Students unveil garments for annual Textiles Award

February 26, 2026

HND Textiles students presented handmade designs at Trinity Hall on 11 February, as part of an award in collaboration with the Aberdeen Tailors Incorporation.

Established in 2024, the Tailors’ Professional Development Award challenges students to create garment collections following a specific theme. This year, teams of students were encouraged to explore Aberdeen’s historic Trades to inspire their collections.

Eighty guests including family and friends attended the ceremony, where they were able to view the students’ work on display. Members of the Aberdeen Tailors Incorporation served as judges, selecting the team inspired by the Wrights and Coopers as this year’s winners.

David N. Parkinson, Deacon, the Aberdeen Tailors Incorporation, said:

“Once again, our judges were impressed by the high calibre of garments produced by NESCol students.

“The ceremony continues to establish itself as an important fixture in our calendar, not only as a celebration of creativity, but also as an opportunity to establish strong links between the Incorporation and the next generation of designers.

“The award forms part of our wider commitment to support local education and encourage students as they embark on further study and careers within the creative industries.

“We look forward to continuing our partnership with NESCol for many years to come.”

Deacon Parkinson also visited Aberdeen City Campus on 18 February to present the winning group with their certificates and prizes.

Fiona Shanks, Maisie Gibson and Michelle Zommere each created their own outfit, but worked together to ensure they produced a cohesive team collection based around the Wrights and Coopers – the term once used to describe those in the joinery trade.

Maisie Gibson with Deacon Parkinson.

Fiona Shanks with Deacon Parkinson.

Michelle Zommere with Deacon Parkinson.

Textiles Lecturer, Laura Cameron, has played a key role in helping to set up the award.

She said: “The HND Textiles class has worked extremely hard on their garments. The students spent the first term researching, designing and producing their collections, finally displaying their finished pieces in Trinity Hall.

“This experience is extremely beneficial to our students, giving them the valuable opportunity to work to a brief, collaborate with the local industry, and have their work seen by the public.

“The students should be incredibly proud of their final designs and the effort they put into the project. We are grateful to the Aberdeen Tailors Incorporation and the Seven Trades for their continued support of NESCol.”