Winners have been named in the annual Virginia Jackson Design Awards competition, sponsored by the Educational Foundation of the International Textile Market Assn., producer of the semiannual Showtime fabric show here.
The Virginia Jackson Design Awards recognize outstanding textile design students in three categories – jacquard, dobby and print.
This year, the largest-ever pool of entries (79 from eight schools) was judged on aesthetic form, ability to be manufactured and applicability to furniture products, with 10 designs selected as winners. The 10 top designs will be displayed in Suites at Market Square throughout Summer Showtime June 7-10.
“A big part of the mission of ITMA’s educational foundation is to encourage creative individuals to enter the home furnishings textile field, and we are always thrilled by the excellence of the entries we receive,” says Catherine Morsell, executive director.
The winners in each category are:
JACQUARD
1st Place (Tie) –Chelsey Bills and Saera Lee, Rhode Island School of Design
2nd Place – Jennifer Sulikowski, Philadelphia University
Honorable Mention – Nidhi Reddy Kasula, Philadelphia University
DOBBY
1st Place, Boyoung Moon, Philadelphia University
2nd Place, Shizuka Ono, Rhode Island School of Design
Honorable Mention: Amanda McGonagle, Philadelphia University
PRINT
1st Place – Jessica Sheehan, Syracuse University
2nd Place – Hyunjin Shin, Philadelphia University
Honorable Mention – Lei Ting – Philadelphia University
Each winner receives a monetary prize, and each first-place winner’s school also receives $1,000 donated to its textile design department.
In addition, the first-place winners in each category are flown expenses-paid to Showtime to be honored and meet with members of the industry during an evening social event.
The students are encouraged to bring their portfolios with them.
"We want to encourage textile company representatives to set up appointments to review the students' portfolios. Each has graduated or will graduate in December and is job hunting," Morsell says. Appointments can be scheduled by calling the ITMA office at (336) 885-6842.
The eight schools that participated in the competition included Rhode Island School of Design, Philadelphia University, Syracuse University, Kansas City Art Institute, North Carolina State University and first-time participants University of Georgia, Michigan State University and University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
Judges for this year's competition were Wesley Mancini, Wesley Mancini Ltd.; Kim Grimsley, Circa 1801; Sara Gray, Sara Gray Design; David Petrusch, Marlatex; and Laura Levinson, Valdese Weavers.
BACKGROUND
Founded in 1990, ITMA is a non-profit trade association, consisting of mills, converters, tanneries and trimming manufacturers that supply decorative coverings for the home furnishings industry, whose main objective is to stimulate growth and development within the home furnishings industry.
Showtime boasts the most extensive presentation of fabric, leather and trimmings in the Western Hemisphere and welcomes buyers from more than 800 companies in such markets as apparel, decorative accessories, furniture manufacturers, interior design, jobbers, department stores, fabric retail stores, mail order catalogs, handbag and fashion accessories, marine outfitters, outdoor and casual furnishings, top-of-the-bed and soft goods, hospitality and transportation.
The next Showtime will be Dec. 6-9, 2009.
Further information about ITMA and Showtime is available at www.itmashowtime.com or via email to itmashowtime@northstate.net or calling (336) 885-6842.