New designer wins top award

Article Added: 20/07/2009 11:54:24
Melissa Selmin, a former student at University of Wales Institute, Cardiff UWIC recently exhibited at the New Designer exhibition in London and won the Graham & Brown design award, a prize awarded to the individual who most excites and inspires the wallpaper design company at the show. Mel received a £1500 cash prize for winning the award and is also given invaluable support and encouragement from the company as she starts her career. We caught up with Mel to find out why she thinks she won the award and what it means for her now.

How did you come to be involved with New Designers?
I was selected by my tutors at UWIC to go but it’s somewhere I’ve always visited and wanted to exhibit so it was a real privilege to get the opportunity to do so.

Why do you think Graham & Brown chose your designs?
I’m not really sure!  I think because of its commercial appeal mainly and my use of colour as well as the composition and pattern of my work.  I’m still shocked because there was so much great work there this year.

What was your collection based on?
I’m half Chinese which is a huge inspiration for me.  I also love Japanese art and all Oriental culture.  I researched colour trends and mixed up all the colours as well.

How has winning the award changed your life?
I’m still overwhelmed to have won and very happy.  There have been lots of offers, especially while I was at New Designers. I know that one of my pieces is definitely going to be commercially printed immediately by Graham & Brown so that’s very exciting.  I hope to do some work experience with them as well in early August.

What are your plans for the future?
I’d love to be an in-house designer for a company, preferably Graham & Brown but we’ll see!  Until then I’ve got lots of offers to sift through.  A greeting card company is interested plus I’ve got an offer to go to India for 6 months which would be amazing!  So I’ve got lots going on at the moment.

To contact Melissa you can e-mail her at melissa_selmin@hotmail.com.



Photo credits: first and last photo - Ed Reeve www.editphoto.net; third photo - George Wood