Paul Smith joins forces with Nottingham students

British designer Sir Paul Smith is challenging Nottingham Trent University students to develop a range of creative design, packaging and in-store solutions for the global brand.

The annual project is aimed at undergraduate and postgraduate students across the School of Art and Design and School of Architecture, Design and the Built Environment.

Participating students will submit ideas for a number of projects including designing a free-standing changing room, a handbag-sized atomiser that captures the ethos of the Rose fragrance, producing images which encapsulate the brand, inspire designs for surface patterns or image-orientated products, or to provide creative display solutions for socks, ties and scarves.

Peter Westland, dean of the school of architecture, design and the built environment, said: “The students have such a wonderful experience working on this type of project.

“Sir Paul Smith and his colleagues have been a pleasure to work with in setting-up and organising the design project with the academic staff here. We are anticipating great results as our students are just full of ideas and design talent.’’ 

The designer opened his first boutique in Nottingham in 1970 and runs an annual international scholarship exchange scheme, giving postgraduate students from NTU and two Japanese institutions a unique opportunity to develop and broaden their design skills.

Students, who can work individually or collaboratively across courses, will span programmes covering interior architecture and design, product design, fashion, knitwear and textiles, photography, fine art, decorative arts, graphic design and marketing.

They will be required to submit their proposals by May. A winner from each category will then be selected by a judging panel to be considered for development into production, depending on viability, or to be displayed in-store. Winners will also receive a cash prize.

For more on the projects visit NTU or Paul Smith.