The Overall Winners of the Only Natural Student Design Competition were announced last night (15th September) at a special awards event at the Material Matters London, part of Shoreditch Design Week, running during London Design Festival.
Ana Luisa Braun Rodrigues was crowned Overall Winner of the Fashion Competition for her Shimmer Jewellery collection, while Tanmay Bhavsar took the Overall Home Competition title with VALAY – Bamboo Lighting. The two designers were selected from this year’s seven Category and People’s Choice winners, whose work brings together natural materials, craftsmanship and innovative approaches to responsible design. They were selected following a rigorous judging process, which assessed entries for their individuality, conceptualisation, relevance, sustainability and commerciality.
They received their accolades at an awards presentation hosted by Grant Gibson, co-founder of Material Matters and Amanda Symm, from Only Natural’s lead sponsor, the Leather and Hide Council of America. The event was attended by an international audience of more than 200 guests including industry designers, educators, journalists and material experts held at UNLOCKED Shoreditch.
The 2026 competition marks the third year of Only Natural – a movement created to inspire the next generation of designers to put natural materials at the heart of their work. This year’s competition was its biggest to date, attracting emerging designers from around the world and showcasing an exceptional breadth of ideas across fashion, furniture and interiors.
The winning projects are now on display at the Material Matters London, being held at UNLOCKED Shoreditch, giving visitors the opportunity to see how these exciting young designers are exploring the potential of natural fibres including leather, wool, bamboo, wood, cotton, golden grass and fish scales.
Meet this year’s winners
Meet all seven of this year’s Only Natural winners who demonstrate the extraordinary potential of natural materials when combined with creativity, craftsmanship and new thinking – and offer a glimpse of a future where nature sits at the heart of design:
Apparel Winner: LA FENAISON by Eden Cohen. A celebration of craftsmanship, heritage and the enduring beauty of natural materials, LA FENAISON draws inspiration from the horse farm where Cohen grew up and traditional haymaking rituals. Created from cowhide leather, the collection translates these rural narratives into contemporary fashion through rich textures, refined construction and intricate hand-braiding. The project stood out for its originality, storytelling and powerful use of leather as a natural material.
Accessories Winner and Overall Fashion Winner: Shimmer Jewellery by Ana Luisa Braun Rodrigues. Crafted using Capim Dourado – golden grass – naturally dyed Camurupim fish scales, sterling silver and precision-cut crystal loupes, Shimmer Jewellery explores Brazilian identity through traditional craft and contemporary design. By transforming materials often overlooked or considered waste into fine jewellery, the collection reveals their iridescent beauty and hidden value. The project impressed the judges with its originality, craftsmanship and thoughtful exploration of natural materials.
Footwear Winner: MACHO by Islam Nashef. A sculptural mule created by hand-layering vegetable-tanned leather until it takes on the density and structure of wood, MACHO explores identity, masculinity and craftsmanship. Inspired by the exaggerated image of the “macho man”, the design challenges conventional ideas of strength while celebrating leather’s versatility as a natural material. Its distinctive construction, storytelling and exceptional craftsmanship earned it this year’s Footwear title.
Furniture Winner: Field to Form by Sofia Hollier. Made entirely from raw British Romney wool and linen thread, Field to Form transforms an undervalued natural fibre into a sculptural contemporary chair. Inspired by the organic forms of flocking sheep, the project explores the relationship between landscape, material and making. Designed to be fully circular, the chair can ultimately be dismantled and returned to the land, balancing simplicity, craftsmanship and material innovation.
Interiors Winner and Overall Home Winner: VALAY – Bamboo Lighting by Tanmay Bhavsar. This modular lighting system celebrates bamboo’s natural irregularity, turning its variation into a design feature rather than a manufacturing challenge. Combining traditional material knowledge with contemporary design, VALAY explores light, texture and craftsmanship through a system that is both sculptural and functional. The project impressed the judges with its innovative approach, refined execution and outstanding use of bamboo.
People’s Choice Fashion Winner: A Thought That Remains Awake by Ofir Vissel. Chosen through the public vote, A Thought That Remains Awake explores memory, hypervigilance and emotional endurance through garments created from cotton, wool and denim. Drawing, embroidery and knitting transform personal experiences into wearable emotional landscapes, creating a dialogue between protection and vulnerability while demonstrating clothing’s ability to carry memory and human connection.
People’s Choice Home Winner: Alankara by Kavish Lineswala. Crafted from sheesham wood, Alankara is designed to function as both a statement jewellery box and a standalone showpiece. The project challenges the culture of disposable interiors by encouraging a slower, more considered relationship with everyday objects. Combining traditional craftsmanship with contemporary aesthetics, it transforms the simple act of storing something precious into a meaningful ritual.
