From furniture to fashion - student's innovative designs win industry prize

The fashion industry has one of the biggest footprints on the environment, producing an estimated 10 per cent of all global carbon emissions.

So when Contour Fashion student Funmi Ogundimu was looking for inspiration for her final collection designs, she knew she wanted it to be sustainable. And she found the perfect material in an old leather sofa that had been in her family for years.

The leather from that sofa became an integral part of her designs in her final collection – and helped her win an award from the Worshipful Company of Curriers after wowing judges with not only the design but her focus on reducing environmental impact.

The Curriers is one of the ancient livery companies in London and dates from 1272. It celebrates the craft of the currier, a specialist in the leather industry who prepares and finishes the material after the tanning process. This year was the first time that the company had come to DMU to see students’ work and present the Skin Innovation Award.

    

“I’m just in shock to have won the Curriers award,” said Funmi. “There are so many talented people at DMU whose work is beautiful so to be chosen was such an honour.”

Funmi was awarded £1,000 prize from judge Master Currier Ian Michel who said: “I’ve been extremely impressed by the standard of work the five finalists presented to the judges, not just the quality of the designs but also their knowledge of leather as a material.”

On choosing the winner, Funmi Ogundimu, Ian said: “It was a very difficult decision to make, but the judges felt inspired, not just by the design, but also Funmi’s own background story and the fact that she has upcycled an old family sofa into several of her designs, highlighting her knowledge of circularity, which is one of the crucial advantages leather has over many other alternatives.

“The Curriers are committed to promoting leather as a beautiful, sustainable and environmentally-friendly design material to students across all faculties and this desire is clearly also shared by the university.”

Funmi, who last week saw her designs showcased to industry as part of DMU’s Contour Fashion catwalk, said she had always loved working with leather as a design material.

She said: “I knew walking in to the course in my first year I would be working with leather in my final collection. I love working with it because it’s so tactile and you have to be precise and it gives you such a strong look.”

Funmi is due to graduate in September and says her time at DMU has been “incredible”. She said: “There are so many ‘favourite’ things – in no particular order the facilities we have are amazing. I can be printing silk scarves in one area while my friend is 3d printing or doing metalwork.

“The lecturers and the technical staff are amazing. They are so supportive I could not have done half the things I have done without them. The course is fantastic, and I have made friends for life.”