Loughborough Student Wins Design Prize

Amy Long, a textile student at Loughborough University, is the winner of the 2009 Design-a-Rug competition, with a bold, block print design which was considered by the panel of judges as being both original and commercially attractive.

This is the second year RugMark UK has run the design competition and was pleased to receive entries from colleges and universities around the UK including RIBA North West, Manchester School of Art, University of Plymouth and Loughborough University.

Winning design by Amy Long

The judging panel comprised Kate Burnett, Editor of idFX the leading interior design magazine, René Dekker Head of Residential Design at SHH, Deirdre Dyson the celebrated rug designer and Paul Vowles rug designer and founder of rug retailer WovenGround, which co-sponsored the competition with 100% Design. There was considerable debate amongst the judges as to which designs would translate into a hand-knotted rug and which satisfactorily reflected the Beat of the East mood board.

Crystal Holloway from Manchester Metropolitan University (MMU) took second prize with a bold striped design, which was particularly praised by the judges for its response to the brief in terms of both colour and pattern. Third prize went to Stacy Brafield, likewise from MMU, with a rich, floral design.

Second prize to Crystal Holloway

Third prize to Stacy Brafield

Both the winning and second prize rugs will now be hand-knotted in Nepal and Amy wins the trip of a lifetime to visit Nepal and see her rug being woven at a RugMark certified supplier in Kathmandu. The winning rugs will be on display at the 100% Design exhibition at Earl's Court in September.