Clothes Show

Students and staff from the Foundation Degree in Graphic Design and Advertising and the BA (Hons) in Graphic Design for Print and New Media courses had a great time at the Clothes Show held at the NEC in Birmingham. Celeste Henney, Course Team Leader from the BA (Hons) in Graphic Design for Print and New Media, comments, “We saw the University catwalk shows and the fantastic fashion show in the main arena and picked a few bargains on the way. We all enjoyed the fact that you could see things other than just main high street brands and were inspired by the graphics and displays as well as the use of materials. A big thing seemed to be environmental issues which meant the use of old clothes to make new and fabrics generated from organic cottons, bamboo and hemp being on visible display.”

One of the star purchases from the show, a pair of designer shoes!

Student wins design competition

Dunstable College student, Peter Reck aged 20 from Luton, has won the Learning Partnership – Bedfordshire and Luton Ltd Skills Institute Logo Competition. Peter wins a prize of £150 and will now work with the competition organisers to further develop the logo and see his concept through to publication. The competition was open to graphic design and art and design students from all colleges in Bedfordshire and Luton.

The competition requirements were to design a new logo and colourway for the Skills Institute.

Carole Pullinger, Business Services Manager for The Learning Partnership - Bedfordshire and Luton Ltd explains the background to the competition, “The Learning Partnership – Bedfordshire and Luton Ltd and the Investing in Communities fund of the East of England Development Agency have launched the first of a county- wide network of Skills Institute facilities in Houghton Regis (the Kingsland campus). Our mission is to deliver learning to adults in Bedfordshire and Luton. Other facilities are planned for Leighton Buzzard, Biggleswade, Bedford and Luton.

“It was felt that a unifying logo should be commissioned to contribute towards the development of a Skills Institute brand. Given the educational nature of the partners involved in this project, it was considered that an open competition for graphic design students in Bedfordshire and Luton would provide the optimum opportunity for students to contribute to the development of a logo for the Skills Institute.”

The competition judges were Dave Wyatt, Creative Director of Roundhouse Health and Martin Gimson, Logistics Technology & Engineering Manager of 3M. They commented, “The winning logo was well received. It feels very modern and immediately suggests success. All the entries for the Skills Institute were well thought out and of a high standard. The judges would like to say well done to all the entrants and special congratulations to the winning entry.”

Peter is in his second year of the Foundation Degree in Graphic Design and Advertising and plans to progress on to the final year of his degree at Dunstable with the BA (Hons) in Graphic Design for Print and New Media, starting next September. Peter comments, “I was surprised and delighted to hear that I had won. It has given me more confidence in my abilities. I hope this will give me a boost in my career, as it will get my work noticed. Once I have completed my degree at Dunstable College, I would like to work as a graphic designer in a company and develop as a freelancer as well.”

Peter receiving his winning cheque from Carole Pullinger