Our students took three out of four awards at last week’s heat of the Society of Dyers and Colourists’ competition.
Congratulations to the students who represented De Montfort University at last week’s regional heat of the SDC International Design Competition 2026, held on campus on Wednesday 25 March.
This year's theme — Climate Threads: Visual Storytelling Around Climate Change and Sustainability — challenged entrants to explore some of the most pressing issues facing the design industry today, and our students rose to the occasion brilliantly.
The judges were highly impressed by the standard of all entries. Seren Thomas (Level 5, Fashion Textile Design) took the top prize as overall winner and will progress to the national final later in the year. Olivia Broomhead (Level 6, Textile Design) was awarded runner-up, and Catrine Reynolds (Level 5, Fashion Textile Design) received a Highly Commended.
In total, DMU students claimed three of the four awards available on the day — a truly outstanding result.
Nick Rodgers, Subject Group Lead, commented:
“Yet again the students from Textile Design and Fashion Textile Design impress with their ability to create fantastic work aligned with consideration for issues that affect all our lives. We are immensely proud of their achievements.
“This success is a testament to our students' talent and dedication and reflects De Montfort's commitment to nurturing industry-ready designers with a deep understanding of the sustainability challenges shaping the future of design.”
The SDC International Design Competition is known for bringing together students, researchers, designers and industry professionals to give students a platform to showcase their creativity and vision on an international scale.
Find out more on the SDC website.
Posted on Tuesday 31 March 2026