A Heriot-Watt School of Textiles and Design student, Sonia Jane Hunter, has won the Johnstons of Elgin Prize in the knitwear category.
The Johnstons of Elgin Award is being awarded for the first time in 2012. It seeks to reward excellence in two categories: tailoring and knitwear, and to support and encourage the talent emergent in Scottish universities.
Sonia will receive £1,000 plus a week €™s internship with the highly prestigious cashmere company in their Hawick and Elgin factories in Scotland. She will be given fabric and yarns from Johnstons of Elgin €™s autumn/winter 2012 colours to make up her garments, which will be displayed at the Scottish Borders Design and Technology Showcase on 28 June 2012, where the prizes will be awarded.
A collaboration with the Scottish Academy of Fashion
James Dracup, Group Managing Director, commented: "Johnstons of Elgin is committed to nurturing and working with emerging design talent. We are delighted to launch The Johnstons of Elgin Prize in collaboration with The Scottish Academy of Fashion, aiding the development of Scotland as a global centre of excellence in fashion-related learning. We have enjoyed working with the participating universities and welcoming the winning students to their internship."
The Scottish Academy of Fashion offers an opportunity for companies to easily reach a wide range of students across different universities in subjects relating to Fashion and Textiles.
Kirsty Scott, Project Director of the Scottish Academy of Fashion, said: "Johnstons of Elgin approached us with this fantastic opportunity for Scottish fashion or textiles students to work with one of Scotland €™s largest textiles companies. We had over 50 entries from Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh College of Art and Gray €™s School of Art at Robert Gordon University, and the standard has been extremely high."
Gillian Paton, Design Manager, commented on the knitwear category that "there was a good diversity through the entrants €™ submissions of how they interpreted the €˜Heritage of Johnstons €™. I am very much looking forward to seeing the winning garment made in our own yarn."