Fashion & Architecture join Zaha Hadid Foundation
Publication date:
In January, a cohort of Ravensbourne University London final-year BA (Hons) Fashion and BA (Hons) Architecture students took part in the longstanding cross-disciplinary partnership between Architecture and the Zaha Hadid Foundation (ZHF), working on an ambitious live brief that culminated in a public exhibition.
In this exciting and collaborative project, Architecture students were tasked with designing a space that explores how a person connects to their clothing. Fashion students then responded by developing concepts that examined how individuals experience clothing within that spatial environment. Each student selected one of three Space x Concept narratives to guide their work:
Public exhibition × An art piece
Retail space/shopfront × A ready-to-wear piece
Private wardrobe × A bespoke piece
A total of 16 students presented their final outcomes, launched at an exclusive Private View and later opened to the public at the ZHF Clerkenwell Studio throughout February 2026.
As part of the celebration, the Zaha Hadid Foundation team cast individual votes to select standout submissions. The awarded students were:
GOLD AWARD – Liam Curtis
SILVER AWARD – Henriette Lindgren
BRONZE AWARD – Jasmin Jiali Liu & Elvis Barberio
HIGHLY COMMENDED – Rachel Gibson & Alkistis-Athanasia Papantoniou
Reflecting on the collaboration, Aric Chen, Director of the Zaha Hadid Foundation, shared:
“As an educator herself, Zaha always encouraged students to push boundaries and creativity, and to see so much of this happening, drawn from so many vantage points and in so many inventive ways, would have certainly made her proud. We’re grateful to have been able to play some small part in supporting these Ravensbourne students.”
Course Leader Thida Hawkins highlighted the depth and ambition of the work produced:
“It was a privilege to work alongside the Architecture and Zaha Hadid Foundation teams on this multi-faceted project. Students were challenged to consider architectural principles and Zaha’s fashion archive to create dynamic outcomes. This was reflected in the variety of clothing, accessories and art pieces produced using traditional pattern making, machine and hand sewing, 3D printing, digital animations and virtual interactivity. Having the work exhibited in a gallery context also provided an insight into curation and public display which may broaden career opportunities.”
This collaboration continues to demonstrate Ravensbourne’s commitment to industry-engaged learning, giving students the opportunity to work alongside leading practitioners and develop work for real-world contexts.
