Student and graduates were able to exhibit their work at the Shoreditch Campus
Date: 22 September 2026
As the 24th edition of the London Design Festival (LDF) comes to an end, industry experts have praised a “design renaissance” in the capital.
And London Metropolitan University was right at the heart of it, with a series of events taking place within Shoreditch Design Week.
The Shoreditch Campus hosted three shows: a design show by 12 current master’s students, another by a talented group of graduates who left five to 10 years ago and a symposium of leading creative practitioners.
A 'major event on the calendar'
Kaye Newman, Deputy Dean of the School of Art Architecture and Design (AAD), said: “Shoreditch Design Week has blossomed into a London-wide event which has joined in with London Design Festival.
“It is a major event on the calendar, and what's so lovely about it is that it’s very local to us. Our campus in Shoreditch is right in the middle of the action, so you can see photoshoots, openings, launches and other graduates showing off their work right on our doorstep.
“When you are involved in something like that, you are part of a trail that industry professionals and members of the public come to. The footfall is great and we get lots of people coming in to see the students’ work.”
London Met students will continue to have the opportunity to exhibit their work at the event for years to come.
Kaye added: “It's been so, so successful. Our master’s students were quite new to it all and they didn't realise they were in such a massive public event.
“They are so pleased that at the end of their long year of studying, their work is actually being showcased to professionals and the general public – they are being viewed in a serious arena of design.”
'No downsides' to studying at London Met
Graduates working in many different parts of design also returned to exhibit their own work, networking with colleagues and top design companies.
On this unique opportunity, Kaye said: “These talented young designers could exhibit their work in other shows, but we were delighted to have them back under our roof again to allow them to network with old colleagues and build new relationships.
“They’re all finding their place in in the world of design, working all over the globe and I’m very, very proud of them.”
Aiden King, a London-based designer who makes custom jewellery, objects, clothing and textiles, said it was “extremely important” to be able to exhibit work in events like LDF.
“I produced five new pieces for this show but for the most part it’s good to see where my colleagues and fellow graduates are at. It’s good to reconvene and see what we’re all developing.”
When asked what advice he would give potential applicants to London Met, he said: “Go for it”.
“There aren’t really any downsides to studying at London Met. The tutors are fantastic, the courses are brilliant, and it’s lovely to get the opinions of tutors from different disciplines.”
London Met offers a huge range of design courses for both undergraduate and postgraduate students. See the complete list here.
The University's Interior Design course was recently praised as the second best in the country by the Guardian - and the number one in London. And its Fashion Textiles course was also ranked in the top 10 nationwide.