Everyone makes their mark - CSM Shows 2026

Inspired by the imprint each project carries of its maker, this year's CSM Shows identity reveals the powerful connection between creator, material, and world.

The winning concept was designed and created by Margot Ebzant, Carly Roby, Ellie Sharland and Misha Sofil, BA Graphic Communication Design, Central Saint Martins, 2026.

Meet the makers behind the CSM Shows 2026 identity

How did you come together as a group?

Two of us (Misha and Carly) had worked on commercial projects in the past, involving illustration and animation. We enjoyed working together and thought that pitching for the show identity would be a great opportunity to do so again. We knew that Margot and Ellie had a lot of experience with branding and identities, and they’re both close friends of ours, which made coming together as a group feel both easy and exciting. It’s also extra convenient that three of us live together. Misha is our honorary flatmate.

Tell us a bit about the concept behind the identity this year

The concept behind this year’s show identity is to highlight the students’ creative process and the traces they leave behind during their time at Central Saint Martins. We were drawn to thumbprints as they are both deeply individual but also universally shared. More importantly, we see fingerprints as a form of a ‘human trace’. It’s something we naturally leave behind when we make and interact with things. In the context of CSM, we felt it would be a fitting way to highlight the people behind the work, as well as the effort and process that often goes unseen. By combining the fingerprint with three distinct ways of mark-making, our aim was to reflect the various paths students take with their work during their time at CSM.

Why did it feel important to focus on this?

The idea of centring the people for this year’s identity felt important given our current environment. With the rise of social media and technology, creations tend to be separated from creators. Our aim was therefore to bridge that gap, celebrating the graduating individuals of Central Saint Martins. Like a fingerprint accidentally left on a sketchbook page, we wanted to highlight the beauty behind messiness and experimentation, evidencing our humanity and work.

What’s one thing you want people to take from show identity this year?

Central Saint Martins is a space where diverse practitioners and creative practices coexist. Our identity reflects this by creating a space that celebrates both the student body and the work they produce, focusing on the traces and marks left behind in the creative process. We hope that graduating students feel represented and celebrated for their work, and that they can celebrate all parts of their learning journey.

Ultimately, we would like people to come away with the sense that identity celebrates not just the individual students and their work, but the community they form together.

What are you excited about for this year’s shows?

We are most looking forward to seeing the identity come alive in the final show and how people will react to it! Because it focuses on mark-making and traces, we wanted to incorporate an interactive element that invites visitors to participate and leave their own mark. It will be an exciting opportunity for everyone who visits to become part of the identity itself, and in turn, part of the Central Saint Martins' community.

What have you learned so far from working together?

As previously mentioned, we came together because we were all close friends and had never worked together as a group before. As cliche as it may sound, this project strengthened our friendship and we learnt to work together in a fun environment, thanks to the guidance and support of Will and Houman. Moreover, we all have very little experience working in professional settings. Working closely with other departments of UAL, it was extremely insightful collaborating with different professionals, slowly seeing our designs come to fruition.

Where can people find more of your work? (feel free to plug your socials or websites if you wish)

People can find us via our Instagram accounts/our websites:

@eleanorsharland

@croobic / Carlyroby.cargo.site

@m_sh_s_f_l

@margot_ebzant

Ellie, Carly, Misha and Margot were supported on this project by Will Bindley Houman Momtazian. We would like to thank the entire team for their work delivering the CSM Shows 2026 identity.