The Winners of the 2017 Prize

For the fourth consecutive year the historic Bishopsgate Institute hosted the Hand & Lock Prizegiving.

The embroidery competition now, in it’s 18th year, was established to help shine a light on emerging embroidery talent.

In 2017 Hand & Lock celebrated their 250th anniversary and that was reflected in the brief issued earlier in the year.

The 2017 brief was written by Polly Kenny, the Programme Director Materials at the London College of Fashion. Entrants were asked to ‘celebrate, let go, to let loose and indulge in childlike freedom, to celebrate history, global culture, sense of place, sense of identity, and to celebrate embroidery and life’.

The finalist’s 32 submissions were carefully exhibited in Bishopgate Institute’s spectacular Great Hall. Interior design embroidery was presented alongside contemporary art, fashion and accessories.

Guests arrived from 6.30 and were greeted with champagne, voting slips and a bag of goodies which included treats from Bear Nibbles and the Gourmet Candy Company.

Voting ended at 7.45 and the judges scores were combined with the public vote. After scores were checked and double checked, production Director Jessica Pile took to the stage to announce the winners…

Hand Embroidery – Fashion – Student Category

1st Prize: Stav Ofman
(Shenkar College of Engineering and Design, Israel – Mentored by Alastair Macleod)
2nd Prize: Claire Edwards
(Staffordshire University, UK – Mentored by Beata Kania)
3rd Prize: Katie Buckland
(Falmouth University, UK – Mentored by Daniel Heath)
Hand Embroidery – Textile Art – Student Category

1st Prize: Elena Thornton
(Royal School of Needlework, UK – Mentored by Alice Walsh)
2nd Prize: Paloma Alarcon
(Arts University Bournemouth, UK – Mentored by Laura Perryman)
3rd Prize: Shonaegh Cochlan
(LCF, UK – Mentored by Angie Wyman)

Hand Embroidery – Fashion – Open Category

1st Prize: Ami Waring
(UK – Mentored by Carol Alayne)
2nd Prize: Ali Rauf
(Australia – Mentored by Sera Waters)
3rd Prize: Hannah Mansfield
(UK – Mentored by Angie Wyman)

Hand Embroidery – Textile Art – Open Category

1st Prize: Ada Zhang
(China – Mentored by Jess de Wahls)
2nd Prize: Sally Wilson
(UK – Mentored by Diana Springall)
3rd Prize: Charis Kibble
(UK- Mentored by Diana Springall)

Wilcom Digital Embroidery – Fashion:
Kayleigh Mace
(Nottingham Trent University, UK – Mentored by Carol Alayne)

Wilcom Digital Embroidery – Textile Art:
Raychel Murphy
(Queens University, Belfast, Ireland – Mentored by Jess de Wahls)

Worshipful Company of Gold and Silver Wyre Drawers Award:
Elena Thornton
(Royal School of Needlework, UK – Mentored by Alice Walsh)

Gilda Baron Award:
Carmen Manzano
(LCF, UK – Mentored by Nelly Agassi)

Chairman’s Award:
Elena Thornton
(Royal School of Needlework, UK – Mentored by Alice Walsh)