After being interviewed by a panel of judges; presenting work and answering technical questions, she was selected as one of 14 winners in the country. As well as the bursary Hannah is being mentored by Peter White who visited recently to see how her work is progressing and give business and interview/portfolio advice.

Hannah’s graduate collection focusses on the detrimental impacts that the textiles industry has on the environment looking specifically at images of water polluted by dye and ink waste, as well as how this effects the surrounding communities. Her colour palette has developed from own photographs of landscapes ranging from acid washed denim to dark indigo tones of blue, as well as hints of pinks, lavender purple and mint green. The textural qualities of natural forms such as water and mountains inspired the sense of pattern, line and shape throughout the fabrics.

Hannah aim to create a luxury sportswear inspired women’s knitwear collection of outfits that are innovative and forward thinking, using denim fabrics and yarns in combination with other sustainable and high quality materials in order to create a highly technical, luxury fabrics. She hopes to promote the concept of slow fashion and aims to have a low impact on the environment.

To continue the idea of clothing with a long life, Hannah initially focused on using pre-loved denim and transforming it into something new and innovative. “I am interested in the history of denim and am inspired by how denim has been a part of the lives of so many people; from a vast array of sub-cultures and classes in societies throughout the centuries. From ancient Japanese Boro textiles to present day casual wear, I am fascinated by the stories behind the clothing that people wear.”

Hannah has used many knitting techniques on a wide range of machinery; these include domestic, Dubied and Shima Seiki knitting machines across a variety of gauges, exploring intarsia, e-wrapping, weaving in, pleating and ribbing. She has also embraced hand dyeing and machine embroidery, in order to add a further depth and dimension to the fabrics. Developing on from the idea of water and preserving the landscape, she uses heat pressing techniques with plastics, resulting in a waterproofed effect.The use of heat pressing techniques with plastics, resulting in a waterproofed effect, encapsulate the idea of water and preserving the landscape.