Industry leaders representing some of the world’s biggest brands have looked for the next generation of talent at De Montfort University Leicester’s (DMU) Degree Show.
Talent scouts from big-name companies made the most of their sneak preview invites on Friday’s opening day by looking for students ‘with that something special.’
The university’s spectacular showcase featuring work from the Faculties of Arts, Design and Humanities and Technology attracted representatives from brands such as Sainsbury’s, ASOS, Next and George ASDA.
They were full of praise for the young artists and designers – with many of them looking to offer students graduate job opportunities at their companies.
The week-long show highlights the work of final-year students from a wide-range of courses, including Architecture, Product Design, Fine Art, Animation, Music Technology and Media Production.
Julia McKim, a Senior Designer at T&A Footwear, said it was a much-anticipated event in her diary as most of the company’s design team were DMU alumni, including two current MA students who were spotted at a previous Degree Show.
Julie, who studied Footwear Design at DMU, said: “I use the Degree Show to have a good look at designs and speak to students from a recruitment point of view.
“I love all the talent that is on our doorstep at DMU. These students have that something special. I remember the names of students then reach out to them when suitable positions come up.
“We don’t need to go to London, we are keen to train and mentor young talent and the best kind of talent is local talent.”
Ruth Golightly, Head of Buying for Childrenswear, George at Asda, said: “The campus looks absolutely amazing and from what I’ve already seen, it’s clear to me that this is where to come to recruit new talent.
“Even though we have DMU students on placement with us and graduates working for us, I think it would be beneficial if we had a regular involvement with the university. When I get back to the office, I’m keen to find a forum for us to talk about what this involvement can look like.”
Simon Platts, Director of Sourcing at ASOS, is a keen supporter and partner of DMU. He regularly visits to talk to students about their designs and answer their questions about the industry. His daughter will also be studying Contour Fashion at DMU from September.
He said: “It’s fantastic to see the work of the students and how well they are doing. I am particularly interested in looking at the aesthetics of their garments.
“Even though I’m not directly involved in the recruitment side of things, I still make a point of noticing which students stand out and recommending them.
“When you see a student who has what it takes, it’s important to snap them up before someone else does.”
Emma Allen, Senior Designer at Hotter Shoes, who is also a former DMU graduate, said she was looking for students who paid attention to detail in their designs, and included an element of commercialism in new trends.
She said: “I am here to build associations with students as we want to invest in the futures of young designers. The Degree Show is a great opportunity for networking with talented students.
“I hope to build up a rapport with students; then keep in touch with them through the usual channels. If I like them enough, I will try to find a job opening suitable for them.”
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The Degree Show kicked off with an afternoon Industry Welcome on Friday before guests and VIPs flocked to the awards evening to see thousands of pounds and industry prizes being given out to final-year students.
DMU’s Degree Show is open to the public until Thursday, 21 June. Explore the work of our talented students from 10am to 5pm today (Monday), tomorrow (Tuesday) and Thursday. On Wednesday, the show is open from 10am to 7pm.
For more information, call 0116 207 8543, email adevents@dmu.ac.uk or visit the website.
Posted on Monday 18 June 2018