Katie Ann McGuigan who graduated from the BA (Hons) Fashion Design course in 2016 has been announced as the winner of the 2017 MittelModa competition in Italy. The Jury, headed by Matteo Marzotto, President of International Lab of Mittelmoda, awarded Katie the Absolute Prize For The Most Creative Collection.
Created in 1993, Mittelmoda is one of the oldest and most respected international fashion competitions for young talents. Her prize was given by Mittelmoda International Lab and Camera Nazionale della Moda Italiana with the contribution of the main sponsor Lectra.
Over 600 art and design schools in more than 55 counties - belonging to the extended network of contacts built and consolidated by Mittelmoda International Lab in over 24 years of activity – entered the competition. This participation confirms the role of the privileged observatory on the international creativity that the MittelModa Lab has been developing during the 24 years of the contest with the support of industry partners including Lectra, and The Woolmark Company.
Katie who last year also won the Fashion Scout Merit Award and debuted at London Fashion Week in February, was in Italy to pick up her new prize this week.
Katie said: "Showing six looks from my AW17 collection in Milan at Mittelmoda was an incredible honour. The press, judges and everyone involved gave great feedback, resulting in my win of the most Creative Collection award, which I am thrilled about. I am extremely grateful for the support from Westminster and especially Andrew Groves, enabling me to create my collections and continuing to be ambitious with my future work."
McGuigan was born in Ireland but moved to London to study fashion at Westminster. She gained invaluable experience while on the course by working for MCQ in London and Marc Jacobs in New York, designing prints for both menswear and womenswear collections as well working on embroidery and embellishment placements for their collections.
Katie Ann Mcguigan is currently working on her next collection which will be shown at LFW in September.