GFW International Residency Award Winner, Holly Jayne Smith
Last June, the British Council launched its Inaugural Graduate Fashion Week International Residency Award. The opportunity gave one exceptional fashion graduate the chance to take part in an international residency for one month with the chance to engage with local designers, universities and industries overseas.
This year’s winner Holly Jayne Smith, graduate of Birmingham City University, travelled to Casablanca from 26th October - 23rd November 2014, where she was hosted by the Moroccan Association of Fashion Designers and the Casa Moda Academy where she gave a presentation on her work and experiences as a fashion student for an audience of students, teachers and Moroccan fashion designers.
In response to her experience in the country, Holly is now developing a Morocco-inspired collection aiming to incorporate traditional Moroccan craft in contemporary ways. Her work will be showcased in Morocco and the UK.
More information about the collection can be found here.
About the International Residency Award
This annual award, changing host countries every year, includes flights, accommodation, necessary travel documents, subsistence and a tailor-made programme for up to a month. The winner is judged on the quality of their work, the relevance of their practice to the residency and their awareness of the importance of cultural heritage and relations in fashion. Judges included the Graduate Fashion Week Executive Board, Joseph Ouechen of the Moroccan Association of Fashion Designers and the British Council's Architecture, Design and Fashion team.