From pioneering new methods of fashion-making and design to using creativity to bring forward social change, the creative minds of our honoraries have changed the world for the better.
This year’s list of honoraries include some of the world’s leading artists, including Florence Welch of Florence + the Machine, designer Kim Jones OBE and rapper, producer and activist M.I.A. MBE.
We’re proud to share that most of the 15 world-leading creative figures were able to join us for this year’s graduation ceremonies at the Royal Festival Hall, which took place in July 2022.
Joining London College of Fashion for their graduation ceremony, upon receiving her award Brenda Emmanus told the audience:
“It’s an extraordinary validation for what I’ve always been motivated to be and that’s a champion of the arts and those that create it.”
She continues:
“I think we’ve all been shaken and stirred not just by how the arts has been decimated by the pandemic over the last couple of years, but everything else that has been going on around us on a global scale. It would be so easy to be more Eeyore than Winnie the Pooh about it all, because I strongly believe that it’s just a reset. It’s a chance for all of us to reappraise what’s important, what we should value, what we should fight for, and you guys sitting in front of us from here are what I see as hope.”
The careers of our honoraries serve as a testament to our belief in the arts to drive positive change, achieve social justice and enrich our everyday lives. During the July ceremonies, our honoraries shared their final words of encouragement and hope with our graduates before sending them off to start their creative futures:
“The essentialness of art can never be denied. It is a lifesaving force, capable of making sense of the senseless and expressing the unexpressable. Please never forget that as you move out into the world that needs artists now more than ever.” - Florence Welch
James Purnell, Vice-Chancellor and President of UAL, echoed Welch’s sentiments: “We believe the world needs creativity. We are living through an era of great uncertainty, and it is only through our creative endeavour, that we can change the world. Each of our honoraries are doing just that, whether through art, fashion, design or performance, this year’s recipients represent the leading figures in our creative industries.”
Please join us in congratulating this year’s honorary doctors and fellows at UAL:
- Amanda Berry OBE: Chief Executive of The Royal Foundation, London College of Communication
- Anab Jain: Co-founder of the award-winning studio Superflux, one of the first studios to pioneer speculative design, critical foresight, design fiction and experiential futures for businesses, London College of Communication
- Anna Maria Maiolino: One of the most influential artists working in Brazil today, exploring universal themes of fragility, hunger, migration, motherhood, resistance, love, and longing for something lost, Chelsea College of Arts
- Brenda Emmanus OBE: Award winning arts broadcaster and presenter of the recent BBC2 Royal Academy Summer Exhibition series, London College of Fashion
- Florence Welch: Lead singer of multiple Grammy and Brit award winning band Florence and the Machine, Camberwell College of Arts
- Glen Matlock: Musician, singer and songwriter and one of the founding members of the Sex Pistols, Central Saint Martins
- Humberto Campana: Iconic furniture designer and co-founder of Estudio Campana, Central Saint Martins
- Iris van Herpen: Award-winning Dutch haute couturier and a pioneer in using 3D printing as a garment construction technique, London College of Fashion
- Keng Sen Ong: Singaporean theatre director who is known around the world for his innovative approach to performance and theatre making, Wimbledon College of Arts
- Kim Jones OBE: Fashion Designer and Artistic Director for Dior Men’s and Fendi Womenswear and Couture, Camberwell College of Arts and Central Saint Martins alum
- Melanie Keen: Visionary Director of Wellcome Collection, Chelsea College of Arts
- M.I.A.: Musician, producer and activist, Central Saint Martins alum
- Natalie Brett: Former International Pro-Vice-Chancellor and Head of London College of Communication, London College of Communication
- Rupert Sanderson: Luxury footwear designer whose work has been worn by royalty and Oscar winners, London College of Fashion
- Dr Shahidul Alam: Photographer, journalist, teacher, curator and human rights activist from Dhaka in Bangladesh, London College of Communication