The first David Nieper Student Fashion Competition attracted entries from all over the UK for the chance to win a paid internship in the Nieper design studio and workshops at Alfreton, Derbyshire.
The competition asked the students to design a quality five piece collection for a woman over 45 to buy either online or mail order. The students were also expected to produce a marketing strategy and plan. The winner, Charlotte Bryan from Sleaford, has just completed her BA in Fashion Studies at the University of Lincoln. She will take up her internship in September 2010, working alongside Julie Stone, daywear designer at David Nieper.
Currently David Nieper designs and manufactures lingerie, nightwear and separates for women aged 60 plus. Customers are drawn from the UK and across Europe, and perhaps most notably France and the Parisians!
Judges were Christopher Nieper, Managing Director of David Nieper Ltd, the Duchess of Devonshire and Juliet Williams, Director of the David Nieper Fashion Academy. They selected four students from a large number of entrants for a 24 hour intensive judging day.
They spent their day at David Nieper’s studio and workshops in Alfreton Derbyshire talking through their designs, meeting staff, touring the company’s facilities and customer services and undertaking two assessment projects
Runner-up Kayleigh Archibald, is a student of Fashion Design at Gray’s School of Art, Robert Gordon University, Aberdeen. She lives in Orkney and receives a cheque for £1000. Nancy Mitchinson, from Heriot Watt School of Textiles and Design in Edinburgh, and Elyzzabeth Beswick, studying Contour Fashion at DeMontfort University, were the other finalists.
Christopher Nieper launched the competition in July 2009 and is delighted by the response, “We are an ambitious company looking for enterprising and creative people. More than that, we are keen to see fashion manufacturing return to the UK and the East Midlands in particular. The standard of entries has shown us just how much raw talent awaits us”.
Charlotte Bryan said “A career in fashion is my passion. I love designing and then seeing the finished product emerge.
“My day at David Nieper showed me just how essential team work and customer service are in a mail order and on line business. Nieper customers really appreciate both the personal service they enjoy and fact that these clothes are manufactured in Great Britain.
“This internship will give me an insight into all aspects of the business and a unique opportunity to learn new skills.”
