Run in collaboration with the Worshipful Company of Cordwainers, the awards recognise both creative talent and commercial potential. Open to students on Cordwainers Footwear and Accessories courses at London College of Fashion (LCF), UAL, they help ease financial pressure and support students in realising their final major projects.
We caught up with Natasha to learn more about her collection — which fuses craft, architecture and modular design — and to hear what this recognition means for her journey as a designer.
How did you feel when you found out that you had won?
My intuition was telling me that I might win. Of course, I wasn’t entirely sure, but I was very happy when I found out that I had. In that moment, I was actually at home still working on my project because I had some final things to finish before the final submission. When I saw the email, I hit the table, shouted “Yes!” and simply carried on working.
Can you tell us more about your winning project?
It’s a contemporary collection with bags and other accessories, such as sunglasses and jewellery pieces made from wood. Mainly focusing on the craft, I had designed the items in a way that would allow them to interconnect. For example, a bag handle could also turn into a necklace, so the clients can buy the separate pieces and make them work together.
My inspiration has always been architecture, especially mid-20th century style. I looked at the way they would mix different materials together, hence the combination of leather and wood in my own pieces. It was also a business idea to do the interconnected accessories, because I had done a lot of research about how brands create their sales strategy.
What was the most challenging part of doing this project?
I have to work in order to study, so trying to have a healthy and socially filled life when you work three to four days a week, then come into university full-time, and do sports as a hobby on the side was the most challenging part.
What was the best part about doing this project?
I love being here, at East Bank, and I like spending my time working on a piece. It’s just the stress of life that sometimes takes over, because everyone has different facilities in their lives. I don’t have the facility of having a family here who gives me money, so it was very stressful in that sense, but when I’m here, I feel at peace.
What do you think made your design stand out?
What I’m bringing to the market — a new way of seeing fashion items as pieces of art that you can put on a table in your house but also take outside and wear. You give value by putting so much effort in a piece that is crafted, handmade, and has so many details. My collection is very sculptural, and when you bring an item that is very different, in a way, you take the rest of the things out of the market. It’s not just a square bag that is being sold everywhere, it’s more than that. That’s what brings value — it’s not a piece you will throw away in a couple of years.
What was it like to be recognised by a someone as established as Jimmy Choo?
It's nice when you’ve been working for so many years and have put so much time and effort into something that you’re not sure will happen. To have another designer who has created such a big fashion house recognise your work makes me believe that I can be part of that world, too.
How has this achievement shaped your confidence or ambitions as a designer?
Now I feel closer to working for a big fashion brand, and working in luxury as a designer is what I aspire to do. I’ve been given so many tips, such as you having to knock on doors and working for your dreams, but I always felt a little bit unsure. It’s not like you get instant confidence — I don’t know if anyone ever achieves that — but I know how to put in the work to get it done and that it will happen at some point.
What do you plan to do with the £1,000 cash prize?
It’s very expensive to buy a machine that would sew leather properly, but I was thinking of buying one to have in my house. I’m not sure whether to use this money to buy more materials, make a small capsule collection, and sell it somewhere. I need to find the resources first and that will help me decide what the best use for the prize will be. I could also use the money for marketing, for example, hire a photographer to take some nice pictures or someone to take care of social media.
Finally, what’s next for you in your journey? What are your ambitions and plans?
There are so many possibilities that I'm thinking of. I could either stay in London and look for a job while building my own brand and collaborating with other artists. Or, I could also go to Paris and work for a big luxury brand. Working in fashion is my ambition but so is simply being happy.