Second-year fashion students from Loughborough University’s School of Design and Creative Arts earned praise from high-street retailer NEXT after designing sustainable capsule collections for a live industry project. Students responded to a real commercial brief and created six-look ranges that combined trend-relevant fashion with environmental responsibility.

The project focused on blending sustainability with market appeal, and students explored both zero-waste techniques and responsible material choices as part of their design process.

🎓 Project Structure and Sustainability Focus

The brief challenged students to:

• Develop six-look capsule collections
• Combine trend relevance and environmental responsibility
• Balance creativity with commercial viability

Over six weeks, participants learned and applied:

• Zero-waste cutting techniques
• Subtraction cutting approaches
• Selection of responsible fabrics that supported sustainability goals

In addition, students visited NEXT’s head office, where they gained insight from design and buying teams about real industry expectations and commercial fashion realities.

🏆 Winning Designs Selected

Following final presentations, Tom Pearce, Menswear Design Manager at NEXT, reviewed the collections. He selected two standout designs based on creativity, craftsmanship and sustainability focus.

The winners were:

• Lily Jaques, whose collection NEXT Revive used deadstock and returned garments
• Maithili Deshpande, runner-up, whose Reworked Denim collection explored innovative reuse techniques

Importantly, Pearce praised the students’ ability to merge sustainable thinking with strong visual identity.

📐 Learning Experience and Industry Insight

Programme leaders said the collaboration with NEXT strengthens student employability and provides a direct link between academic training and industry practice. They noted that the chance to work on a real commercial brief helps students understand the expectations and challenges of a professional fashion environment.

Students worked on concepts that addressed current fashion trends, sustainable materials, and innovative design strategies. They also engaged with industry professionals, which deepened their understanding of fashion production, trend forecasting, and commercial viability.

🌍 Industry Collaboration Benefits

NEXT’s involvement offered unique opportunities for hands-on feedback and real-world experience. Industry collaborations like this help students build professional networks, learn industry standards, and enhance their portfolios before entering the workforce.

Moreover, the project encouraged students to think beyond traditional design boundaries and prioritise responsible choices that reflect broader sustainability goals in fashion.

🧠 Future Prospects for Students

Programme leaders expressed confidence that experiences like this will help students succeed after graduation. They emphasised that practical industry exposure increases confidence and helps emerging designers navigate a competitive market.

Above all, the collaboration has showcased the next generation of sustainability-focused fashion talent and serves as a model for connecting education with commercial fashion practice.