PRIZE
In memory of his mother Juliet Vogel, this prize of £1,000 is awarded by Paul Vogel in recognition of outstanding excellence in the use of colour.
Roisin Foster
Leeds Arts University
Printed Textiles
Roisin is an enthusiastic versatile print and surface pattern designer, who is eager to continuously challenge herself artistically through a great range of image making and design processes. As a creative shapeshifter, she has a varied design practice from a stylised approach to drawing to softer painterly designs. What remains consistent across all projects, is her extensive research driven work. A keen interest in human/user centred design and creating work that responds to the needs of different clients and consumers, her work often explores societal research ( such as well-being psychology and human connection to nature) and trends that are fuelled by shared consumer needs. Roisin is very open to creating for a wide range of market audiences from fashion to interiors.
THE LONDON EMBROIDERY STUDIO PRIZE 2026
Free studio space for 6 months with mentorship from the team and use of an embroidery machine and CAD programme.
Kate Crilly
Bath Spa University
Mixed Media
Kate Crilly is an artist and textile designer, specialising in embroidery, print and material innovation. Working with discarded materials, including unsellable charity shop garments, she develops innovative methods of deconstruction and reconstruction—transforming textile waste into new, scalable surfaces and forms. Kate’s work integrates traditional and digital techniques to propose circular, adaptable alternatives to linear fashion systems. Kate has a sustained interest in our emotional connections to objects. Her paintings of old toys, packaging and household detritus explore how objects hold memory and how we value one over another. Creating connection through storytelling, nostalgia and colour, Kate aims to provoke discussion about our relationship with waste.
Bay & Brown
Beginners complete surface textiles print online course, Online floral print course and portfolio session with Tracey Brown.
Molly White
Falmouth University
Printed Textiles
I am a print designer with a strong intellectually curious approach. Inspired by the natural world and sense of place, I take a thorough, research focus route to projects, to truly experience what it is that I’m creating a concept around. My work tests boundaries and often subverts traditional processes of print and surface pattern design. Sustainability is a constant consideration in my work and life, tied to the natural world’s influence. I create to inspire, to educate or raise awareness, being able to do this through the medium of print is a privilege.
THE PATTERN CLOUD PRIZE 2026
One-year free access to The Pattern Cloud Plan
Roisin Foster
Leeds Arts University
Printed Textiles
Roisin is an enthusiastic versatile print and surface pattern designer, who is eager to continuously challenge herself artistically through a great range of image making and design processes. As a creative shapeshifter, she has a varied design practice from a stylised approach to drawing to softer painterly designs. What remains consistent across all projects, is her extensive research driven work. A keen interest in human/user centred design and creating work that responds to the needs of different clients and consumers, her work often explores societal research ( such as well-being psychology and human connection to nature) and trends that are fuelled by shared consumer needs. Roisin is very open to creating for a wide range of market audiences from fashion to interiors.
TRIP TO WOOLTEX SUPPORTED BY KVADRAT
Joining our London team on a special visit to Wooltex, our weaving mill in huddersfield
Lola Bate
Loughborough University
Woven Textiles
I gained industry experience from my placement year at Sage Automotive Interiors, where I explored the technical side of textile development within the automotive sector. I’m particularly interested in weave and knit and how these can be applied in innovative and sustainable ways. My approach combines creativity with technical understanding, and I’m keen to challenge conventional methods and push textile design forward. I’m always open to learning from others in the industry, connecting with fellow students and professionals, and getting involved in opportunities that support my growth as a designer. I’m always keen to connect and be part of meaningful conversations around the future of textiles.
INGE CORDSEN CRAFTSMANSHIP PRIZE FOR KNITTED TEXTILES 2026
£1,000
Zoe Noble
Chelsea College of Arts UAL
Knitted Textiles
Drawing inspiration from my Dad’s workshop and my family’s history with the motor trade, Pit Stop explores worn functionality through knitted samples with fashion-based outcomes. Textures and colours of Dad’s garage are implemented into my work, with petrol blues, leather browns and steel greys featuring throughout. Garments and samples are knit using entirely British wool, paying homage to locality and traceability, something that is extremely important to my practice. Throughout this project, I have made garments that respect the heritage of British knitwear and manufacturing, particularly its role in sportswear and workwear whilst producing contemporary designs that have a timeless appeal.
SAHARA PRIZE 2026
£500 and a One-month placement at Sahara, plus design purchase opportunity.
Harriet Letts
Bath Spa University
Printed Textiles
Harriet is a surface print designer whose work is rooted in a lifelong passion for creativity, art and design. Inspired by the natural world and global travel, she draws on organic forms, textures and cultural references to create expressive designs. Her practice centres on storytelling through print, combining hand-painted and drawn motifs with digital processes to achieve both richness and detail. Often enhanced with embroidery, her work explores texture, depth and a sense of craftmanship. With an eye for detail, Harriet creates designs that are visually striking yet cohesive, balancing creativity with commercial awareness. Her work aims to go beyond decoration, celebrating storytelling, craftsmanship, and the beauty of the world around us.
TEX+ TECHNICAL EXCELLENCE PRIZE
Awarded by the Trustees of TEX+
£1000
Lili Mizuno
London College of Fashion UAL
Mixed Media
The artist’s practice is rooted in an acute awareness of the present moment - of the things and people in front of her, and the emotions and energy that arise within. Alongside these immediate experiences, memories accumulated over time form an essential part of her expression. The process and the outcomes created with fabric and thread - capturing the mundane moments and the intangible sensations, which have shaped who she is today - are intended for everyone across the world. Especially, this is a message for children who have a bright future ahead of them. The world is vast, and everything they will see and experience from now on is precious gemstones or seeds that exist alongside the passage of time; whilst not all of them will be polished and blossom, some will become shining gems and flowers. Expanding the expressive potential of embroidery - often associated with delicacy - by integrating functionality, material exploration, and innovative design. Through experimental combinations of materials and intuitive approaches, the artist seeks to connect traditional craft with contemporary life. The works exist as tangible objects that invite physical engagement. By approaching them closely, layers beneath the surface begin to emerge. The aim is to create work that is experienced through sight, touch, and sensory perception.
TEX+ SUSTAINABLE PRACTICE PRIZE
Awarded by the Trustees of TEX+
£1000
Ruby Bolt
Falmouth University
Mixed Media
Having moved from Australia to the UK, feelings of belonging shift and memories become somewhat of a fantasy. Landscapes evolve, but spiritual ties stay the same. My textiles form an interwoven story of my identity through memory, and are informed by colours, materials and finishes found in the rugged bushland of New South Wales. I naturally gravitate towards contemporary and unusual palettes, which directs me into robust fabric manipulations and innovation.
TEX+ INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITION PRIZE
Three places awarded by TEX+ to exhibit at Première Vision
Twig Searle
Falmouth University
Woven Textiles
Rooted in the wild landscapes of Cornwall, I create textiles shaped by season, soil, and story. My practice begins with foraging, gathering plants for natural dyes, and continues at the loom, where I hand weave with local wool. Each piece carries echoes of UK folklore, ancient voices, and the quiet rhythms of the land. Guided by coastline, moor, and weather, I translate nature’s shifting moods into cloth, crafting work that feels both elemental and deeply held in place.
Lili Mizuno
London College of Fashion UAL
Mixed Media
The artist’s practice is rooted in an acute awareness of the present moment - of the things and people in front of her, and the emotions and energy that arise within. Alongside these immediate experiences, memories accumulated over time form an essential part of her expression. The process and the outcomes created with fabric and thread - capturing the mundane moments and the intangible sensations, which have shaped who she is today - are intended for everyone across the world. Especially, this is a message for children who have a bright future ahead of them. The world is vast, and everything they will see and experience from now on is precious gemstones or seeds that exist alongside the passage of time; whilst not all of them will be polished and blossom, some will become shining gems and flowers. Expanding the expressive potential of embroidery - often associated with delicacy - by integrating functionality, material exploration, and innovative design. Through experimental combinations of materials and intuitive approaches, the artist seeks to connect traditional craft with contemporary life. The works exist as tangible objects that invite physical engagement. By approaching them closely, layers beneath the surface begin to emerge. The aim is to create work that is experienced through sight, touch, and sensory perception.
Christie Shannon
Glasgow School of Art
Knitted Textiles
A key focus of my practice is the development of reversible textiles that can function across both wearable and interior contexts. By creating fabrics that are visually and structurally engaging from multiple perspectives, I aim to design contemporary knitted textiles that are adaptable, tactile, and multifunctional, existing equally as garments, accessories, or interior pieces.
HELGA GOLDMAN LEGACY PRIZE
Awarded by the Trustees of TEX+ for Innovation & Creativity. Donations received from TEX+ supporters
£1,000
Belén Fernández
Chelsea College of Arts UAL
Conceptual Textiles
Belén Fernández is a designer and materials researcher based in London, working at the intersection of data, craft and cross-disciplinary collaboration. Her practice is rooted in weave and creative computing, using materials as a way to analyse questions about place, community and the systems that shape both. She builds her own tools, collaborates across disciplines, from engineering to craft building networks across engineering, technology and making, and is committed to an open, accessible approach to making, one that challenges how the industry shares knowledge and who gets to participate in it. Her work uses design as a medium for cultural dialogue, asking how our relationship to our surroundings can be understood through our relationship to tools, process and each other.
JOHN MILES LEGACY PRIZE
£1,000
Awarded by John’s friends. Donations received from TEX+ supporters.
Twig Searle
Falmouth University
Woven Textiles
Rooted in the wild landscapes of Cornwall, I create textiles shaped by season, soil, and story. My practice begins with foraging, gathering plants for natural dyes, and continues at the loom, where I hand weave with local wool. Each piece carries echoes of UK folklore, ancient voices, and the quiet rhythms of the land. Guided by coastline, moor, and weather, I translate nature’s shifting moods into cloth, crafting work that feels both elemental and deeply held in place.