PRESS RELEASE - NCAD Student Caoimhe Hill wins River Island bursary worth €3,500
National College of Art and Design (NCAD) final year fashion design student, Caoimhe Hill, has today (30.03.17) been announced as the winner of the 2017 River Island NCAD Fashion Design Bursary.
The announcement was made at a special event hosted by River Island at the Residence Members Club, St Stephen’s Green, Dublin 2.
Caoimhe, aged 21, from Kinsale, Co. Cork, will receive a bursary of €3,500 and will be offered a three month paid internship in River Island’s design studio in London.
This is the fourteenth year of the River Island Bursary which offers final year fashion design students at the National College of Art and Design the chance to win a paid internship at the company’s cutting edge design studio in London. The highly sought after bursary provides the winning graduate with an invaluable first step into the tough and challenging commercial fashion world. Past winners have seen their designs sold in River Island stores worldwide.
This year River Island asked the NCAD students to create a capsule collection for River Island’s Spring Summer 2017 range. Portfolios of designs submitted by NCAD students were judged by Lucy Moller, River Island Design Controller.
Speaking at today’s announcement, Lucy Moller commented, “The River Island Bursary will always be important to me as it launched my fashion career 11 years ago. Our industry thrives on fresh ideas and it is fantastic to give NCAD graduates the chance to come to our design studio and become part of our cutting edge design team. We are delighted to be amongst the first to witness and embrace the emergence of some of Ireland’s brightest new stars in the fashion industry.”
Caoimhe’s winning collection is designed for the adventurous city girl who wants comfort and glamour. The glamping inspired dress fuses functionality with fashion. The nylon dress has gathered sections with a macramé strap and a front slit to create a dramatic look.
Also speaking at today’s announcement, Angela O’Kelly, NCAD Head of Design for Body and Environment said, "The ongoing support of River Island is central to the activities of the Fashion area at NCAD. Each year the River Island project advances skill sets in the students, developing knowledge and expertise in key areas of innovative high street fashion design. The Bursary and placement in the River Island design studios in London offer invaluable experience for our graduates and a superb launch pad into the fashion industry."
The bursary, which was first launched in 2004, has proved to be extremely successful for aspiring fashion designers at studying at NCAD, with the majority of past winners having gone on to become full time members of the 100 strong River Island design team. River Island is dedicated to employing talented young fashion graduates and through the NCAD bursary in Ireland they continue to fulfill this promise.
ENDS
Contact: David O’Donnell, DHR Communications, 01-4200580 / 086-1081139
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About NCAD
The National College of Art and Design occupies a unique position in art and design education in Ireland. It offers the largest range of Art and Design degrees in the State at undergraduate and postgraduate level, and is the only Irish university institution specialising in Art and Design. NCAD has over 1,100 full-time students and a further 450 students who take award and non-award bearing part-time classes. Further information is available at www.ncad.ie
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