Solent students secure seventeen nominations at Graduate Fashion Week 2026

Thirteen Southampton Solent University students have received seventeen nominations from the Graduate Fashion Foundation for GFW26 awards, the largest showcase of UK and international BA creative fashion graduate talent in the world.

Emma Calder, Solent’s Course Leader for Fashion (design), Fashion Photography and Fashion Styling & Creative Direction, says, “We are incredibly excited and proud of our graduating students across the Fashion courses within our School of Creative Industries. Having thirteen students shortlisted across seventeen awards is a wonderful achievement and a true reflection of the passion, creativity, and dedication they have shown throughout the last three years of study.

“The strong sense of community and the lasting friendships formed along the way have encouraged our students to support one another, collaborate on inspiring creative projects, and grow together as emerging professionals. We are thrilled to celebrate their success and look forward to seeing the exciting and rewarding careers they are about to begin."

The shortlisted students will take part in live judging sessions held on-site during Graduate Fashion Week, running 15–18 June in London.

Beyond judging, all finalists are invited to a full day of networking events, industry talks, CV and portfolio reviews with top recruitment agencies, and direct access to judges, an invaluable platform as they begin their careers.

Winners will be announced at an evening awards reception across Monday 15, Tuesday 16, and Wednesday 17 June.

Shortlisted Students from Southampton Solent University

Moving Image Award - Lily Herbert, BA (Hons)Fashion Styling and Creative Direction.

Moving Image Award, Fashion Styling and Creative Direction Award, and Culture & Heritage Award (Non-Design) - Kimi Nimaei, BA (Hons)Fashion Styling and Creative Direction.

Parishān is a trilogy of fashion films exploring identity, oppression, resistance, femininity, and hope. Created in response to the political situation in Iran, the project draws on cultural memory and personal experience, using symbolism, styling, movement, and cinematic storytelling to express emotional and political realities.

Fashion Communication Portfolio Award - Greg Horn, BA (Hons)Fashion Styling and Creative Direction.

Ernest is an exhibition that follows the titular character on a journey of self-discovery. Inspired by the artist’s own experiences, it explores questions of purpose, direction, and the shifting timelines of adulthood.

Terry Mansfield Fashion Publication Award - Leah Camilleri, BA (Hons)Fashion and Beauty Media

Fashion Photography Award - Ellis T. Carroll, BA (Hons) Fashion Photography and Image Production.

COMMON FOLK is a photographic series that celebrates and reclaims British identity through the lens of British and Irish folklore. Inspired by traditions deeply rooted in both rural and urban communities, the project explores folklore as a source of connection, culture, and collective heritage.

Fashion Styling and Creative Direction Award - Milla Jupp, BA (Hons)Fashion Styling and Creative Direction.

Ukiyo: A Floating World is a photobook inspired by Japanese culture, philosophy, and the Edo period, exploring themes of finding joy in life's small pleasures. Drawing on the creator’s family connection to Japanese culture and personal experiences visiting Japan, the project presents six fashion editorials inspired by traditional woodblock prints and folklore. 

Digital Fashion Media Award - Edith Ellis, BA(Hons) Fashion Management with Marketing.

Fashion Marketing Award - Sophia Frangos, BA (Hons)Fashion and Beauty Media.

Jellycat Beauty is a children's beauty brand concept that transforms Jellycat-inspired plush characters into collectible makeup compacts. Each surprise character is sold in a blind box and opens to reveal makeup products, encouraging children to collect, share, and trade.

Fashion Innovation Award - Abigail Wyman, BA(Hons) Fashion Management with Marketing.

A conceptual design imagining a collaboration between Victoria’s Secret and Petal to create HALO, a lingerie concept that integrates a discreet wellness device into a bra. Inspired by placing health technology closest to the heart, the embedded Petal insert tracks biometric and menstrual cycle data and connects to a companion app that provides personalised insights through an AI assistant.

Project Pitch Marketing Award, and Fashion Innovation Award - Emma Patel, BA (Hons)Fashion and Beauty Media.

Project Pitch Marketing Award – Chaiyla Norville Whyms, BA (Hons)Fashion and Beauty Media.

Project Pitch Marketing Award – Louise Buxcey, BA (Hons)Fashion and Beauty Media.

Zen World is a sensory-friendly retail initiative that creates safe spaces within shopping centres for neurodivergent individuals. Alongside calming environments that provide respite from overwhelming settings, the concept offers sensory-friendly products, in-app soundscapes, and tools designed to support sensory regulation and positive daily habits.

Project Pitch Marketing Award and Inclusive Fashion Award - Tianey West, BA(Hons) Fashion Management with Marketing.

Inspired by observing the challenges that friends and family face in finding clothing that is comfortable, functional, and reflective of their personal style, WEEKDAY: Flexibly You was developed to address the lack of fashionable and inclusive clothing options for young people with disabilities.

To see more from our fashion students, portfolios can be viewed via the Graduate Fashion Week website.