University of Derby textile design student, Emily Rose Cornthwaite, from Cockermouth, Cumbria has won a prestigious David Nieper scholarship – the first-ever scholarship awarded to a University of Derby student by the British fashion house.

Presented in front of over five hundred students and their families at the University of Derby’s graduate fashion show at Derby Theatre, Emily was awarded her scholarship trophy and £1,000 prize money by Christopher Nieper, Managing Director of David Nieper.

To win the scholarship, Emily battled it out against her fellow final-year textile design students to design a ‘Made in Britain’ fabric range. Emily’s designs stood out for their classic British styling, beautiful textures and elegance. Her technical expertise and natural flair for design helped her create a stunning array of fabrics.Fellow textile student Emily Rose Middleton and fashion student Chantelle Cassidy both received a highly commended award and £250 in prize money presented by Christopher Nieper.

As well as walking away with the prestigious scholarship prize, Emily joined her fellow shortlisted students on a visit to David Nieper, based in Alfreton, Derbyshire, to gain valuable behind the scenes experience with a company that has been designing and manufacturing luxury women’s fashion since 1961.

Christopher Nieper, Managing Director of David Nieper, said: “This scholarship will help open doors and career opportunities for Emily in the highly competitive fashion industry, and it is great to reward such a talent from the University of Derby . By working closely with the University of Derby, we hope to inspire the next generation to work in and champion Made in Britain fashion.”

Winner Emily commented:

“It is such an honour to have been awarded this scholarship and have my work recognised by such an established and esteemed British brand as David Nieper. A big thank-you to the team at David Nieper for both the award and for the visit to your factory in Alfreton which was an amazing experience.”

Dean of the College of Arts, Huw Davies commented:

“All of our students have worked tremendously hard and displayed a wealth of talent and exceptional design skills. Congratulations to our winner and runners up. We would also to thank the team at David Nieper for their ongoing support and encouragement to our students, the Made in Britain campaign will leave a lasting impression and give a boost to their future careers.”