Designed for Life - New Designers 2026

Discovering emerging design talent

The latest episode of Designed for Life takes listeners to New Designers 2026, the UK’s leading annual graduate design exhibition, showcasing the work of more than 2,500 emerging designers across disciplines including product design, textiles, graphics and contemporary crafts.

Tony Ryan, CEO of the Design & Technology Association, attended the exhibition in London in early July and recorded this exciting episode, speaking directly with a selection of the designers showcasing their work.

For design and technology teachers, New Designers provides a valuable window into contemporary design practice and the opportunities available to young people as they begin their careers. The exhibition connects graduates with industry professionals and gives students the opportunity to see how ideas developed through education can progress into professional practice.

Inspiration for the classroom

The episode features a diverse range of designers and projects, offering plenty of inspiration for classroom discussions around materials, users, problem solving, innovation and career pathways.

Among those featured is Freddie Bowhill, whose A-FRAME rooftop tent has been designed around the needs of users with busy lifestyles. The project demonstrates how understanding a specific user group can shape decisions around functionality, portability and manufacturing.

The episode also features Freja Malle Høyer, whose embroidery work* showcases the creative possibilities of textiles and material exploration.

Teachers can use the projects featured in the episode as starting points for exploring real-world design challenges, discussing different approaches to design development, or encouraging students to consider the breadth of careers available across the design sector.

Listen to Designed for Life and discover some of the emerging designers and ideas shaping the future of design.

* Freja Malle Høyer image credit:
Image 1 - MIN MUSLING on plinth: Deadstock fabrics, 2nd hand chains, feathers & beads, found mussels and donated leather pants. Raised work, crewelwork, tambour, whitework, needlelace, beading, crochet, knitting & painting. 2026. Photographed by Tas Kyprianou.
Image 2 - Freja Malle Høyer, working on MIN MUSLING. Deadstock fabrics, viscose, silk and cotton threads, 2nd hand chains, feathers, beads and found mussels. 2026. Photographed by Tas Kyprianou.
Image 3 - Detail, MIN MUSLING: deadstock fabrics, viscose, silk and cotton threads, 2nd hand chains, feathers, beads and found mussels. Needlelace, crewelwork, beading, knitting. 2026. Photographed by the artist.