From Wainwrights to Welding: The story behind the winning Fashion Innovation portfolio
An Interview with the winner of the Fashion Innovation Award 2026, supported by F&F: Charlotte Mansfield from Manchester Metropolitan University.
Charlotte explains the backstory behind her graduate work is a love for hiking and exploring and how she has recently started to complete the Wainwrights in the Lake District. This drove her to explore performance sportswear and outerwear design: with an emphasis on colour, themes of empowered play and a focus on sustainability. She describes the importance of limiting environmental impact in her designs so that she can continue to enjoy her hobbies without damaging the environment.
What unexpected source influenced your final outcome?
“While my project and outfits are inspired by the Lake District and Wainwright, I was also influenced by Manchester’s Northern Quarter as a place and the fashion and how I could develop a collection which incorporates features for an active but everyday life for the modern explorer within urban and conventional environments. ”
What’s the best piece of creative advice you’ve ever received?
“Don’t take anything too serious and push yourself out of your comfort zone, university is the best chance to do that - I decided to do a menswear/performance sportswear project after that advice and it definitely paid off.”
How would you describe your creative voice in three words?
“Experimental, Innovative, Functional ”
What kind of impact do you hope your work has beyond aesthetics?
“I hope the ultrasonic welding, mono materials and circularity I have used in my final collection show people they can push to be more sustainable while also creating creatively cut pattern, exciting garments and use polyester/manmade fibres more efficiently. ”
Which designer, artist or creative would you most like to show your work to?
“As my work has been inspired by Alfred Wainwright I would have liked to show him how I have used his drawings to create wearable pieces from his own art, I have used several different techniques to mimic his way of drawing. His pictorial guides were a labour of love over many years, and my project feels somewhat similar to that and while we have been inspired by the same themes, I would like to show him how different our outcomes are.”
What conversations do you hope your work starts?
“I want people to talk more about non sew technologies and innovative techniques that can improve garments durable and performance but also how they can help with post-production and end of garment life. We can utilise the fabric we already have and create circular designs, we just need to think outside of the normal techniques when it comes to manufacturing.”
What advice would you give to a student currently starting their final collection or portfolio?
“Don’t feel like you have to know exactly the theme, direction or outcome of your final project. The process of researching, designing and toiling will change whatever you have in mind anyway so just have fun and experiment with every aspect.”
So what’s next for you after graduating?
“I want to pursue a career within product development and hopefully continue to push innovation and sustainability in new ways. I’m already looking at attending trade shows to explore what machinery and processes are already available but are not widely used, to continue my own learning and experimenting. ”
