Warner Textiles Archive live brief

Designs by Monique Martins

Fashion Design students gain industry experience creating original prints

As an ARU BA (Hons) Fashion Design student, you’ll have opportunities to take your ideas beyond the classroom by working on live creative briefs with external organisations.

In 2026, our students collaborated with the Warner Textile Archive on a live brief inspired by Art Deco & Beyond, an exhibition at Braintree Museum. The challenge was to create a collection of original prints for a range of garments and tote bags, using historic textiles and designs as a starting point for contemporary fashion ideas.

Students researched the archive’s textile collections, experimented with pattern, colour, composition and digital techniques, and developed their ideas into finished print designs.

Three students – Ace Caslin, Aleysha Nicolas and Monique Martins – were selected as winners for their strong interpretations of the exhibition.

Ace described her process for the project:
“My main source of inspiration was the features of bronze and iron architecture showcased in the museum, paired with prints from the Warner textile archive featuring symmetrical spirals, and my chosen colour palette of brown and blues.

“I explored the idea of reinterpreting these spiral motifs with my own geometric designs, experimenting with prints and graphics, repetition and offset compositions. I also used digital programs to help visualise my ideas by creating collages and sampling different layer effects.

“With the Warner textile archive as my main source of inspiration, I was able to develop and refine 6 finalised prints that I am very pleased with.”

We’re grateful to Warner Textiles Archive for giving our students this opportunity.

Find out how you too can research, experiment and develop your creative ideas in response to real-world briefs, and build a portfolio of work that demonstrates your approach as a designer - sign up for an Open Day or apply for our BA (Hons) Fashion Design.