Brand Lenovo, together with fashion designer, Stella McCartney, crowned Central Saint Martins’ MA Design Ceramics, Furniture or Jewelry student, Peter Nasielski, the overall winner of their sustainable design competition for his innovative eyewear design, made from regenerative algae seaweed.
The winning design was revealed at an event held at Stella McCartney’s Old Bond Street store, attended by industry friends, as well as Central Saint Martins students and faculty.
The collaboration, which saw 38 MA Design students from Central Saint Martins explore the relationship between fashion and technology to create a sustainable solution, aimed to inspire and empower the next generation of eco-conscious designers through innovative Lenovo Yoga technology.
Throughout the eight-week project, the students created extraordinary and futuristic designs ranging from e-waste jewellery to acoustic paneling made from mycelium. With many remarkable creations to choose from, it was Peter Nasielski, a student from California, that most impressed Stella and the Lenovo design team.
Peter’s project was inspired by regenerative farming practices, which led to the development of his eyewear design made from bioplastic material. Using cutting-edge technology powered by the Lenovo Yoga 9i, Peter used coding algorithms to mimic the aesthetics and dynamics of natural algae formations, creating the basis of his winning design.
Peter was picked from a shortlist of four talented finalists, who battled it out in a judging day at the Stella McCartney HQ. Each finalist championed an important cause and showcased immense creativity, with sustainability at the heart of each design. As the winner, Peter has been awarded a three-month internship at Stella McCartney in a department of his choice, plus an internship with Lenovo’s design innovation team at their headquarters in North Carolina.
Stella McCartney commented, “I was truly blown away by each of the finalists’ presentations and it was so hard to pick a winner; I was so inspired by the level of creativity and innovation.
“I chose Peter as my winner not only because his regenerative kelp and algae farming project touches on something we are already looking into, but it also seems the most viable as a material innovation for both my team and Lenovo. Algae is a renewable resource and doesn’t rely on us producing more waste. It directly fights the climate crisis and, thinking beyond the environmental benefits, can also involve local communicates that harvest it.
“I really want to continue this conversation and help to make some of their creations a reality because I see a lot of viable solutions in what I was presented. I am so inspired by and honoured to support this next generation of innovation!”
Peter Nasielski, winner of Central Saint Martins’ future of sustainable fashion design project, said: “I am so excited to have been chosen as the winner of the sustainable fashion design project, supported by both Stella McCartney and Lenovo. Throughout these eight weeks, I have been challenged and empowered to think beyond sustainability and, as a result, I have created something that aims to inspire and make change for the regenerative future of the fashion industry.”
