Five Gold Awards for LCF MA Fashion Artefact Graduates at Prestigious Goldsmiths’ Awards
- Written byLondon College of Fashion
- Published date 17 March 2026
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The School of Design and Technology, London College of Fashion, celebrates traditional craft whilst embracing technological change. One course within its portfolio, MA Fashion Artefact, is recognised by industry leaders for its innovative approach to recontextualising fashion products and provoking new design narratives. With an ethos of pushing boundaries through a multidisciplinary approach that merges art, design and fashion, our students have the freedom to challenge conventional ideas of fashion through material exploration, craftsmanship and conceptual design.
This week, the talent developed on the course was recognised when two MA Fashion Artefact graduates were awarded a remarkable five Gold Awards between them for work produced during their studies at the prestigious Goldsmiths’ Craftsmanship and Design Awards.
Chuqi Cheng, who is graduating later this year, received three Gold Awards. 2023 graduate, Yimin Jin, won two Gold Awards. Both were recognised for pieces from their final Master’s collections, designed and made during their time at London College of Fashion.
Chuqi Cheng received Gold Awards in the categories of Conceptual Jewellery, Horn + Polymers and Creative Innovation. Yimin Jin received Gold Awards in Conceptual Jewellery and Creative Innovation.
We caught up with them both to discuss their time on the course, their winning collections, and advice for future students.
Chuqi Cheng
What attracted you to MA Fashion Artefact at LCF, and how has the course helped shape your approach to design?
What first drew me to study MA Fashion Artefact at London College of Fashion was the course’s open understanding of what an artefact can be. Here, fashion design is understood as a way of thinking and building connections through concepts, materials, structures, iteration, and the process of making. This approach strongly resonated with my interest in craft, culture, and material exploration.
My experience studying Fashion Artefact reshaped the way I think and work. I gradually became aware of the ethical dimension of making and the behavior of materials themselves. Through repeated material testing, structural experimentation, and continuous adjustments during the making process, my design approach shifted from pursuing a predetermined outcome to understanding making as a way of thinking and material as a form of language.
How did it feel to receive Gold Awards at the Goldsmiths' Craftsmanship and Design Awards?
Receiving Gold Awards at the Goldsmiths’ Craftsmanship & Design Awards was both a surprise and a very meaningful recognition for me.
During the making of these works, I invested a great deal of time in material experimentation, structural testing, and handcrafting. Much of this process was slow and challenging, requiring me to constantly face failure, revise ideas, and begin again. When the work was recognized by professional judges, what I felt was not only honor, but also encouragement for the persistence required in long-term craft practice.
Could you tell us a bit about the inspiration behind your award-winning work?
My award-winning work comes from the fourth piece in my graduate series Medium, Paradox, Era. The project explores contradictions between material, time, and cultural belief through contemporary fashion artefacts, with structural exploration and craft as its central medium. It emerged from my reflections on tensions within my hometown’s Daur community, where cultural contradictions intersect with contemporary consumerism. By assembling materials with different characteristics through cold connections, the work allows these tensions to remain visible and tangible.
In this piece, I combine silver, ox horn, deer antler, and dark ebony, joined seamlessly through an original cold-connection structure that I designed. This system depends on precise structural tension, carving accuracy, and carefully calculated assembly relationships.
This method of making is not only a technical choice but also a conceptual expression. The differences, tensions, and conflicts between materials are preserved rather than concealed. In this way, the artefact becomes a medium through which contradictions between different eras, cultures, and craft traditions can be reflected—revealing an ongoing paradox of our time.
What advice would you give to prospective students thinking about MA Fashion Artefact?
MA Fashion Artefact has been one of the most transformative journeys in my life. If I were to give advice to prospective students, there are two things I believe are most important:
First, do not rush to search for a fixed outcome. Instead, give yourself time to understand and explore materials through continuous practice. Many important ideas emerge gradually during experimentation and making, rather than being fully defined at the beginning. Second, do not give up on deep exploration. Be persistent in pursuing better possibilities. In this process, we are not only refining our work, but also refining ourselves and gaining a deeper understanding of who we are.
To be honest, this course has felt like a family to me. We support, help, and encourage each other constantly. It is a place full of innovative experimentation and interdisciplinary thinking. This course encourages openness, allowing materials, craft, and chance to influence the design process.
Yimin Jin
What attracted you to MA Fashion Artefact at LCF, and how has the course helped shape your approach to design?
My previous studies sparked a deep interest in material properties and the metaphors they carry. To me, materials are a powerful form of communication — they express what words cannot. I want my work to speak for me. When I discovered MA Fashion Artefact at LCF, I saw that many graduates' work embodied exactly this quality, which is why I chose the course.
Unit 1 pushed me to experiment extensively with materials. We were encouraged to create numerous samples, step outside our comfort zones, and embrace the unfamiliar. Through repeated material explorations, I discovered a material derived from eggs. As I became more involved in exploring it, the texture began to evolve, becoming smoother and harder. My understanding of its properties also grew. I envisioned incorporating this egg material into fashion artefacts.
How did it feel to receive Gold Awards at the Goldsmiths' Craftsmanship and Design Awards?
Unfortunately, I couldn't attend the ceremony in person, so I watched the livestream on YouTube.
When my name was announced, I burst into tears. It's hard to describe that moment — everything felt like a dream. Then, incredibly, I heard my name a second time. This experience has given me so much.
Could you tell us a bit about the inspiration behind your award-winning work?
This project is inspired by the metaphor of rebirth brought about by the hero's epiphany, Emil Sinclair, in the literary work Demian by German writer Hermann Hesse.
"The bird fights its way out of the egg. The egg is the world. Whoever will be born must destroy the world."
This work uses eggs as material and design elements. The egg, the egg hammer, the egg box — these elements explore how individuals are constantly deconstructed and reconstructed, changing through conflict.
What advice would you give to prospective students thinking about MA Fashion Artefact?
This course is incredibly powerful. It emphasises craftsmanship, refined finishes, and conceptual depth. We are guided by Naomi, who cares for every student. The output here is wonderfully diverse — fine art, sculpture, jewellery, accessories — you can pursue almost anything you imagine.
You will push your boundaries through repeated experimentation and making. Keep experimenting, keep questioning, and search for what you truly want to express.
When you feel something is "good enough," ask yourself: "Have I done enough? Could one more experiment take this further?" With this course's strong team behind you, you can achieve what you set out to make.
What advice would you give to prospective students thinking about MA Fashion Artefact?
This course is incredibly powerful. It emphasises craftsmanship, refined finishes, and conceptual depth. We are guided by Naomi, who cares for every student. The output here is wonderfully diverse — fine art, sculpture, jewellery, accessories — you can pursue almost anything you imagine.
You will push your boundaries through repeated experimentation and making. Keep experimenting, keep questioning, and search for what you truly want to express.
When you feel something is "good enough," ask yourself: "Have I done enough? Could one more experiment take this further?" With this course's strong team behind you, you can achieve what you set out to make.
- Learn more about MA Fashion Artefact
- Browse student work on the UAL Showcase