WINNER
Russell Hooton-Fox
Multi-disciplinary designer Russell Hooton-Fox graduated from Media Design School, Aotearoa (New Zealand), in 2019 and is now based in Tāmaki Makaurau, (Auckland), where he works for Māori-owned design studio Run.
His project Woven, which was started when he was a student and developed when he was a graduate, was what caught Run’s attention.
Woven was designed to engage the local community with Aotearoa’s indigenous Māori culture by sharing their approachable values, and through the art of weaving. Hooton-Fox led a multi-cultural team of graduates to deliver the experience.
Hundreds of visitors were taught the values of manaakitanga (hospitality and welcoming) and kaitiakitanga (guardianship over our natural resources) through an event, which comprised graphic and experiential design.
The project was pitched to and funded by the Auckland City Council, it was supported by Media Design School's faculty and guided throughout by indigenous experts in Māori cultural representation.
Since he has joined Run, Hooton-Fox has played a major part in designing the identity for Te Aratini – the festival of indigenous and tribal ideas – hosted in Dubai. The brand assets he created, became the Te Aratini logo, which was designed to represent different cultures coming together.
The symbol was at the heart of all Te Aratini communications and one version was carved in pounamu (New Zealand jade) and presented by New Zealand’s minister of foreign affairs to the Expo’s hosts in Dubai.
In the future, Hooton-Fox hopes to work on more people-focused cultural projects based on social values.
Emma Brookes
Brookes graduated in graphics from Portsmouth university in 2021 and has already become a junior designer at digital studio We Are Tilt.
She is motivated by a desire to solve real-world problems and says design is “perhaps the easiest way to change the world”.
Brookes has already worked on a range of ambitious conceptual projects, such as an innovative reading app for a publisher aimed at digital natives and an app-based game for children encouraging them to make positive choices, which will reduce air pollution as they get older.
Her employers at Tilt say that she is detail-oriented and is never afraid to explore all possibilities of a project.
Brookes’ career aspirations are to carry on designing digital products and experiences while one day running her own studio and teaching the next generation of designers.
Bobbie Cook
Cook graduated in 2018 from University of Brighton in digital music and sound art before specialising and developing his skills as a designer. He now holds a job as a designer at Anomaly London.
His employer says that he made “significant contributions” to help win a global pitch for Tanqueray, as well shaping the brand world and graphic system of Johnnie Walker’s new sustainability programme.
Drawing on strategic insight and craft, Cook is able to make “distinctive work”, according to Anomaly.
Cook says he wants “to work with great teams on big briefs”, but is also keen to create work outside of the digital space.
Next, he is about to embark on his biggest project so far, a rebrand for a well-known apparel company.
Claudia Aggett
After graduating from Falmouth University in 2020, Aggett joined Fiasco Design as a designer where she has been working on branding projects with the larger team.
Fiasco notes her creative and positive approach stand out as does the way she interacts with others around her.
She already has one solo project under her belt with the studio; a rebrand of the Bristol-based restaurant Bank, which comprises a colourful new logo and set of assets used across the restaurant’s website and printed materials.
She’s also helped with projects including Moshi – a sleep and meditation app for kids – and Count, a collaborative data platform.
Personal projects include Class of 2020 and Happy to Help, both of which were meant to keep her peers and other graduates connected, while graduating a job market heavily impacted by the pandemic.
Rebecca Walkley
After graduating from London College of Communication in 2017 Walkley took an internship at Bow&Arrow in 2019 before rising quickly through the ranks, firstly as a designer and now as a creative lead.
Walkley arrived in the UK from Spain at 11 years old, which she counts as one of several opportunities to thrive outside of her comfort zone.
With Bow&Arrow Walkley has worked for clients including The Atlantic, Dow Jones, Google and John Lewis.
According to Bow&Arrow she particularly thrives at creating human-focused digital experiences in an empathetic way. This approach has been paramount in the launch of an inclusive platform for MOBO and a life admin organiser for EE.
A champion of young design talent herself, Walkley has helped to identify, nurture and celebrate young designers joining the studio. She now heads up an internship programme at the studio and has created a programme to help ensure they have a positive experience.
Rising Star
shortlisted