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Leather design competition prize winner to be announced at CDW
The winner of a new competition that’s challenged young designers to produce unique upholstery designs utilising state-of-the-art leather photo printing technology is being announced as part of the celebrations of Clerkenwell Design Week (24-26 May 2016).
The Muirhead Leather Design Competition was launched by Scottish leather manufacturer Andrew Muirhead & Son in conjunction with The Furniture Makers’ Company, the furnishing industry’s charity, at the Young Furniture Makers exhibition in October 2015.
Organised to celebrate Muirhead Leather’s 175th anniversary in 2015 and the launch of its ground-breaking technology that enables it to print high resolution digital designs onto leather, the competition asked UK furnishing students to design a leather upholstered piece of furniture that would use the new technology in its production.
A wave of entries were received and judged by a panel of industry experts including: David Dewing, Master of The Furniture Makers’ Company for 2015-2016; Colin Wade, Managing Director of Andrew Muirhead & Son; Rupert Senior, Chairman of the Guild Mark Committee at The Furniture Makers’ Company; Jonny Westbrooke, Clerk and Chief Executive at The Furniture Makers’ Company; and Damilola Bamidele, Grants and Education Manager at The Furniture Makers’ Company.
The winner and runner-up will be announced at a ceremony on Thursday 26 May at The Goldsmiths’ Centre, Clerkenwell.
The winner of the competition will be given the unique opportunity to gain valuable experience within real furniture businesses, receiving a three-week work placement at Muirhead in Glasgow, an additional work placement at a furniture company, plus a £1,000 cash prize. A runner-up prize of £500 will also be presented at the ceremony.
The chosen design will be unveiled at The Furniture Makers’ Company’s annual Royal Charter Dinner, which is taking place in October 2016 at Skinners’ Hall, London.