Design legend, Sir Paul Smith presented the prestigious Texprint prizes to this year’s winners at Indigo, part of the Paris Premiere Vision Pluriel event in Paris, last week.  

The greatest showcase of the very best new textile designers entering the market place, Texprint is responsible for discovering some of the fashion industries' best kept secrets.  Set up 37 years ago as an arm of the Design Council, to help British-trained textile graduates start their careers, today the event is supported by an impressive host of companies, trusts and charities.

Sir Paul Smith remarked: "Texprint is a great way of getting new graduate textile designers some exposure and getting their work seen by the people in London and Paris who can actually do something about it."

 Major sponsors include Burberry, Jaeger, Marks & Spencer, Diane Von Furstenberg and Como Unione Industriale with additional support from Paul Smith and Donna Karen and many others.  Newly added names for 2008 include Hobbs, Issa, Jigsaw, Nathan Jenden and Holland and Sherry. Without them, the not-for-profit Texprint, would simply not happen.

This year's winners were carefully selected from the 24 Texprint star designers, by a panel of expert judges.  Competition for a place at Texprint is stiff; each designer goes through a rigorous selection process and is interviewed by panels of professional designers from over 200 applicants from BA and MA textile design courses nationwide.  This year’s designers have already achieved considerable success with commissions, following the exhibition’s launch at First View in London, from Calvin Klein, Liberty Fabrics, DesignZamis, Forest Digital, Paul Smith and Guy Goodfellow Interiors.  All 24 designers are to be congratulated for achieving success and are a true representation of the best talent produced by the UK this year. 

Winners 2008

Print Prize - Hannah Jefferies, selected by Diane von Furstenberg, prize donated by Liberty Fabric. 

Breaking New Ground - Helen Stark, selected by Roland Mouret, prize donated by WGSN. 

Colour Prize - Eleanor Feddon, selected by Nathan Jenden, prize donated by Pantone Europe. 

Knit Prize - Ella Jade, selected by Anna Maria Fuzzi, Director, Fuzzi SpA, prize donated by Scottish Enterprise – Textiles. 

Interior Fashion Prize - Victoria Shepherd, selected by Bryan Dicker, president Holland & Sherry Interiors, prize donated by Holland & Sherry. 

Weave Prize  - Elizabeth Jones, selected by Angela Swan, International Design Consultant, prize donated by The Woolmark Company. 

The winner’s will each receive £750 and the opportunity to exhibit their work in Hong Kong as part of the Interstoff Asia Essential Exhibition in October.