Kingston fashion graduates shortlisted for Global Creative Graduate Showcase

Four Kingston University fashion graduates have been nominated for a prestigious award that celebrates emerging creative talent on the world stage. The Arts Thread Global Creative Graduate Showcase represents the world's largest online platform for emerging creative talent, attracting more than 5,000 graduating creatives from 600 institutions across 100 countries this year.

From reimagining camouflage through a feminine lens to exploring the hidden histories embedded in vintage garments, Francesca Allman, Holly Crawley, Isabelle Jackson and Poppy Pritchard-Booth have captured the attention of leading industry experts with collections that challenge conventions and push creative boundaries. Their shortlisting for the Global Creative Graduate Showcase 2025 places them among an elite cohort of designers competing on one of fashion's most visible global platforms for emerging talent.

This year's shortlisted graduates each bring distinctive creative voices to the showcase. Holly Crawley, 23, from London, presented Mischievous Concealment, a collection that reimagines traditional camouflage through feminine silhouettes, exploring the tension between visibility and concealment in a contemporary, cosmopolitan context. Since graduating, she has launched her career as a Fabric Sourcing Specialist at London Contour Experts.

Francesca Allman, 23, from Dorset, drew inspiration from historical images of men working at sea for her collection She at Sea. Taking cues from uniforms, functional design and hidden details, she created a dynamic womenswear collection rich with colour and texture. She is set to start a role as Graduate Assistant Designer in womenswear at Dewhirst, where she will design and manufacture for multiple fashion brands.

Poppy Pritchard-Booth, 23, from Bath, created Dear Lisa, a deeply personal collection serving as a quiet tribute to her mother. Blending 90s New Age Traveller influences with earthy textures and time-worn silhouettes, the collection captures her mother's endless strength and spirit. Based in London, she is currently interning while developing her personal practice. 

Isabelle Jackson, 22, from Oxford, explored themes of memory and resilience in Sentinel Patina, a collection celebrating the hidden histories within vintage and second-hand garments. She merged delicate early 20th-century lingerie with structured mid-century military wear, using materials including sand-washed silk, chiffon, repurposed military canvas and soft leather. Since graduating, Isabelle has secured a position at Victoria Beckham, having previously interned at the brand.

David Frizzell, Head of the Fashion BA course at Kingston School of Art, emphasised the institution's forward-thinking approach to fashion education and its integration of Future Skills. “The course prepares students to lead rather than follow industry trends. The shift to fashion initiating rather than responding to a changing industry is live and our students respond to challenges with a competitive drive that gets them noticed, which stems from our approach to developing both creative and technical excellence,” he said.

Frizzell highlighted how Kingston University’s sector-leading Future Skills initiative is woven throughout the curriculum. “Future perspectives, such as fashion design accountability are linked to our Future Skills development," he explained. “Students benefit from cutting-edge digital practices including true-to-life 3D garment simulation and specification, alongside smart technologies in production such as computerised knitting and laser-cutting. After graduating they are industry ready with an informed understanding of the value of the co-existence of subject excellence and the future skills required able to work at some of the best fashion houses in the world."

This latest achievement continues an impressive track record for Kingston School of Art at the Art Thread awards. In 2023, Ruby Johnston won the sustainable fashion category with her collection Under New Skies, while Becky Wong triumphed in urban sportswear with her Puma BHM competition-winning entry F-I-L-L-I-N-G S-P-A-C-E. That same year saw five Kingston students reach the finals, and in 2022, Emily Clarke secured victory in the sport and denim category.

Katie Dominy, co-founder of Arts Thread, emphasised the transformative impact such recognition can have on emerging designers. "Young designers need recognition such as the Global Creative Graduate Showcase, as it helps to build a robust CV which then leads to further success and opportunities," she said. "The Kingston nominees are all from the Fashion and Textiles categories which demonstrates the strength of teaching in this subject at Kingston, with nominees in Formalwear and Couture, Street and Casualwear and Textiles."

• The winners will be announced on Friday, 31 October.
• Find out more about studying Fashion BA Hons at Kingston University.