The Contour Fashion course at De Montfort University Leicester (DMU) has always had a reputation for supplying the best talent to esteemed lingerie brands.
So it should come as no surprise that luxury label Coco De Mer was the latest to set final year students the task of creating lingerie that captured the spirit of the company, known for its belief in empowering women with products that are 'luxurious and enticing'.
Chanice Dwyer and Erran MacColl with models wearing their designs
The students excelled and Coco De Mer CEO Lucy Litwack was hugely impressed when she came to the campus to judge their entries.
In fact Ms Litwack ended up picking five winners rather than the customary first, second and third. This included two joint first places, which went to Chanice Dwyer, from Bedford, and Erran MacColl from Leicester. They have earned the fantastic prize of a placement at the Coco De Mer design studios in London.
Ms Litwack said: “As always I have been so impressed with the talent on the Contour course at DMU.
“I feel as though the students have really captured the essence of the Coco De Mer brand and I have seen some really exciting creative and technical design work.
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“It was hard to narrow down the winners of the competition. I hope the winning students will now take me up on an offer of an internship at our London design studio because we would love to work with them and help nurture their talent.”
Chanice, from Bedford, won joint first with designs based on Chinese architecture and folk art.
She said: “I am really surprised but extremely honoured to have won. Meeting with someone from such a prestigious company, and for them to treat you with such a high level of respect for what you do, really makes you feel a part of the industry.
Coco De Mer CEO Lucy Litwack (third right) with the DMU Contour winners
“I don’t think there are many courses elsewhere that could offer these sorts of opportunities. When I finish my degree I would ideally like to enter the luxury lingerie sector. Coco De Mer would be such an amazing place to work.”
Erran, from Leicester, based her patterns on the delicacy and detail in natural forms, which involved looking at flowers under the microscope to find intricate designs for her materials.
She said: “I was not expecting to win, which makes this all the more rewarding. The hard work has really paid off. To be noticed by someone who is so high up in the industry is a great feeling.
“I have enjoyed this project so much. It has been such an exciting opportunity. I really want to work in the luxury lingerie business so I will definitely be taking up the opportunity of a placement with Coco De Mer.”
The third year students are now working towards creating a final collection which will be judged in May, with the best earning a place at the DMU Contour Fashion catwalk show in June. The catwalk show takes place every year in the opulent surroundings of Freemasons’ Hall, Covent Garden.
Posted on Thursday 20 December 2018