This summer marks a significant milestone for New Designers as it celebrates its 40th anniversary, underscoring its enduring role as a vital launchpad for the UK’s brightest creative talents. Since its inception in 1985, the showcase has provided an indispensable platform for emerging designers across a wide spectrum of disciplines—including fashion, furniture, textiles, illustration, ceramics, and more—offering early glimpses of the future voices and visions shaping the creative industry.

The 2025 edition of New Designers, hosted once again at the Business Design Centre in Islington, London, is scheduled over two consecutive weeks: Week 1 from 2 to 5 July and Week 2 from 9 to 12 July. Bringing together more than 2,500 graduates from all over the UK, this event is far more than a mere exhibition. It acts as a dynamic space for connection, visibility, and momentum, where design studios, recruiters, and industry leaders scout for new talent while graduates have the opportunity to put forward their unique perspectives, test their creative voices, and build networks with peers and professionals on a national stage.

Distinct themes characterise each week of the event, with Week 1 focusing on sectors such as Fashion & Costume, Contemporary Design Crafts, Textiles, Ceramics, Glass, and Jewellery & Precious Metalwork. Week 2 shifts the spotlight onto Furniture, Product Design, Industrial & Spatial Design, Graphic Design, Illustration & Animation, Motion & Digital Arts, and Game Design. This thoughtful division not only highlights the diversity of contemporary design disciplines but also allows visitors and industry insiders to engage more deeply with each sector’s innovative contributions.

The 2025 showcase stands out for its prominence in addressing current cultural shifts in values, technologies, and aesthetics. Many participating graduates bring forward bold and confident ideas, often underpinned by a strong focus on sustainability—a theme that has increasingly permeated the design world in response to urgent environmental concerns. This emphasis reflects a generational shift towards socially and environmentally conscious creativity, highlighting how new designers are shaping the future of the industry with ethical responsibility as a core principle.

Tickets for New Designers 2025 will be available from spring, with a range of options including day tickets, multi-day passes, concession tickets, and school group bookings. Advance booking is recommended to ensure smooth entry, and children under 14 can attend free of charge. As a well-established cornerstone event in the UK’s creative calendar, New Designers continues to be a launchpad where emerging talents meet opportunity, fostering collaboration and innovation across the creative sector.

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Source: Noah Wire Services