Curriers award scholarship funding to two Northampton students
A charitable fund run by The Worshipful Company of Curriers has awarded prizes to two University of Northampton students for their work with leather.
At an event at the end of February, seven Fashion, Textiles for Fashion, Footwear & Accessories students at Northampton presented their ideas to a delegation from the company, led by Master Currier Mary McNeil.
The panel agreed that the standard was “extremely high”, making the choice difficult, but in the end it awarded its 2020 scholarship, worth £2,500, to George Paul, a student originally from Northampton, who has produced designs for sneakers, inspired by his love of skateboarding.
A second prize, worth £1,000, has gone to Maisie Thompson, a student originally from Manchester, who has created original designs for footwear and clothing and has her own brand: The Pig That Flew.
The Worshipful Company of Curriers is one of several of the City of London’s ancient livery companies with ties to the leather industry. Dating back to 1272, its name comes from ‘currying’, a term for cleaning, scraping, stretching and finishing hides through oiling, waxing or colouring them after the tanning process.
The Curriers Company Charitable fund supports education and excellence in leather work and design and funds a scholarship each year to support a third year Fashion, Textiles for Fashion, Footwear & Accessories student.
