27th November, 2017
RSN Degree Graduate, Elena Thornton, swept the board at the recent Hand & Lock Prize for Embroidery Ceremony, winning three major awards! She won first prize in the Textile Art Student Category, the Worshipful Company of Gold and Silver Wyre Drawers Award as well as the Chairman’s Award.
Elena Thornton graduated from the Royal School o
f Needlework in 2017 with a First Class BA (Hons) Hand Embroidery for Fashion, Interiors, Textile Art. Elena specialised in couture body adornment which beautifully merged different hand embroidery techniques, including Goldwork and Stumpwork, to create her winning entry.
Charis Kibble who
graduated from our Degree Course in 2015, won 3rd prize in the Textile Art Open Category. Charis created a portrait worked on 25 count linen with three threads in every stitch and developed her own Blackwork stitch for her entry.
Angie Wyman, Degree Course Leader at the Royal School of Needlework said: “We are delighted that two of our Degree Graduates have been recognised and awarded in this international embroidery competition. Both entries featured traditional hand embroidery techniques with a contemporary edge to really showcase their amazing talent, skill and innovative thinking. Huge congratulations to Elena and Charis.”
The annual Hand & Lock Prize for Embroidery was established in 2000 to help emerging talent in the world of embroidery. In recent years it has been expanded to include textile artists, interior and accessory designers as well as those working in fashion. The Prize receives thousands of entries from fashion students and talented embroiderers from all over the world. All these entries were then shortlisted to just 32 finalists.
We teach the BA (Hons) Hand Embroidery for Fashion, Interiors, Textile Art which is validated by the University for the Creative Arts (UCA). This is the only specialist Degree in hand embroidery. Students immerse themselves in contemporary and traditional hand embroidery practice and explore creative approaches to research. Taught by expert practitioners in dedicated apartments at Hampton Court Palace, the course features live projects with fashion houses, designers and galleries.
Elena Thornton and Charis Kibble amassed a varied background of industry experience as part of their studies at the Royal School of Needlework, including collaborations with Alexander McQueen, Burberry, Zandra Rhodes, Netflix (The Crown), HBO (Game of Thrones), Hussein Chalayan, Oxfam/Marks & Spencer Shwop Campaign and Nicholas Oakwell for the GREAT Britain campaign.