Dezeen School Shows: a book that uses embroidered imagery of plants to examine mycorrhizal networks is among the student projects from the University of Portsmouth.
Also featured is a sculptural fashion collection and a series of books exploring the healing qualities of herbs.
University of Portsmouth
Institution: University of Portsmouth
School: School of Architecture, Art and Design
Courses: BA (Hons) Fashion Design, BA (Hons) Graphic Design, BA (Hons) Photography and BA (Hons) Illustration
Tutors: Lynne Mesher, Julian Roberts, Vici Jowett, Lara Torres, Sandra Zellmer, Mike Harkins, Sarah Houghton, Roel Paredaens, Dana Ariel, Ziggy Kolker, Vera Hadzhiyska, Alejandra Carles-Tolra and Ros Simms
School statement:
“In the realm of art and design, we believe in fostering thoughtful and challenging works that reflect and inspire a creative society.
“Utilising both new and traditional mediums, we encourage students, researchers and staff to explore and experiment within a supportive community, helping them identify their strengths.
“On our award-winning BA (Hons) Fashion Design, students develop confidence, innovation and critical thinking through industry-level facilities and software like CLO3D, transforming creative ideas into reality.
“Students build their communication, leadership and collaboration skills while mastering sustainable design principles and cutting-edge research methods for future-focused fashion.
“Our BA (Hons) Graphic Design course centres around helping students establish an independent sense of self within their own creative practice, recognising the potential of graphic design as a force for good.
“Students on our BA (Hons) Photography course develop critical, technical and creative skills through contemporary projects, emerging technologies and professional practice, through both digital and analogue techniques.
“The BA (Hons) Illustration combines traditional and contemporary approaches to creative communication, preparing our students for a career in creative practice and/or for further study.”
Sunday Best by Alisha Luff
“Sunday Best reinterprets the ritual of dressing for special moments with a modern, nostalgic lens. It transforms forgotten objects into cherished pieces through upcycling, echoing the quiet wisdom of the past.
“Rooted in sustainability and care, the project celebrates the poetry of mending, the value of slowness and the stories woven into timeworn materials.
“In an age of speed and disposability, Sunday Best invites us to pause – to see beauty in imperfection, legacy in the overlooked and style in the soulful.
“This is fashion not just worn, but remembered.”
Student: Alisha Luff
Course: BA (Hons) Fashion Design
Tutors: Julian Roberts, Vici Jowett and Lara Torres
Email: alisha.luff[at]gmail.com
Illusory Dimensions by Abby Hammant
“Illusory Dimensions transforms fashion into a dreamlike interplay of illusion, movement and bold form.
“Confidence is woven through sculptural 3D shapes, vivid hues and textured surfaces crafted with quilting, ruching and screen printing.
“Soft pastels soften the edges of abstraction, creating garments that shift between structure and flow.
“Designed for comfort and fluid motion, each piece empowers the wearer to inhabit space with presence and creativity.
“This is fashion as expression – playful, powerful and unapologetically otherworldly.”
Student: Abby Hammant
Course: BA (Hons) Fashion Design
Tutors: Julian Roberts, Vici Jowett and Lara Torres
Email: abby[at]hammant.net
Urban Reject by Charlotte Scoones
“Urban Reject draws on nature’s resilience to reconnect modern urban living with organic growth.
“This spring/summer collection explores the contrast between hard architectural lines and the fluidity of nature through sustainable design.
“Using upcycled and recycled materials, natural dyes and subtraction cutting, the collection reduces waste and embraces environmental responsibility.
“Versatile pieces are designed for adaptability and longevity, offering solutions for today’s socioeconomic challenges while honouring nature’s rhythm.
“Each garment is a response to fast fashion, advocating a slower, more conscious way of dressing – one that empowers the individual and respects the planet.”
Student: Charlotte Scoones
Course: BA (Hons) Fashion Design
Tutors: Julian Roberts, Vici Jowett and Lara Torres
Email: charlottescoones[at]icloud.com
Threads of Identity by Jemma Smith
“Threads of Identity aims to raise awareness and inspire a wider appreciation for the rich history and cultural symbolism that fashion can reflect.
“Given the ongoing issue of cultural appropriation, this book aims to deepen understanding of cultural heritage and promote respect in an increasingly globalised world.
“Ultimately, it seeks to inspire a more thoughtful and respectful approach to fashion, celebrating both diversity and authenticity.
“One of the key design focuses is the incorporation of fabrics that were personally sourced and collected, adding a tactile and authentic aspect to the design.
“The inclusion of these fabrics encourages the reader to appreciate the finer details, textures and craftsmanship, while highlighting the unique characteristics and differences between each case study.”
Student: Jemma Smith
Course: BA (Hons) Graphic Design
Tutor: Sarah Houghton
Email: jas1907[at]icloud.com
Foot Soldiers by Eddie Stenstrom
“They are metal detectorists, uncovering the past, connecting with the present.
“Whether it’s an artefact from 2000 years ago or a partefact, ‘that once was something and is now nothing’, Britain’s cosmopolitan past makes it geographically unique in discovering finds from international origin.
“There is a profound level of respect to the owners of the land and in regards to those who walked it before. This work reveals a social community of camaraderie and a genuine curiosity for what is yet to be unearthed.
“Often overlooked to be treasure-hunting loners, they are archaeological foot soldiers, mapping our history.”
Student: Eddie Stenstrom
Course: BA (Hons) Photography
Tutors: Roel Paredaens, Dana Ariel, Ziggy Kolker, Vera Hadzhiyska and Alejandra Carles-Tolra
Email: stenstrom.photo[at]gmail.com
A Road Down Memory Lane by Paul Coman
“This project captures the interiors of homes in a rural Romanian village, revealing the quiet beauty and emotional weight embedded within these domestic spaces.
“Each photograph reflects a life shaped by tradition, modesty and faith, where religious icons, handmade textiles and everyday objects serve as symbols of memory and identity.
“These intimate details offer a glimpse into how people adapt and endure amid social and economic change.
“Exploring a cultural atmosphere that is both deeply rooted and slowly fading, it’s a study not just of physical space, but of presence, of lives that continue in quiet resilience.”
Student: Paul Coman
Course: BA (Hons) Photography
Tutors: Roel Paredaens, Dana Ariel, Ziggy Kolker, Vera Hadzhiyska and Alejandra Carles-Tolra
Email: paulcoman1804[at]yahoo.com
[Afrofuturism] by Elizabeth Oluyed
“Faith shows the reality of what we hope for, it is the evidence of things we cannot see.
“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
“Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for (divinely guaranteed) and the evidence of things not seen.
“The conviction of their reality comprehends as fact what cannot be evidenced by the physical senses.”
Student: Elizabeth Oluyed
Course: BA (Hons) Illustration
Tutor: Ros Simms
Email: elizabeth.oluyed[at]hotmail.com
The Secret Society of Rollerskating Werewolves by Eleanor Smith
“The Secret Society of Rollerskating Werewolves is an ongoing webcomic.
“Hand drawn then scanned and coloured via photoshop, the comic follows a group of young werewolves who form an underground roller derby team to save their local roller rink and eventually, their whole town.”
Student: Eleanor Smith
Course: BA (Hons) Illustration
Tutor: Ros Simms
Email: minnowello[at]gmail.com
The Secrets of the Mycorrhizal Network by Megan Hughes
“This publication aims to explore the fascinating interaction of the myccorhizal network – connecting trees to plants, to fungi and other tiny organisms.
“Designed with typography at the heart, machine embroidered images are added throughout to aid the flow and rhythm of the publication.”
Student: Megan Hughes
Course: BA (Hons) Graphic Design
Tutors: Sandra Zellmer and Mike Harkins
Email: meg.hughes.graphicdesign[at]gmail.com
Not just Fleurons by Alexandra Izzard
“Not just Fleurons is a series of small books based on historical healing herbs.
“Sage is a long-life herb, an ancient antiseptic. Fennel can be used for weight loss, wheezing and mouth wash, and chamomile has been used to calm the mind and body since its use in Ancient Egypt.
“For the project, research and contextualisation was important. It helped centre the design in the context desired, which was inspired by the Victorian revival of medieval culture and design.
“To achieve this, the design uses Victorian botanical prints, as well as medieval illustrations, to give the books a historical feel.”
Student: Alexandra Izzard
Course: BA (Hons) Graphic Design
Tutors: Sandra Zellmer and Mike Harkins
Email: aizzard.design[at]gmail.com
Partnership content
This school show is a partnership between Dezeen and the University of Portsmouth. Find out more about Dezeen partnership content here.
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