Sophia is a second year student at Buckinghamshire New University studying Product Design Bsc. She chose her course as it allows her to have a positive impact on the world around her, and to support the people who live in, and around it. Having fenced for Great Britain since the age of eleven, Sophia has travelled the world and experienced many different cultures in all their forms. This has enabled her to look at design very differently.
Sophia wants to educate people that design has longevity, that it can enhance lives. It can be inspirational, comforting, celebratory, developmental, appreciative, functional and many more things. She wants to be the designer who uses their materials to the best of its capability, ensuring that there is no waste and to reuse and recycle at every given opportunity.
Currently, Sophia is looking into redesigning the standard fencing mask as a result of an injury she sustained whilst competing. She would hope to change the design and structure of all fencing masks to what is currently a partial protection mask, to full protection reducing head injuries. She has a number of other fencing designs she is also looking into such as the glove, due to a rise in hand injuries.
And, finally, Sophia hopes to undertake a masters to broaden her underpinning knowledge of the subject and enable me to become a formidable designer.
Entry description
The Florence Collection is inspired by the 1920’s geometric patterns. It has a 1mm sterling silver trace chain with the pendant made from pewter with cubic zirconia gems running throughout. I wanted to show a design that has elegance but also an element of class.
