Swansea College of Art graduate’s designs launch with iconic British brand Laura Ashley
When Anna Eynon began her MDes Surface Pattern and Textiles course at UWTSD’s Swansea College of Art in 2020, she could never have imagined that just a few years later, her designs would be part of Laura Ashley’s latest collection.
Anna, from Abergavenny, has gone from sketching flowers in her notebook to creating The Water’s Edge – a collection now on sale across the UK as part of Laura Ashley’s AW25 range. Her designs, including the Llanelli mural and Rainham Willow wallpaper, are available online and in stores such as Next, John Lewis, and B&Q.
Anna’s success story began with her graduate showcase at New Designers in London in 2024, where she won the Laura Ashley Lifestyle Award for her intricate illustrations of wetland life. Alongside prize money and the purchase of her work for the Laura Ashley archive, Anna secured a paid internship with the brand’s design and licensing teams.
During her internship, Anna pitched The Water’s Edge collection to over 100 people – a project which went on to be developed for Laura Ashley’s centenary celebrations and the reopening of its first flagship store in five years.
Laura Ashley’s judging panel praised Anna’s work as:
“A beautifully commercial home interiors collection… We loved the subject matter and interpretation of the print across the range.”
Reflecting on her journey, Anna said:
“I saw how a collection comes together – from trend research and archive work to pattern development, colour, and finally transferring designs to product. Presenting my collection to the team was invaluable, and to now see it in stores is surreal.”
Anna credits the support she received at Swansea College of Art for helping her launch her career:
“The inspiring studios, excellent facilities, and one-to-one time with lecturers helped me develop my identity as a designer. The course really prepares you for industry.”
Programme Manager Georgia McKie added:
“To see Anna’s final-year project now featured front and centre at Laura Ashley’s new flagship store is a pinch-me moment. It’s an inspiring example for our current students of how their work can connect directly with the UK design industry.”
This achievement comes as UWTSD continues to strengthen its reputation in design education, recently ranked 5th in the UK and 1st in Wales for Fashion and Textiles (Guardian University League Table 2026), as well as being named University of the Year for Teaching Quality 2026 (The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide).
