Talented UWTSD Surface Pattern and Textiles student secures design job with major retailer Matalan

Final year student Ellie Jones, who is studying the Integrated Master of Design Surface Pattern and Textiles programme at Swansea College of Art UWTSD, has secured an exciting role with British fashion and homeware retailer Matalan.

Article by Susan Down, 2nd year BA Surface Pattern and Textiles, Swansea College of Art.

Ellie was hired as a designer for Matalan after showcasing her work at the prestigious New Designers exhibition in London, an annual showcase of the UK’s most innovative emerging talent.

Ellie said: “It was such a valuable opportunity as my work was exposed to a huge number of people, a lot of which were big companies in our design industry, so it was great to get a feel for what it’s like and to speak to people with experience.” At the end of the design show she was approached by Matalan’s Creative Team and offered a 4-week placement at their head office in Liverpool, which she completed in the summer of 2022.

The Career Development bursary from UWTSD covered her accommodation and travel costs for her 4-week internship, allowing her to successfully complete the placement by covering the costs of travel and accommodation.

She said: “My favourite part of my design process is image making, I love seeing my ideas come to life.” Her colourful and playful patterns for wallpapers, interior products, and textiles drew the attention of Matalan’s Homeware Design Team and they contacted her in October of 2022, to apply for a newly available position.

Ellie was hired after a rigorous selection process that included an application pack, portfolio review, a one-week design brief and two interviews. Ellie said: “When Matalan offered me the job in January, I was ecstatic, emotional, and just so excited. I couldn’t believe I’d been successful in securing a Graduate job before I’d graduated. It took a while to sink in!”

Ellie added: “I was also one of the winners of the Contrado X New Designers competition so my work was featured on physical products at the Contrado stand and I now have an online shop on their website where others can purchase my printed products.”

Georgia McKie, Programme Manager for Surface Pattern and Textiles at UWTSD, says “Seeing Ellie secure this role at Matalan is such a special moment for the Surface Pattern and Textiles team – we are incredibly proud of her and what she has achieved. To hear that Matalan chose Ellie for the Junior Homeware Designer role because of her broad textiles and multidisciplinary surface pattern knowledge is validating for the programme; this is exactly what we hope to equip our students with, making them incredibly employable designers for their foreseeable working futures.

“We wish Ellie all the luck in the world, and we look forward to welcoming her back to share her experiences of employment in the not-too-distant future.”

Niamh Morgan, 2nd year student studying BA(Hons) Surface Pattern and Textiles, says “Working within proximity of Ellie has been so inspiring, noticing what she is up to in the studio or seeing her desk come to light is so lovely. Being chosen for Matalan is no surprise due to her excellence within our discipline. A true role model! It is so inspiring for us to see her go on to be successful like this.”

To see more of Ellie’s beautiful work, visit her website at elinorfrances.co.uk

Further Information

Rebecca Davies

Executive Press and Media Relations Officer    
Corporate Communications and PR    
Email: rebecca.davies@uwtsd.ac.uk    
Phone: 07384 467071