RLSD Student Design Competition winners – Where are they now?

17th March 2023

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RLSD Student Design Competition winners are going from strength to strength. Working at brands including Oscar de la Renta, Dior and Christian Louboutin and dressing stars such as Machine Gun Kelly and Drumaq, their careers really are taking off. 

We’re not claiming credit for their talent, but we’d like to think the Student Design Competitions may have given a boost to their careers. Here they are. Meet the RLSD Student Design Competition alumni!

Oriol Clavell, who won the apparel category in the 2022 UK competition, has not wasted any time. His Epentismo collection has been seen on the backs (and legs and arms) of a triumvirate of celebrities. Rapper and singer Machine Gun Kelly wore the trousers on stage at the Roxy, musician Drumaq has sported a head-to-toe outfit and Ru Paul’s Drag Race UK runner up Bimini Bon Boulash wore the dress and bag to the Business of Fashion 500 gala in Paris. Oriol has also styled shoots for Pap magazine and has worked as a fashion assistant for artist and fashion designer Sarah McCormack. He has recently started working at Jaded London as an Assistant Womenswear Designer.

IG: @oriolclavell_ 

LinkedIn: Oriol-clavell-sansalvador

Emily Omesi, our overall and apparel category winner of the 2021 International Student Design Competition is now an Associate Designer at Ulla Johnson following a spell as a design assistant at Oscar de la Renta.

IG: @emilyomesi 

LinkedIn: Emily Omesi

Celina Smith won the accessories category in the 2021 UK competition. She designed gym wear for the Irish team at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 and now runs her own creative content and design business called Celina J Designs with clients including Aver Active, Fragell Productions and Quatro.

IG: @celinajdesigns 

LinkedIn: Celina J Smith

Anna Melegh, who was the overall UK winner and the international competition footwear winner in 2022 has worked as a cobbler for the famous shoe brand Christian Louboutin. She now specialises in Care and Repair for the same iconic brand.

IG: @annamelegh

LinkedIn: Anna Melegh

Brigida Aiello, who won the 20/21 Italy competition apparel category has gone straight to the top of the brand tree! She’s now a leather goods designer at Dior having previously worked at Celine and Maison Alaia.

IG: @brigidaiello 

LinkedIn: Brigida Aiello

Astrid Heisterberg won the footwear category in the Italy competition in 20/21. She is now a footwear designer at Loewe. She interned at Bottega Veneta before the dream move.

IG: @astridheisterberg

LinkedIn: Astrid Heisterberg

Abigail Hobbs won the UK people’s choice category in 2022 and is now working as a brand consultant at French Connection.

IG: @abbey_hobbs.art

LinkedIn: Abigail Hobbs

Lior Weinberg won the international people’s choice category in 2022. She’s now designing womenswear for Castro in Tel Aviv, Israel.

IG: @liorweinberg

LinkedIn: Lior Weinberg

Emilia Utbult was the apparel and overall winner of the 2022 Nordic competition. She’s now a fashion designer and buyer at sustainable Swedish brand Movesgood.

IG: @emiliautbultkarlsson 

LinkedIn: Emilia Utbult

Maria Julia Echarte Pascual won the people’s choice category in the 2022 Nordic competition and is now an intern at Danish brand Selected Femme.

IG: @ohmybubbletea 

LinkedIn: Julia Echarte

Hsiao Yi Tzu won design gold in the 2021 Taiwan Region competition. She is now an interior decorator and product designer for Atelier Fantasia in Taiwan.

IG: @iz.dotdot

LinkedIn: Yi Tzu Hsiao