PressClub United Kingdom · Article.
BMW & British Vogue continue to champion emerging talent with Future Creators Design Competition.
19.11.2024 Press Release
• BMW and British Vogue search for the next generation of design stars in fashion and jewellery. • Aspiring designers challenged to create a piece inspired by the pioneering BMW Vision Neue Klasse vehicles. • Destiny Pinto, Joaquin Flores and Selina Kwong chosen as winners, each presenting innovative designs centred around circularity. • Winners received expert mentorship from the BMW Design team in Munich and awarded £5,000 to finalise their designs.
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Chris Overall
BMW Group
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Author.
Thomas Evans
BMW Group
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BMW has reaffirmed its ongoing commitment to supporting emerging
talent by partnering with British Vogue to launch the Future Creators
Design Competition – a search for the next generation of fashion and
jewellery design stars.
Judged by renowned fashion designer Simone Rocha, British Vogue
Fashion Features Director Julia Hobbs, and BMW Senior Colour and
Materials Designer Charlotte Kanters, the competition invited aspiring
designers, including students and recent graduates, to create a piece
inspired by the sleek lines and pioneering technology of BMW’s Vision
Neue Klasse vehicles.
The BMW Vision Neue Klasse and Vision Neue Klasse X preview the
next generation of BMW vehicles launching from the end of 2025,
highlighting innovations in electrification, digitalisation and
circularity. The BMW brand is already progressing towards a more
circular future today, using secondary materials across many of its
current models – for example, in the floor mats of the BMW iX and BMW X1.
The competition drew an extraordinary response, with hundreds of
entrants showcasing remarkable creativity. During the judging process,
Kanters sought designs rooted in circularity which, as she put it,
“captured the philosophy of the Neue Klasse” by incorporating recycled
materials to enhance the product. Meanwhile, Hobbs looked for “a new
definition of luxury.”
After careful consideration, the judging panel narrowed down the
talented list of applicants to three deserving winners: Destiny Pinto,
Joaquin Flores and Selina Kwong.
Destiny Pinto, 22, BA Design for Art Direction graduate,
University of the Arts London.
Pinto’s entry was inspired by the Vision Neue
Klasse’s human-centric design, as she transformed assistive medical
devices from functional clinical aids into striking pieces of art.
“Because of my arthritis,” Pinto explained, “I would wear a
clinical-looking compression glove, my best friend at the time also
wore a clinical-looking ostomy bag. As someone who was very interested
in fashion and wanted to match things with what I was wearing, I
decided to start there.”
Merging utility and style, Pinto’s designs included compression
wear, prosthetics and her competition entry, a hearing aid which drew
visual inspiration from the vision vehicles’ clear lines and kidney
grille. Impressed by Pinto’s submission, Hobbs said, “It’s 2024 – we
want a definition of luxury which embraces everybody and what she’s
shown us is so intelligent, it’s inspired by her community and it’s
pieces that look really incredible.”
Joaquin Flores, 24, BA Jewellery Design student, University of
the Arts London.
Flores combined his fascination with automotive
engineering and jewellery-making skills to present plans for both a
sculptural ring and innovative eyewear influenced by the Vision Neue
Klasse’s distinctive silhouette. Concerned by the morality of mining
and extracting precious metals, he opted to use secondary materials –
such as scrapped vehicle components – in his designs. “You have to
think about responsible design and how you’re not going to extract
what you can reuse,” said Flores. Excited by the plans, Kanters
commented, “I really liked that he was designing jewellery that
reflects light the same way as the surface of the car. It was a really
special approach, and I found it very inspiring.”
In line with Flores’ philosophy, forthcoming BMW Neue Klasse
vehicles will contain a higher proportion of secondary raw materials
and significantly reduced material variety to enhance circularity. In
addition, the introduction of an improved dismantling concept will
also help optimise the vehicle recycling process.
Selina Kwong, 24, MA Fashion graduate, Royal College of Art.
Kwong persuaded the judging panel with her collection
of intricate high-fashion garments made using recycled fishing nets.
This waste material was a common sight in Kwong’s hometown, a
Malaysian fishing village, and so she was particularly struck by BMW’s
use of salvaged nets in the construction of its Neue Klasse Vision vehicles.
As both a homage to her heritage and a nod to BMW design, Kwong
used fishing net threads to accessorise her pieces: “I was inspired by
the traditional techniques of weaving from our culture used for making
nets or small baskets for fishing,” said Kwong. During the judging
process Rocha praised the “unexpected” material choice: “I think it’s
very circular to bring it into a fashion context and to think of it as
a textile, as a garment.”
In recognition of their ideas, the talented trio each received
£5,000 to help bring their designs to fruition and were invited to
visit to the BMW Design Studio in Munich, where they received expert
mentorship from the BMW Design team.
Equipped with their prize money and the valuable insights gained
from their time in Munich, the three winners will continue to develop
their final designs over the coming months. To follow the trio on
their individual design journeys, keep an eye on British
Vogue’s Forces for Change website.
The Future Creators Design Competition will feature in the
December issue of British Vogue. To learn more about the competition
and BMW’s partnership with British Vogue, click here.
For more information about the BMW Vision Neue Klasse, click here.
Ends
About the BMW Group
With its four brands BMW, MINI, Rolls-Royce and BMW
Motorrad, the BMW Group is the world’s leading premium manufacturer of
automobiles and motorcycles and also provides premium financial and
mobility services. The BMW Group production network comprises over 30
production sites worldwide; the company has a global sales network in
more than 140 countries.
In 2023, the BMW Group sold over 2.55 million passenger vehicles
and more than 209,000 motorcycles worldwide. The profit before tax in
the financial year 2023 was € 17.1 billion on revenues amounting to €
155.5 billion. As of 31 December 2023, the BMW Group had a workforce
of 154,950 employees.
The success of the BMW Group has always been based on long-term
thinking and responsible action, from the supply chain through
production to the end of the use phase of all products.
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About British Vogue
Vogue is the world’s leading voice on fashion and culture. Part
of the Condé Nast portfolio, Vogue examines the world through the lens
of fashion — how we dress, live and socialise; what we eat, listen to
and watch; who leads and inspires us. With thought-provoking, relevant
and always influential storytelling across platforms, Vogue defines
what is next.
For further information please contact:
Tom Evans
Senior Press Officer, BMW
Tel:
07815 371 705
Email: Tom.Evans@bmw.co.uk
Chris Overall
BMW Media Relations Manager
Tel: 07815
370 990
Email: Chris.Overall@bmw.co.uk
Christina Burnham-Hepe
General Manager,
Communications
Tel: 07815 371 206
Email: Christina.Burnham-Hepe@bmw.co.uk